Understanding Socialism

Richard D. Wolff is professor of economics emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a visiting professor at the New School University in New York. Wolff hosts the weekly hour-long radio program Economic Update, which is syndicated on public radio stations nationwide.

• IntroductionChapter 1: A Brief History: How Socialism Got to Its Here and NowChapter 2: What Is Socialism?Chapter 3: Capitalism and Socialism: Struggles and TransitionsChapter 4: Russia and China: Major Experiments in Constructing SocialismChapter 5: Two Anti-socialist Purges: Fascism and Anti-communismChapter 6: Socialism’s Future and Worker Co-ops ConclusionAbout the Cover: The Red Rose as a Symbol of SocialismAbout the AuthorAbout Democracy at WorkFurther Reading

"Richard Wolff's book is the best accessible and reliable treatment we have of what socialism is, was, and should be.”—Cornel West “Lucid, brilliant, and uncompromising in his dissection of the capitalist system, [Wolff] also provides a sane and just socialist alternative to capitalist exploitation, one we must all fight to achieve.”—Chris Hedges“In the same accessible style that has made his programs and lectures such a hit, [Wolff] explains his subject in a way that's not only smart, but makes the rest of us feel smart. It's actionable intelligence.”—Laura Flanders "Wolff’s 138-page book is an accessible and insightful primer that undertakes a critical examination of the history of state-led socialism while offering a refreshing vision of a new model based upon workplace democracy."—Gregory N. Heires