Hillsdale College Launches New Online Course: “Marxism, Socialism, and Communism”
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College launched a new online course, “Marxism, Socialism, and Communism,” taught by members of Hillsdale’s history, politics, and economics faculty. The course was released on Aug. 20.
“In spite of its failures, Marxism remains influential and underlies many policies and ideologies that view all human relationships in terms of systemic oppression,” said Jeremiah Regan, executive director of online learning. “By helping people understand Marxist ideology in its various forms, this course will equip them to stand against its destructive influence in America.”
This course explores the nature, history, and legacy of Marxist ideologies, from the writings of Karl Marx to the history of brutal communist regimes to the current influence of Cultural Marxism in America. It considers why a theory that has repeatedly led to economic failure and human misery still appeals to so many.
This course is presented as a documentary with politics, economics, and history faculty, including Professor of Economics Ivan Pongracic; Associate Professor of Politics John Grant; Sean McMeekin, professor of history at Bard College; Professor Emeritus of History Thomas Conner; Associate Professor of Politics Kevin Slack; and Professor of Politics Thomas West.
“Marxism, Socialism, and Communism” includes lessons on:
- The Journalist: Marx
- The Revolutionary: Lenin
- The Dictator: Stalin
- The Critics: Solzhenitsyn, Mises, and Hayek
- The Acolytes: Yugoslavia and China
- The Utopians: Cultural Marxism
“Socialist ideas and ideals have seen an unexpected resurgence in American politics in the past decade,” Pongracic said. “It is vitally important that we look back at more than a hundred years of failed socialist experiments, as well as a substantial body of economic theory dealing with socialism, to understand why all attempts to collectivize our economy, whether through democratic or authoritarian means, are doomed to failure.”
For bios of the instructors, click here.To watch the trailer and register for the course, click here.
For photos from the course, click here.
For a high-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo, click here.
About Hillsdale College Online Courses
Hillsdale College’s free, not-for-credit online courses feature lectures from the College’s faculty members across various disciplines, including politics, history, economics, religion, and literature. More than 3 million students have enrolled in an online course with Hillsdale College. For more information on Hillsdale College’s online courses, visit online.hillsdale.edu.