Introduction

The whole capitalist world is in a crisis from which it cannot recover. Everywhere society is in chaos and ferment. Unemployment and starvation; crises and war are shaking up the thinking of millions of American workers and impelling them on the road of struggle against the system which oppresses them and drives them toward annihilation in the impending slaughter. The coming world war, as did the last, will bring a train of revolutions in its wake. The first of these may be in the United States. The shibboleths of prosperity and democracy, the American way and patriotism are being revealed as capitalist snares to increasing thousands of workers, who are groping for a solution to the problem of existence.

Marxism is our only hope. Marxism is the science of human society which supplies the key to the development of social existence, past and present, and projects the direction in which it is moving – must move if it is to survive. It is the theory and practice of working class action, of proletarian revolution.

Marxism is the only sure guide by means of which the worker on the picket line can win his strike; the union man can defeat the bureaucrat who sells him out to the boss; the unemployed worker can win a piece of bread; workers’ demonstrations can defend themselves against police brutality and the bayonets of the militia.

Marxism is the guide which alone can point out, lead and organize the struggle to smash the Fascist snake, turn the imperialist war into a civil war for the overthrow of the capitalist system, thus opening the way to a new and decent life.

The coming struggles will raise up thousands of bold, courageous and self-sacrificing working men and women who will constitute the vanguard of the coming revolution. To play their part they must understand the theory and practice of Marxism. To assist this work of education and training the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Workers League of the United States offers this course which has been in preparation for over a year.

May 1939

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Last updated: 7 August 2019