Red Emma’s

“George Ciccariello-Maher reminds us of the extraordinary achievement of Venezuela’s communes in fostering direct democracy at the community and workplace scales. Whatever storms may come, they represent the highest level of popular self-organization in modern Latin American history.” – Mike Davis, author of Planet of Slums “Democracy has been emptied of its content, and Building the Commune offers an alternative model for political organization: the Commune, whose roots are in 1871 Paris but whose contemporary emergence is in Venezuela. A sharp and important book that puts at center-stage the ambitions of ordinary people to govern themselves.” –Vijay Prashad, author of The Poorer Nations “George Ciccariello-Maher’s careful engagement with the revolutionary creativity of the communes traces a trajectory of hope for Venezuela – and also for the rest of us looking for the forms of our emancipation. Attuned to the ways left and right exploit the streets and social media, Building the Commune is essential to the Left’s renewed discussion of the tactics and strategies for building collective power.” – Jodi Dean, author of Crowds and Party and The Communist Horizon