Marxism Unmasked: From Delusion to Destruction [Paperback]

Ludwig Von Mises (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1572462108 | ISBN-13: 978-1572462106 | Publication Date: December 16, 2008

We can't sit under Mises at his famous Vienna private seminar. We can't go back in time and attend his New York seminar, or follow him to his speaking engagements that he held in the 50s and 60s. But thanks to this second volume in a thrilling series (here is volume one), we do have access to what he said. He is warm, funny, passionate, and learned. This book provides a candid look at the man and his teaching style. It demonstrates his dazzling command over the material, and teaches in a breezier way than his treatises. This volume contains nine lectures delivered over one week, from June 23, to July 3, 1952, at the San Francisco Public Library. Mises was at his prime as a teacher and lecturer. He shares a lifetime of learning on topics that were (and remain) central to American public life. As the title indicates, his main focus is on Marxism. He discusses Marx and his place in the history of ideas, the destruction wrought by his dangerous ideology, the manner in which his followers have covered up his errors, and how the Marxists themselves have worked for so long to save Marxism from itself. He discusses Marxist claims about history and refutes the smear of the industrial revolution.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Foundation for Economic Education (December 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572462108
• ISBN-13: 978-1572462106
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,539,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A short critique of Marxism from an Austrian School perspective; also a light introduction to Ludwig von Mises, December 15, 2011

By 

Joel Barnes - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marxism Unmasked: From Delusion to Destruction (Paperback)

_Marxism Unmasked_ is a compilation of short-hand notes from someone who attended nine lectures that were delivered by the famous Austrian School economist Ludwig von Mises in San Francisco in 1952. At this time, socialism was the zeitgeist. "In both Europe and the United States it was presumed that capitalism, when left unregulated, could only lead to exploitation, misery, and social injustice. Governments on both sides of the Atlantic were introducing ever more stringent interventionist and welfare statist policies meant to ameliorate the supposed cruelty of the market economy."

One of the main contributors to this trending of socialism at the time were the writings of Karl Marx. Hence, von Mises engaged in a fairly counter-cultural activity when he delivered these lectures in critique of Marxism.

In the first five lectures, von Mises talks about Marx and reveals the discrepancy and contradiction with many of his ideas. He refers to Marx as a man full of economic ignorance. He also notes that Marx seemed only familiar with classical economists when he critiqued capitalism and was either unable or unwilling to read the political and economic literature of the day, much of which ran contrary to his ideas of class warfare, etc.

In the last four lectures, von Mises presents the Austrian School perspective on savings and investment, business cycles, economic calculation, etc.

_Marxism Unmasked_ is an enjoyable, if short, critique of Marxism. There are plenty of more important and weightier books by von Mises on the subject, but this may serve as a nice, light introduction.