On this date in 1848,
The Communist Manifesto was published.
Howard Zinn: "I don't see much point in abstract theorizing or getting into arguments about Marxism, Leninism, etc. ... Theoretical analyses are useful but not crucial. There is a lot of wasted time in such endeavors, but not all is wasted. Marx's Communist Manifesto was a theoretical analysis, immensely useful and inspiring. His first volume of Das Kapital was useful too. His second and third volumes, and his Grundrisse, were probably a waste of time!"
Informal Poll: How many of you have actually read the entire Communist Manifesto? (I haven't.)