More info

Basic questions:
reddit.com/r/communism101

Communist/Socialist discussion:
reddit.com/r/communism

Collected works of Marxist theorists:

marxists.org

Sources
1:_http://www.epi.org/files/2015/t
op-ceos-make-300-times-more-than-
typical-workers.pdf
Workers, Unite!
2:_http://www.pewresearch.org/fact
-tank/2014/10/09/for-most-
workers-real-wages-have-barely-
budged-for-decades/

3:_http://bostonreview.net/forum/l Without a revolutionary theory there

ead-essay-under-influence-martin- cannot be a revolutionary movement
gilens
-Vladimir Lenin
4:_http://www.capitalism-and-
crisis.info/en/Welcome/New
From each according to his abilities, to
each according to his needs
-Karl Marx
Socialism in the US is highly misunderstood
after years of McCarthyist smear campaigns.
This pamphlet aims to clear some
misconceptions and covers basic socialist
ideals and theory. Lets start right off with
Surplus Value
Surplus value is the value added on to the
actual cost of labor, or profit. Since this can
be a confusing concept, heres an example:
In this example, a worker is paid $10 to
produce a shirt. The shirt is then sold for
$30. But where does the extra $20 of surplus
value, or profit, included in the price go?
The $20 goes to a capitalist. The capitalist
owns the means of production, such as
factories or farms, and lets workers produce
goods in exchange for all the surplus value.
What this means, in this example, is that the
capitalist made $20 by letting someone else
do the work for them.
The rich get richer
In reality the exploitation of the worker is
much harsher than our example. The average
US workers pay has increased barely 11% Under socialism, our example from earlier
since 1978, whereas the average CEOs pay changes to this:
has increased nearly 1000%.1 Adjusted for
inflation, workers salaries have been
stagnant while the cost of living skyrockets.2
Plutocracy
The worker is paid fairly, products are
Capitalism, a system of inequality,
cheaper because money is not being wasted
fundamentally conflicts with the process of
on advertising and executive benefits, and
democracy, a system of equality. In the US,
moneys influence on democracy is curbed.
support from the wealthiest citizens
increases a laws chance of passing around
30%, on average.3 Since laws often come Central planning
down to very close votes, this 30% basically A centrally planned economy is another
allows the rich to swing any vote their way. important feature of socialism. Some critics
of socialism claim that centrally planned
Whats the solution? economies are slower to respond than
market economies. This may have been true
When Karl Marx developed the concept of
in the days of letters and telegrams, but no
surplus value, he also theorized a solution to
more. Even under capitalism, one large
the problems inherent in capitalism,
centrally managed company such as
socialism. The simplest explanation of
Walmart and Amazon can make or sell
socialism is that instead of capitalists
goods more efficiently than many mom-and-
owning the means of production, the workers
pop stores combined. This is because
do.
central planning allows more sharing and
In practice, this means that jobs are filled by better analysis of market information.
members of a democratic workers party,
In market economies, competitors often over
which centrally manages production. This
produce goods to stay competitive, causing
workers party also controls the means of
recessions which leave millions homeless.4
production, and allows workers to use it
This is uncommon in command economies.
without taking any surplus value. Thus,
workers can produce goods without giving
surplus value to capitalists. How can I learn more?
Links and sources are on the back cover