Mother

Mother by Maxim Gorky

Gorky was written in English by a Russian, and then later translated into Russian. It appears that the author wrote it to advocate for communism. However, it comes across as an identification of the pitfalls of peasant enablement. In the book, it keeps going back to the Mother. She at first cannot read and is baffled with what this revolutionaries are up to. Then she learns to read. She gradually becomes part of the movement, and even finds herself on the wrong side of the law.

Are these workers too subject to manipulation? They learn to read and then read the subversive publications. There is much effort made to continue to publish these to recruit more workers to their side. Are these people just being manipulated by a different group? First they are following their bosses and doing work. Then they are following revolutionaries and advocating for revolution. They have simple traded one allegiance for another without engaging in significant individual thought or autonomy. They are willing to carry out violence in the name of this revolution. The various publications appear to be a way of short-circuiting what would otherwise be a slow moving revolution. Is this short circuit a good thing? Do they just get one part without all the nuances? These are essentially early conspiracy theories. There are great efforts made to control the communication on both sides. Today there is widespread availability of different thoughts from all sides, but these leaves even more areas open for manipulation.

Working Backwards

Looking Backward: 2000–1887 by Edward Bellamy

Someone from the late 1800s suddenly finds himself in the 2000. He marvels at the society that looks so different from the time he left. The society had ditched capitalism and adopted a socialist structure. The government runs everything. Everyone does the work they are able to do and gets a similar wage. They still have the ability to choose how they want to spend their earnings. In spite of (or perhaps because of) these societal changes, the society seems otherwise very much like the old society, but with some advancements. Retail looks more like an "amazon showroom". One goes to a retail outlet where a clerk helps you. However, he does not influence your decision. He does assist you in getting almost immediately delivery of your goods. The book is very Utopian. The 1800s person questions the functioning of this socialism, but those concerns are just brushed away. Things simply "work".

The Important Trial of Thomas Spence

The Important Trial of Thomas Spence by Thomas Spence

Thomas Spence was tried and convicted for publishing "revolutionary" texts. Today, we would hardly bat an eye at most of his concepts. He supported divorce (as a way in making marriage better.) He also advocated land reform. He would have local government units own the land. The revenue of the units would be from the rent paid by those who worked the land. The book includes his complete constitution. It included a form of representation as well as speech protection and law enforcement. His radical texts were too much for 200 years ago. Today, the work can be found on Marxist web sites. Conditions have changed today. However, if you consider the rents to be "property tax", it is not too far from what we have today. (Though without restrictions on multiple ownership.)

News from Nowhere

News from Nowhere by William Morris

Somebody falls asleep only to wake up in a new libertarian communist world. There are no laws, no cities, nothing that would impede anyone from doing what they wanted. However, people desired to work. Women would still bear children. However, they may decide to leave to be with a different partner at any time. It was tough to tell if it was advocating a libertarian or socialist arrangement. It seemed to be a bit of both. There were also touches of science fiction.