Understanding Socialism

“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

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’s recent work has concentrated on analysing the causes and alternative solutions to the global economic crisis. His groundbreaking book Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism inspired the creation of Democracy at Work, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to showing why and how to make democratic workplaces real. Wolff hosts the weekly hour-long radio program ‘Economic Update’, which is syndicated on public radio stations nationwide, and he writes regularly for The Guardian and Truthout. Wolff appears frequently on television and radio to discuss his work, with recent guest spots including Real Time with Bill Maher, with Chris Hayes on MSNBC, and Democracy Now! He is also a frequent lecturer at colleges and universities across the country.