this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2024
262 points (89.5% liked)

Ask Lemmy

27240 readers
2614 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either [email protected] or [email protected]. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email [email protected]. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


6) No US Politics.
Please don't post about current US Politics. If you need to do this, try [email protected] or [email protected]


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Afaik this happened with every single instance of a communist country. Communism seems like a pretty good idea on the surface, but then why does it always become autocratic?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

According to subcomandante Marcos, "Zapatismo was not Marxist–Leninist, but it was also Marxist–Leninist." To throw out Lenin's influences entirely is dogmatism. It is correct to say that it is its own thing, but in doing so we must acknowledge all of its influences, Lenin included.

Secondly, you make no explanations for how Marxism-Leninism "drops the scientific aspect" of Marxism. You make a blanket claim and make no justification for it. Furthermore, the idea that Marxism-Leninism provides "oligarchs" is also anti-Marxist, as I already proved above the concept of governments with administrators is a core aspect of Marxism, in erasing this factor you erase Marxism.

Thirdly, the idea that the Zapatistas with their 30 year history, though certainly a respectable indigenuous revolutionary movement, are "doing far better than the Soviet Union" is again, unsubstantiated, when you declare it as such and make no justification for it. The near-full century of experience of the Soviet Union, from doubling of life expectancies, to democratizing production and government with the Soviet system, to rapid industrialization, to free healthcare and lower working hours, to dramatic improvements in wealth inequality, cannot be simply swept under the rug.

I do agree that Mao made large errors, in trying to realize communism when the productive forces were not yet ready for it, famines occured and struggles happened. However, the PRC reverted to a Marxist-Leninsit line, one it continues to this day as a Socialist Market Economy. The idea that a country with half the economy in the Public Sector and another tenth in the Cooperative Sector, where the Private Sector is subservient to the Public Sector and gradually being incorporated in the Public as it develops and prepares itself for Central Planning, is somehow Capitalist, is again absurdity.

Again, Engels stated quite clearly that Private Property and Markets cannot be abolished overnight. The entire foundation of Scientific Socialism rests on the idea of modes of production as historical stages, as markets coalesce into syndicates they prepare the foundations for Central Planning and Public Ownership. One cannot simply press the "communism button" and skip developing the productive forces.

Throughout your entire comment you have

  1. Erased the real nature of the origins of Neozapatismo to suit your own subjective narrative
  2. Failed to justify any of your points against Lenin's contributions to Marxism
  3. Demonstrated a failure in understanding the Marxist theory of classes and the State
  4. Erased real working class victories achieved by AES states when Lenin's name is attached
  5. Failed to justify how the PRC is in any way Capitalist
  6. Erased the experience of present Marxist-Leninist states like the PRC, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, etc.

This is dogmatic Ultraleftism that goes against the very foundations of Dialectical Materialism. I suggest you make an effort to read theory, or return to it if you're just rusty. If you want, I have an introductory reading list you can check out.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Secondly, you make no explanations for how Marxism-Leninism “drops the scientific aspect” of Marxism.

Ok, so show us a Marxist-Leninist society, that hasn't turned into back into an oligarchy.

I'll wait.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

What is an "oligarchy" in your views, and how does it differ from a "Marxist government?" In my opinion, the USSR, Cuba, PRC, Vietnam, Laos, etc proved to be examples of Actually Existing Socialism, and not "oligarchies," as all were/are governed by mass parties and democratically controlled both from inner-party democracy and democracy from the masses. "Oligarchy" implies absolute rule from the few, which is incompatible with the really existing examples of mass parties and democratic institutions. Taking the PRC as an example, the CPC has 96 million members, along with 8 other parties that serve advisory roles, and elections are held openly. In what manner is that an "oligarchy?"

Moreover, how can you simply refuse to elaborate on any of your claims that I critiqued? I didn't critique to silence you, but invite you to actually defend your claims.