Karl Marx is a towering figure – a radical, a revolutionary, and a political economist. Over the last 200 years his ideas have shaped the Left across the world. But what did he actually say?

This session will introduce the basic ideas that Marx wrote about – from the process of Marx becoming a “Marxist”, to his theory of social change, class, the process of exploitation, and why we need a revolution to overthrow capitalism.

Marx’s ideas hold timeless relevance for a world more riven by inequality than ever, and serve as a guide for radicals today who are trying to build a new one.

Suggested reading: https://redflag.org.au/article/what-does-it-mean-be-marxist

Capitalism has got to go – but how? Is a revolution still possible today? What would it look like? Who could make it happen? Many people see the problems of the system, but have resigned themselves to the idea that revolution is impossible. Marx argued that revolution was both possible and necessary, and identified the working class as the group with the power to make it happen. In this session we’ll discuss the Marxist idea of workers’ revolution to overthrow capitalism, and what a successful revolution would look like today.

Suggested reading: https://redflag.org.au/article/revolution-heart-socialism

What does it mean to be a socialist in Australia today? The capitalist system is so big, it’s hard to know where to start!  For Marx and the socialists who came after him, being a socialist meant being organised, building up the ranks of the socialist movement, and organising struggles against the injustices of the system. This session will take us step by step through what socialists need to do today to take us closer to our goal – a society with no poverty, oppression, or exploitation. You’ll meet local socialist activists, and find out more about how you can become an organised socialist.

Suggested reading: https://redflag.org.au/article/what-kind-of-organisation-is-socialist-alternative