Why You Should Be a Socialist, Nathan J. Robinson
Why You Should Be a Socialist, Nathan J. Robinson
5 Rating(s)
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Why You Should Be a Socialist

Author: Nathan J. Robinson

Narrator: Nathan J. Robinson

Unabridged: 10 hr 59 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/10/2019


Synopsis

This program is read by the author.

A primer on Democratic Socialism for those who are extremely skeptical of it.

America is witnessing the rise of a new generation of socialist activists. More young people support socialism now than at any time since the labor movement of the 1920s. The Democratic Socialists of America, a big-tent leftist organization, has just surpassed 50,000 members nationwide. In the fall of 2018, one of the most influential congressmen in the Democratic Party lost a primary to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old socialist who had never held office before. But what does all this mean? Should we be worried about our country, or should we join the march toward our bright socialist future? In Why You Should Be a Socialist, Nathan J. Robinson will give listeners a primer on twenty-first-century socialism: what it is, what it isn’t, and why everyone should want to be a part of this exciting new chapter of American politics.

From the heyday of Occupy Wall Street through Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and beyond, young progressives have been increasingly drawn to socialist ideas. However, the movement’s goals need to be defined more sharply before it can effect real change on a national scale. Likewise, liberals and conservatives will benefit from a deeper understanding of the true nature of this ideology, whether they agree with it or not.

Robinson’s charming, accessible, and well-argued book will convince even the most skeptical listeners of the merits of socialist thought.

About Nathan J. Robinson

Nathan J. Robinson is a leading voice of millennial left politics. He is the editor of Current Affairs. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, The Nation, Salon, The Guardian, and elsewhere. A graduate of Yale Law School, he is a PhD student in Sociology and Social Policy at Harvard University, where his work focuses on contemporary left social movements. He is the author of Why You Should Be A Socialist.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Thomas on May 19, 2020

A helpful and accessible guide to socialism that I would recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about class, labor, and socioeconomic systems. I come from the field of Psychology and grew up in a relatively wealthy area and family, so while I’ve grown to endorse things like Medicare for All and......more

Goodreads review by Andy on December 11, 2020

Readable if rambling introduction to socialism in the context of 2020 America, with a theme of why Bernie Sanders is the presidential candidate who best represents what most Americans want. It clarifies how "socialism" means all kinds of different things to different people, but the core substance o......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on February 29, 2020

Accessible introduction to socialist ideas, I highly reccomend it.......more

Goodreads review by Fredrik on March 11, 2021

Maybe a platonic 3.5 stars for me, so let's round up. Not a bad primer at all. The text is as approachable as the title suggests. It's decidedly non-sectarian, which is an important quality in this kind of a text, and it lays out both the essential moral case and a simplified version of the economic......more

Goodreads review by Ryan on December 19, 2019

I’ll admit that there was some uncertainty before reading the book as to whether I might call myself a socialist or not. I have not traditionally labeled myself as such, although I support left-leaning candidates like Bernie Sanders and generally subscribe to liberal policies. It’s true, as Robinson......more