The book is in the public domain and readily available for free. There’s really no excuse not to read it. And trust me, you can read it and not become indoctrinated. Economics and history students read it all the time.
Here’s what Communism is: a radical political system predicated on the violent overthrow of the bourgeoisie, the forced redistribution of wealth, and the central control of all factors of production. By “forced redistribution of wealth”, Marx and Engels didn’t mean “raising the top marginal tax rate by two percentage points”, but rather the execution of the rich so that their mansions could be used to house 16 families apiece.
Here’s what Communism is not: Sweden, because it has a royal family. Taking down the Confederate flag, which is not forced redistribution of wealth. Government-supported health care for senior citizens. Government-supported health care for children. Net neutrality. Organic food. Hybrid cars.
Marx and Engels proposed Communism as a radical solution to income inequality and the effects of the business cycle on ordinary workers. The system failed wherever it was tried. Socialism, which does not require violent overthrow, forcible redistribution, or centralized planning, has a mixed track record. It has worked well in some places and some times, and failed miserably in others.
In any event, we should stop throwing around works like “Communism” whenever we don’t like something, especially when it is so easy to find out what it actually is.
