Radical_EgoCom

Radical_EgoCom, 19 days ago

@bhasic Thank you! 😊

Radical_EgoCom, 20 days ago

2/6 According to Marxist theory, the state is an instrument of class rule. In a capitalist society, the state serves the interests of the capitalist class. The transition to communism involves a proletarian revolution, leading to a temporary "dictatorship of the proletariat." This transitional state is meant to dismantle the existing class structures and pave the way for a classless society. Once class distinctions disappear, the state itself becomes obsolete and dissolves.

Radical_EgoCom, 20 days ago

3/6 Countries such as the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and others have been labeled "communist" because their ruling parties claim to follow Marxist-Leninist principles. However, these nations never achieved a stateless, classless society. Instead, they maintained strong central governments that controlled the economy and suppressed political dissent. These states operated under a form of socialism with a one-party system and centralized planning, not the stateless society envisaged by Marx.

Radical_EgoCom, 20 days ago

4/6 The term "communist state" is thus an oxymoron because the presence of a state indicates that the society has not yet reached the stage of communism as defined by Marx. A state, by definition, implies a structure of authority and governance, which is contrary to the stateless ideal of true communism. Therefore, any existing state, regardless of its self-identification, cannot be truly communist.

Radical_EgoCom, 20 days ago

5/6 The mislabeling of these states has often been a result of both self-identification by these regimes and external classification by opponents and scholars. Regimes like the Soviet Union called themselves "communist" to signify their ideological goals, even though they were in a transitional phase according to Marxist theory. Meanwhile, critics used the term to underscore the authoritarian nature of these regimes, conflating Marxist communism with the real-world practices of these states.

Radical_EgoCom, 20 days ago

6/6 In summary, there is a discrepancy between the ideal of communism as a stateless, classless society and the reality of the political systems that have existed under the banner of communism. These so-called "communist states" were, in fact, socialist states with strong central governments, which is fundamentally at odds with the concept of communism that requires the absence of the state.

Radical_EgoCom, 20 days ago

@CWilbur
1/4 I disagree with this on several grounds:

The notion that the id inherently drives people to "stomp on everyone else" is a product of capitalist ideology, not an absolute truth. Competitive, selfish behavior is not an innate human characteristic; it's a consequence of living in a capitalist society that incentivizes and rewards such behavior. In a society organized around mutual aid and cooperation, people would act differently.

Radical_EgoCom, 21 days ago

@cferdinandi @aral
The endgame is to stop genocide, obviously.

Radical_EgoCom, 21 days ago

@cferdinandi @tadbithuman @aral
Well, many Democrats and especially Biden aren't acting like they do.

Radical_EgoCom, 20 days ago

@cferdinandi @tadbithuman @aral
I never said anything about not voting for Biden, but Biden should be heavily and consistently criticized and demonized for his support of Israel.

Radical_EgoCom, 23 days ago

@jsrailton
Hundreds of people need to go out in North Carolina with their mask on, and not just once, but as many times as necessary until this stupid law is repealed. This is literally a matter of life and death. They can't arrest all of them.

Radical_EgoCom, 26 days ago

@Rob200
Communism could potentially free up time for pursuits by redistributing labor and resources more equitably, reducing the need for long work hours and allowing people to focus on personal interests and passions.

Radical_EgoCom, 27 days ago

@sfehl @GryphonSK
I'm not a Marxist, but I'm aware enough of Marxism to understand that Marxism is not inherently violent or oppressive; many Marxist thinkers and activists have advocated for nonviolent means of social change and have opposed oppressive regimes. I suggest you learn more about Marxism so you can have a proper understanding of it.

Radical_EgoCom, 27 days ago

@andytiedye @sfehl @GryphonSK
Hell no, not Trotsky! Anton Pannekoek, Daniel Guérin, Paul Mattick, Cornelius Castoriadis, Murray Bookchin, Sam Dolgoff, and Maurice Brinton are some notable Libertarian Marxist authors to look into to learn about Marxism. Rosa Luxemburg, while not a Libertarian Marxist, is also a very good author who wrote on Marxism and critiqued the authoritarianism and bureaucracy within the socialist movement of her time.

Radical_EgoCom, 29 days ago

@xs4me2 @rbreich
I know state control isn't the solution. The solution is to pur control of society into the hands of the people instead of a bureaucratic middleman of authority.

Radical_EgoCom, 29 days ago

@xs4me2 @TheBestLeiya @rbreich
I support voting, but it's black-and-white thinking to presume that not voting is equivalent to voting for fascism. Now, if someone refuses to vote and does nothing else, then that is stupid, but there are other ways for people to positively influence their community/country and counter fascism other than voting.

Radical_EgoCom, 29 days ago

@xs4me2 @TheBestLeiya @rbreich
Yes, doing both would be optimal.

Radical_EgoCom, 29 days ago

@TheBestLeiya @xs4me2 @rbreich
You're an anarchist, I presume. There's never going to be a party that you agree with, and it's the same with me. You essentially have two viable options that I know of. You could either vote for a party that most aligns with your core political values, or if you choose not to vote, you can advocate for and/or engage in grassroots organizing, direct action, and community building to challenge systemic injustices and create meaningful change from the ground up.