Episode 2 - What To Do About The State And Revolution?

Written in 1863 by Nikolai Chernyshevsky, 'What Is to Be Done? ' is a novel that had a significant influence on Russian revolutionary thought. The story follows Viéra Pavlovna, a young woman who seeks economic independence and starts a cooperative workshop for seamstresses. The novel promotes the creation of small socialist cooperatives, advocates for women's rights, and critiques the patriarchal and authoritarian structures of Russian society. It was written in response to Ivan Turgenev's 'Fathers and Sons' and played a central role in polarizing the Russian intelligentsia between radical and liberal reformers. The novel's impact was so profound that it contributed to the conflicts leading up to the Russian Revolution.

In 'Capital Volume 1', Karl Marx provides a comprehensive analysis of the capitalist system, focusing on the process of production and the exploitation of labor. He argues that capitalism inherently leads to contradictions such as technological unemployment and crises of overproduction. The book is a seminal work in understanding the historical development of capitalism and its social implications.