Saturday, October 5, 2013

Marx in Soho



 Howard Zinn's play. Terrific play, a monologue worth the hour whether you know the works of Karl Marx or not. Marx returns to life (ends up in Soho in New York) not just to set the record straight about his ideas and personal life but to take a look around at our world today. At times comedic. The acting isn't the best but acceptable.

Early on in his monologue, Marx insists he is not a Marxist. Sets the record straight on his statements such as "religion is the opiate of the people" (about 16:00, begins with a story about a Christmas party with Frederick Engels).

At about 26:00 he recounts living with his boils and that some critics attributed his ideas to having boils.

At about 36:30 he recounts an argument with Jenny (his wife) on how to talk about surplus value, labor value, commodity value.

At about 40:00 he recounts Jenny's position on the emancipation of women.

At about 42:00 he sets his theory straight on the definition of communism today, which he sees distorted by thugs.

At about 44:50 he recounts his tumultuous relationship with the anarchist Bakunin and includes a great sequence of the establishment and destruction of the short-live Paris Commune.

At about 58:00 he poses the question on capitalism's triumph.

"Don't ask who deserves it. Everyone deserves it."


If the video disappears, which it has, here's the direct link.

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