Should Marx and Engels be required reading in high school?

by **4years** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:35 pm

The Parkus Empire wrote:
4years wrote:
1. An excerpt or two along with some of Hitler's other writings and speeches should be required when studying WW2 certainly.
2. If the topic in question is world religions or the dark ages, sure.
3. NO!

The Bible is pretty damn important for understanding some major Western literature and philosophy.

Good point.

by **The New Sea Territory** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:37 pm

Yeah and no. Not in public schools, anyway.....i don't really know how I feel about required reading. It is contradictory to me.

by **Blasveck** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:38 pm

The New Sea Territory wrote:Yeah and no. Not in public schools, anyway.....i don't really know how I feel about required reading. It is contradictory to me.

Why not in public schools?

by **4years** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:41 pm

The New Sea Territory wrote:Yeah and no. 1. Not in public schools, anyway.....2. i don't really know how I feel about required reading. 3. It is contradictory to me.

1. Why not?
2. It is necessary during the school year.
3. ???? Contradictory doesn't mean what you think it means.

by **New Equestrian Democratic Republic** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:26 pm

by **Arumdaum** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:40 pm

New Equestrian Democratic Republic wrote:No

Why?

by **Arumdaum** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 9:41 pm

The Ferret Revolution wrote:Why can't their just be a politics class that teaches every viewpoint?

That's just silly and unrealistic...

by **God Kefka** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 10:06 pm

Marx and Engels are radicals...

impressionable high school students should not be made to read radical texts... they are dangerous are they not?

by **Minarchist States** » Sun Sep 15, 2013 10:17 pm

God Kefka wrote:Marx and Engels are radicals...

impressionable high school students should not be made to read radical texts... they are dangerous are they not?

Agreed. They should read Rothbard instead.

by **Mkuki** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 5:29 am

God Kefka wrote:Marx and Engels are radicals...

impressionable high school students should not be made to read radical texts... they are dangerous are they not?

Not at all. A book has never killed anyone.

by **DrakoBlaria** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 5:34 am

Well their works and names should be present in history books, but the books themshelvs? Meh

Though I guess verses could be used when explaining the capitalist economic system

by **Schillikia** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 5:50 am

Students need to see from multiple perspectives, and just reading a bunch of capitalist propaganda is brainwashing students into the system of capitalism.

by **The American Nuclear Fallout Zone** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 5:56 am

My personal opinions of communism aside, I must agree with you. I think that important books on fascism should also be required reading. We teach children about capitalism in economics and finance classes, now let's teach them about the other sides of economics.

by **Vitaphone Racing** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 6:38 am

Are there not other ways to encourage critical thinking than reading a 130 year old sleeping pill? Das Kapital and The Origin of Family are deep, long and complex. What's more, if it's not interesting then it's not engaging either so students aren't going to be overly responsive to some of the thought provoking ideas inside those books. Making them required reading seems to be a bad idea because they will not be an effective text for any compulsory class. These texts are probably best reserved for elective classes specializing in social science or something of that ilk.

by **Anachronous Rex** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:07 am

God Kefka wrote:Marx and Engels are radicals...

impressionable high school students should not be made to read radical texts... they are dangerous are they not?

Well, so much for the Declaration of Independence...

by **Vitaphone Racing** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:10 am

Anachronous Rex wrote:
God Kefka wrote:Marx and Engels are radicals...

impressionable high school students should not be made to read radical texts... they are dangerous are they not?

Well, so much for the Declaration of Independence...

Yeah, that's a bit too radical as well now that you mention it.

by **Hasuut Inu Tlomaq** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:22 am

The American Nuclear Fallout Zone wrote:My personal opinions of communism aside, I must agree with you. I think that important books on fascism should also be required reading. We teach children about capitalism in economics and finance classes, now let's teach them about the other sides of economics.

Ernst Nolte's Three Faces of Fascism would be really good. Anyway that's the English title, it's a translation from German but I don't recall the original German title. (Don't read Mein Kampf. It's clearly the product of a diseased mind and most high schoolers would find it impossible to follow.)

As to Marx/Engels, the historical importance of these works should put them on any curriculum list, either as history or philosophy.
Aside from Das Kapital which is boring as hell.

by **Lerodan Chinamerica** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:53 am

Death Metal wrote:
Lerodan Chinamerica wrote:What exactly did you dislike about it? The language style? The exposition of collectivism's deeper facets? Or was it simply too far-fetched?

EDIT: also, why would you read a book you despise twice?

the only way you can have a true individual society without anyone being coerced into changes is if every decision made is a collective decision.

Probably one of the biggest contradictions I've ever seen. When I find a few more, I'm sigging this.

by **Surfistan** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:11 am

Anachronous Rex wrote:
God Kefka wrote:Marx and Engels are radicals...

impressionable high school students should not be made to read radical texts... they are dangerous are they not?

Well, so much for the Declaration of Independence...

And Common Sense...

And Wealth of Nations...

by **The Silence of Night** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:16 am

The Parkus Empire wrote:I'm not talking about The Communist Manifesto, I'm talking about works like Capital and The Origin of the Family.

In my opinion, yes, at least part of some their works. Marx's works encouraged critical thinking and helped pioneer social study as a science. The works offer vital insight into importance of classic struggle in history and economics.

Thoughts?

I don't believe political material should ever be required, because of the obvious indoctrination issues, but they should be offered as optional.

by **The Grey Wolf** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:22 am

Sure, as long as you include Mussolini and Hitler. Maybe make Crusade in Spain by Eoin O'Duffy required reading as well.

by **Divair** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:23 am

The Grey Wolf wrote:Sure, as long as you include Mussolini and Hitler. Maybe make Crusade in Spain by Eoin O'Duffy required reading as well.

I thought we went over this about a dozen times in this thread.

by **Camelza** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:24 am

The Grey Wolf wrote:Sure, as long as you include Mussolini and Hitler. Maybe make Crusade in Spain by Eoin O'Duffy required reading as well.

Hitler's collection of ramblings are no much for serious ideological writings.

by **The Grey Wolf** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:27 am

Camelza wrote:
The Grey Wolf wrote:Sure, as long as you include Mussolini and Hitler. Maybe make Crusade in Spain by Eoin O'Duffy required reading as well.

Hitler's collection of ramblings are no much for serious ideological writings.

Mein Kampf is a good book, make it required reading in high school.

by **Camelza** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:31 am

The Grey Wolf wrote:
Camelza wrote:Hitler's collection of ramblings are no much for serious ideological writings.

Mein Kampf is a good book, make it required reading in high school.

Have you actually read it? It's all about how awesome and manly he was, it has good for nothing explanations for his policies and it's terribly written.

Should Marx and Engels be required reading in high school?

Yes, Marx and Engels should be required reading in high scho

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