This reading list is still undergoing some changes, however, it's been deliberately designed in this specific order for compounding information about increasingly complex topics, while also increasing the literacy of the reader to be able to process Capital easier. While the MLPNA is currently unable to provide its own audiobooks for all listed books—currently recommending audiobooks from the public, and only public domain ones were retained (e.g. LibriVox, dessalines_, etc.)—it does have study guides for most of these. Please keep in mind that these study guides were initially designed for a dramatically different presentation order, and some contain minor errors which are addressed in other study guides—which may appear out of order, correcting a mistake before it's appeared in the new order. All of these study guides will be gradually re-written over time.
Comrade H. Donovan of the MLPNA is currently in the process of working to establish a dual curriculum: one rigorous curriculum for the cadres, and one popular (though never vulgar) curriculum for the mass line, who may in turn graduate to mass line leaders or cadre leaders. This will additionally involve investigating the necessary pedagogic techniques to ensure workers are actually learning, rather than just having words wash over them, only to be quickly forgotten.
1. The Principles of Communism by Friedrich Engels (Audiobook)
The Principles of Communism by Friedrich Engels, while not normally recommended first in a reading list, has been established as the start of the reading list for the Marxist-Leninist Party of North America due to its formatting: a direct series of questions which are commonly asked. While this obviously doesn't address many questions particular to the 20th and 21st centuries, these questions from the 19th century are still very commonly asked. Additionally, due to Manifesto of the Communist Party (The Communist Manifesto) being based on The Principles of Communism, the latter can be used to help draw the main points from the former.
Until the MLPNA begins archiving theory, it will unfortunately be utilizing the Marxists Internet Archive. While a very convenient source of Marxist theory, it's owned and operated by Trotskyists.
2. Manifesto of the Communist Party (The Communist Manifesto) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (Audiobook)
Manifesto of the Communist Party, usually colloquially referred to as The Communist Manifesto, was an elaboration upon the FAQ known as The Principles of Communism by Friedrich Engels, being written not just by Engels, but additionally by Karl Marx. It largely serves as an agitational document, however, even its introductions provide fascinating information which must also be taken into account. For example, in the Preface to the German Edition of 1872, Marx discusses how he learned from the Paris Commune that Blanquism, i.e. a coup d'etat which utilizes the existing government structure, is the incorrect method, and rather that Marxists must smash the existing state and build their own in order for the dictatorship of the proletariat to be properly realized.
3. Anarchism or Socialism? by Joseph Stalin (Audiobook) (Study Guide)
Anarchism or Socialism? by Joseph Stalin is an integral document for explaining why we choose Marxism-Leninism over anarchism. This document encompasses anarchist critiques against the dialectical method and a Marxist-Leninist analysis, ditto for the materialist theory, a Marxist analysis of anarchist theory and tactics, and which ideology better supports the proletariat, and why. This document directly cites Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (the first anarchist), Petr Kropotkin (the anarchist commonly attributed to the concept of anarchist-communism—usually called anarcho-communism—on the basis of deindustrialization to feudal levels, drawing both from Proudhon and Mikhail Bakunin), and a Georgian anarchist newspaper known as Nobati.
For contextual supplemental reading, please see The Poverty of Philosophy by Karl Marx (Audiobook) and The Bakuninists at Work by Friedrich Engels.
4. Socialism: Utopian and Scientific by Friedrich Engels (Audiobook) (Study Guide)
Socialism: Utopian and Scientific by Friedrich Engels is a document which explains, in detail, why Marxism is alternatively referred to as scientific Socialism, elaborating on the history of utopian Socialism—the precursor to Marxism—the dialectical method, and materialist theory. The archive linked is the Paris, France mirror of the Marxists Internet Archive, due to multiple introductions being obliterated from the MIA. These same sections are unfortunately missing from the linked audiobook.
For contextual supplemental reading, please see Anti-Dühring by Friedrich Engels, which Socialism: Utopian and Scientific is excerpted from.
5. Value, Price, and Profit by Karl Marx (Study Guide)
Value, Price, and Profit by Karl Marx helps to summarize multiple topics within Capital, and is absolutely integral economic theory for proceeding with the reading list. Additionally, it provides an explanation for why neither raising workers wages nor workers unionizing are counter-revolutionary, and should still be supported—though it should be acknowledged that trade unionism isn't enough, as will make increasing sense as you proceed through the reading list.
For contextual supplemental reading, please see Wage Labour and Capital by Karl Marx (Audiobook).
6. Dialectical and Historical Materialism by Joseph Stalin (Study Guide)
Dialectical and Historical Materialism by Joseph Stalin helps to explain the concepts within its own title, basically elaborating how Marxist-Leninists think and analyze the world around us and its history. This will make Vladimir Lenin's writing significantly more comprehensible by giving you the background context for why he made certain decisions. Without understanding dialectical and historical materialism, workers are completely unable to have an analysis attached to reality, and any subsequent theory they write on this vibes-basis will only be useful through coincidence.
7. The Foundations of Leninism by Joseph Stalin (Study Guide)
The Foundations of Leninism by Joseph Stalin is provided before the actual writings of Vladimir Lenin for the purposes of helping to explain the core concepts of Lenin's defenses and reinforcements of Marxism, as well as his adaptations of Marxism to imperialism, a stage of capitalism Marx hadn't yet reached, and subsequently couldn't form a complete analysis of despite it beginning to develop.
8. The State and Revolution by Vladimir Lenin (Audiobook) (Study Guide)
The State and Revolution by Vladimir Lenin will help to explain the purpose of the state, as well as how it can be utilized by the workers. This additionally helps to explain why a simple putsch—i.e., a coup d'etat, which retains the existing bourgeois government structure—is the incorrect solution, rather that we have to follow Marx's advice to, "smash the state," (verbatim) following the path of the Paris Commune in creating a proletarian state on the ashes of the bourgeois state—though Engels does emphasize that, "state," is an inadequate term, as the existence as a state will wither over time, which is explained in Chapter 5 of this book.
While normally not a recommended author, Rosa Luxemburg has a book called Reform or Revolution? which is good contextual supplemental reading. For context of why she isn't normally recommended, Luxemburg abandoned Bolshevism (literally, "the majority;" later replaced by the term Marxism-Leninism) after the Bolsheviks dissolved the Russian Empire's imperial Duma (a bourgeois parliamentary congress), which was universally recognized as undemocratic, in favour of a Soviet (council; union) congress. She then transitioned into what we nowadays refer to as social democracy, and is part of the reason social democracy has been popularized, particularly in Europe.
9. Marxism and the National Question by Joseph Stalin (Study Guide)
Marxism and the National Question by Joseph Stalin helps to explain how Marxist-Leninist internationalism works. You'll notice as you dive into anti-Trotskyism later that the Marxist-Leninist perspective on internationalism is dramatically different from the Trotskyist perspective. For context of the latter, Leon Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution is based on the stance that peasants are counter-revolutionary—an inversion of Lenin's alliance between the industrial proletariat and the agricultural peasantry, hence the hammer and sickle—and that no revolution can create a Socialist country without direct interference from the imperial core, with particular focus on Western Europe.
This is largely due to the fact that Trotsky was originally a Menshevik (literally, "the minority") who later took a middle-ground between Menshevism and Bolshevism after Menshevism was demonstrably proven wrong during the October Revolution.
It's for this reason that Trotsky didn't view the USSR as Socialist, and why Stalin's theory of Socialism in One Country—i.e. the concept that creating Socialism in one country without external interference is possible, without abandoning internationalism—is the inverse of Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution. For contextual supplemental reading about Marxist-Leninist internationalism, also see The Right of Nations to Self-Determination by Vladimir Lenin.
10. On the History of Early Christianity by Friedrich Engels (Study Guide)
On the History of Early Christianity by Friedrich Engels is included in this playlist due to North American conditions specifically, though is particularly included for USAmerican conditions. This is due to North America's majority religion being Christianity, and its use by the bourgeoisie to foment anti-Communist propaganda while exploiting workers. However, On the History of Early Christianity doesn't fully convey the intended discussion around the topic of religion.
This book primarily covers what the title suggests: the history of Christianity's development, and discussion about the historical efficacy of biblical scripture. However, what the MLPNA is attempting to get across are instead the following points:
As such, this book will later be replaced by something which better communicates this. Very likely, a Party document will be made especially for this discussion, as religious integration is necessary, but absolutely shouldn't be part of the Party or the proletarian state, according to the principle of Religion is a private matter in regards to the state, but not to the Party.
11. Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism by Vladimir Lenin (Study Guide)
Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism by Vladimir Lenin can officially be provided at this moment, now that basic Marxist economic theory, the purpose of the state, and how Marxist-Leninists view nations have been elucidated. Imperialism, as the title suggests, is the highest stage of capitalism, wherein the internal anarchic contradictions of the market cause a natural tendency towards centralization. The contradiction between collective labour and private ownership are dramatically sharpened, and inevitably, capitalists have to exploit beyond their own nations' borders. This was something that couldn't be fully understood under World War I.
12. What Is to Be Done? Burning Questions of Our Movement by Vladimir Lenin (Study Guide)
What Is to Be Done? Burning Questions of Our Movement by Vladimir Lenin, commonly shortened as What Is to Be Done?, is an integral work by Vladimir Lenin for two reasons. The first reason is that it emphasizes the importance of connecting the Party to the masses, using the particular method of an all-nation Marxist-Leninist newspaper, which connects to workers' issues and releases at least once weekly, with focus on quality over quantity. The second reason is that it contains many critiques of the methods of other Socialists, which are extremely integral to learn from.
Of particular note, Lenin emphasizes the need to utilize not only popular media for the mass line, and especially popular media for those with regressive politics (though, he emphasizes, never vulgarized), but also to never assume that workers are too stupid to understand theory, discussing how workers should be educated up to the level of the advanced detachment of the proletariat. This in turn allows the mass line not only to understand what their vanguard is doing, but additionally to be able to contribute to it and help develop Marxism-Leninism for their conditions.
For contextual supplemental reading, see Where to Begin? by Vladimir Lenin, the precursor to What Is to Be Done?.
13. "Left-Wing" Communism: An Infantile Disorder by Vladimir Lenin (Study Guide)
"Left-Wing" Communism: An Infantile Disorder by Vladimir Lenin, commonly shortened as "Left-Wing" Communism, helps to explain why "left-wing" communism (alternatively referred to as left-communism, leftcom, or ultraleftism), through its disconnection from material conditions, unintentionally becomes counter-revolutionary. A common example of ultraleftism is Trotskyism, and consequently, this book helps to explain the Lenin-Trotsky split.
14. Trotskyism or Leninism? by Joseph Stalin (Study Guide)
Trotskyism or Leninism? by Joseph Stalin is an absolutely essential follow-up to "Left-Wing" Communism: An Infantile Disorder by Vladimir Lenin, providing a direct example of how leftcoms become counter-revolutionary, abandoning the Marxist-Leninist line, and consequently, abandon scientific Socialism. For contextual supplemental reading, please see its precursor Leninism or Trotskyism? by Lev Kamenev, as well as a scathing review of Trotsky, Trotskyism: Counter-Revolution in Disguise by Moissaye Olgin.
Additionally, for a discussion of anti-Trotskyism from an ex-Trotskyist, specifically through the discussion of Trotsky's theory, see the following video: Why Am I Not a Trotskyist? by Taimur Rahman (Red Star).
15. Combat Liberalism by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong)
Combat Liberalism by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) is a brief work detailing multiple forms of liberalism which corrode Marxist-Leninist movements into inaction. By being aware of the patterns of liberalism eroding Marxist-Leninist discipline, we can cut them out and keep a Party functional and active.
16. Oppose Book Worship by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong)
Oppose Book Worship by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) is another brief work, focusing on combating the dogmatist trend that additionally corrodes Marxist-Leninist movements. This form of dogmatism in particular concerns Marxists who forget that investigation and praxis are the mother of theory, instead putting their primary focus on existing theory, simply regurgitating existing theory without examining application of theory to their current conditions, which will allow them to create new theory from those conditions.
This is unfortunately a tendency which leads people to misunderstand adaptations Socialist countries have made to survive since the collapse of the USSR, recognizing revisionism, but failing to recognize that even Lenin advanced the notion that sometimes Marxists must take steps back and change tactics to maintain the efficacy of a long-term strategy, primarily emphasizing that this is communicated to the workers as a step back, and how it needs to and will be corrected in the future.
17. On Practice by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) (Study Guide)
On Practice by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) is an important work by Mao, describing not only what practice (oftentimes called praxis in the modern day) is, but also its relationship with theory. This additionally concerns how theory influences practice, and how practice influences theory, making the two inseparable with each other. The Party which fails to remain active in its investigation and practice will rapidly become disconnected from both reality and the masses.
18. On Contradiction by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) (Study Guide)
On Contradiction by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) helps to establish the theory of contradictions which will be integral to understanding the next work in this reading list, On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong). This book covers many complicated topics, such as the relationship between external and internal contradictions, ensuring materialism remains dialectic rather than metaphysical or mechanical, the law of the unity of opposites, how contradictions push evolution in every aspect of reality from physics to chemistry to society, the transformation of quantity into quality, how the transformation of quantity into quality resolves contradictions, and the importance of discovering and resolving the principle contradiction in any given situation.
19. On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) (Study Guide)
On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People by Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong) can be properly understood after reading the previous work, which helps to define what a contradiction is. This book in particular serves to help make awareness of the differences between who may count as the people and who may count as the enemy, primarily focusing on how to resolve contradictions among the people, but not casting aside how one may resolve contradictions between the people and the enemy, and contradictions within the enemy. This document additionally emphasizes the necessary combination of anti-dogmatism and anti-revisionism.
Dogmatism is often being adopted by people who severely misinterpret anti-revisionism wherein they consider those whose theory differs from classic Marxism-Leninism according to the new general, specific general, general specific, and specific conditions, which may require changes in short-term tactics in order to preserve long-term strategy, as what the MLPNA will refer to here as hard counter-revolutionaries: those deliberately attempting to crush the Socialist system. To clarify, their siblings per se would be soft counter-revolutionaries: those whose theory is wrong, and needs correction, but aren't intentionally counter-revolutionary, and consequently can be educated and don't require purges. Dogmatism, ironically, is a form of revisionism, albeit an unintentional form which largely comes from taking anti-revisionism to the point of book worship.
Revisionism is the deliberate trend of rejecting the existence of general, specific general, general specific, and specific conditions, especially wherein it considers the known, functional long-term strategies established by historical materialism as moot or incorrect, putting forth an incorrect alternative which prevents Socialist development. In North American conditions, this is largely seen in the social democrat, democratic socialist, and anarchist tendencies.
20. The Proletarian Class and the Proletarian Party by Joseph Stalin
The Proletarian Class and the Proletarian Party by Joseph Stalin, while largely relevant to Soviet conditions, is still useful data today. It helps to establish why the Marxist-Leninist formula establishes that, in order to be a Party member, one must accept the Party Program, render the Party financial support (e.g. through dues), and works in one of the Party organizations. In our modern conditions, however, we have a complicated issue which will need democratic discussion regarding its solution.
The particular issue in question is that, while much of North America—if not all—lacks an agricultural peasantry, wherein our agricultural workers have fully split apart into bourgeoisie who own the land and the means of production and the proletarians who work on that land, what we do have are an explosively expanding lumpenproletariat (i.e. the perpetually unemployed sloughed off of the proletariat; this has overlap with the homeless, albeit much of the homeless in the USA are employed) who seek work through subemployment, as well as a slave class, particularly through penal labour. The fact that both of these classes (though one is a subclass of the proletariat) are expanding necessitates us to consider them.
This will require the Marxist-Leninist Party of North America to investigate these conditions further and establish the proper protocols necessary for which of these classes (proletariat, lumpenprole, penal slaves) can be in the Party Cadres and which should be near-exclusively or exclusively in the Mass Line, and establish the proper protocols for Party membership among those who are unemployed and subemployed.
It additionally must be taken into account that in our modern capitalist conditions, not only is the labour power of workers purchased, but additionally, personal property (cell phones, cars, etc.) are often purchased with this labour time and temporarily converted into private property for the bourgeoisie, ranging from videographers to streamers to gig economy workers. The proper stance for the Party to take on this dual-property issue must be discussed thoroughly both before and during the dictatorship of the proletariat (e.g. should exclusively proletarian state phones, cars, etc. be used for work, to fully separate personal from national).
21. Theses on the Communist Parties and the Methods and Content of Their Work by the Third (i.e. Marxist-Leninist) Congress of the Communist International
Theses on the Communist Parties and the Methods and Content of Their Work by the Third (i.e. Marxist-Leninist) Congress of the Communist International, which the Party will generally shorten as Theses on the Communist Parties by the Third ComIntern, is a rather large and direct list of instructions by the ComIntern to the various Communist Parties which existed during the 20th century. Today, we can use this as a very useful set of guidelines to ensure our Marxist-Leninist Parties are on the right track.
This list of books should be completed with reading Capital by Karl Marx, a set of four volumes explaining the economic theory of the proletariat and numerous critiques of capitalism, inclusive of its self-destruction and inevitability towards the lower and higher stages of Communism. This has deliberately been selected as supplemental reading for the purposes of ensuring that theory is largely kept relevant to workers' conditions, e.g. a farmer will be more interested in how Communism can help her cultivate her crops more efficiently, rather than spending months explaining complex economic theory to her.
These books should, however, be read by anyone who wishes to move upwards into the Party. It would be an extremely foolish move for the Party to have leaders within its ranks who haven't read at minimum the first volume of Capital, and higher level leaders (e.g. National Assembly and their elected Party Chairworker) should be expected to read the subsequent three volumes. These volumes can be found archived here: Volume One, Volume Two, Volume Three, Volume Four (Theories of Surplus Value). Audiobook playlists of these books which are separated by chapters can be found archived here: Volume One, Volume Two, Volume Three, Volume Four (Theories of Surplus Value).