Review : Communist Manifesto

I love the kindle! it makes available the books that have expired copyright dates.. i've downloaded a few of them to read - and i remember once again that i do not like literature as much as i should as an english major!

one of the books that were available was the communist manifesto by karl marx.

it's the blueprint of the communist movement of the 1900's - a movement that caused a world war and oppresses citizens even until this day.  but what is communism? What made it so appealing? why does communism not work? is there a fundamental problem with communism? even with a college education, i could not answer these questions succinctly and refute communism, prior to reading the book.

my dad once asked me, "isn't the idea of equal income a good thing?" I answered yes..he then asked "then why is it that communism is evil?"  back then, i didn't have an answer.. but now i do.

the communist manifesto must be required reading for all highschool students - they must know why it has failed, what caused it, what is fundamentally/principally wrong with it,  where we find ourselves in the progression of history in relation to it, and how society must move onward from this point.

communism is largely a reaction to the industrial revolution, a dynamic period of time, where productivity and  profitability began to increase exponentially.  in light of the fact that the industrial revolution happened around the time where capitalism began to flourish, the wealth disparity became more and more of a problem - particularly for the lower income society.

labor by wage.
capitalism works by natural/available resources.

problems
conflict between classes
destruction of the means of old and new.
individual property is no good.

Kindle Review : Onward by Howard Schultz

This book is Mr. Schultz' very personal narrative account of the fall and revival of the Starbucks Company. It was fascinating and engaging read, perhaps because of the fact that i myself work as an entrepreneur. The driving force behind not only the book but the revival of Starbucks can be summarized by the following terms : Relentless Pursuit and Global Citizenship.

Relentless Pursuit

Mr. Schultz' decision to return as the CEO of Starbucks was not a light decision. It was the conclusion he made after having assessed the poor condition of the company that he had started and had grown to a global brand. To see his trophy, his master piece crumbling down little by little compelled him to take action - to do whatever he can in order revive the company.

As I noted, Mr. Schultz' return as the CEO was only the beginning of the long, uphill, rocky climb. There were sacrifices that the company had to make and risks that caused casualty. For instance, Starbucks initiated an ambitious product that showed promise - Vivanno. The yogurt drink was delicious and appetizing. New and different. They tested the product in Southern California, the leading marketplace of modern and pop culture. The product has failed because the product required too much work and did not have the approval of the baristas who were to prepare the new products. In another case, Starbucks closed down numerous stores that were not profitable. Along with laying workers off, they had to take huge financial losses due to early termination of the lease contracts.

Throughout these obstacles that hindered the revival of the company, Mr. Schultz demonstrated a relentless pursuit of the success of his company. Mr. Schultz took dramatic measures in order to breathe life back into his company. Despite heavy losses and doubt, Starbucks was able to get back up on its feet with profitable numbers.

Global Citizen (Humanity of.)

Perhaps Starbucks' dedication to the wellness of the Global Economy and Society justifies the money they charge for a cup of coffee.

Mr. Schultz made a conscientious effort to purchase coffee that is sustainable, and ethical. This shows Mr. Schultz' wisdom that a merchant must be considerate and accountable for every part of his business. Particularly when a business becomes so grand in scale that it affects the local/national/global economy, the business men must considering how a business decision might affect the environment, other businesses, the economy, and society as a whole.