Capital reading groups in Brighton, Glasgow and London

Submitted by critisticuffs on November 29, 2024

We are planning 3 Capital volume 1 reading groups starting in the new year, in London, Glasgow and Brighton.

Each would meet weekly, initially covering the first six chapters at a pace that ensures that everyone can understand and discuss what's on the page rather than relying on a flawed summary from a book or a podcast.

Capital isn't an easy book to read - especially the opening chapters - but neither is it beyond anyone willing to spend some time with it. Reading in a group is an effective way of coming to an understanding of both the key concepts and overarching structure of the book's arguments.

If you're interested in joining, sign up to the mailing list for the group you can attend by sending a blank email to the appropriate address below. We'll send more details about start date and location once they are confirmed.

London: reading_capital_in_london-subscribe[at]lists.riseup.net

Glasgow: reading_capital_in_glasgow-subscribe[at]lists.riseup.net

Brighton: reading_capital_in_brighton-subscribe[at]lists.riseup.net

adri

1 day 10 hours ago

Submitted by adri on November 30, 2024

rather than relying on a flawed summary from a book or a podcast.

Heinrich's recent How to Read Marx's Capital might be of interest, which is based on the Penguin edition (Fowkes translation). You're probably better off reading that alongside Capital rather than just relying on discussion alone, which is not really helpful if nobody is really all that knowledgeable. Heinrich is a serious Marx(ist) scholar who has contributed to the MEGA project and who has worked firsthand with the archival sources produced by Marx and Engels. Being a German, he has also studied Capital in its original language, and his remarks on how certain passages are translated are quite useful. You would only be making reading Capital more difficult by avoiding Heinrich, though that certainly doesn't mean that anything Heinrich says is beyond criticism (and I'm sure Heinrich would agree).

Submitted by critisticuffs on December 2, 2024

rather than relying on a flawed summary from a book or a podcast.

The key words were relying and flawed. We go paragraph by paragraph through the first six chapters. In a group where you cover a chapter at a time it can be easier to accept someone's summary. A closer reading of the text gives you more opportunity to figure it out individually/collectively and/or to assess someone else's explanation, whether that's from someone knowledgeable within the group, a serious scholar such as Heinrich, or a less serious one.