this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2024
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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of the "ML" influence of instances like lemmy.ml and lemmygrad. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.
Serious posts, news, and discussion go in c/Socialism.
If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.
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0. Only post socialist memes
That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme)
1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here
Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.
2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such,
as well as condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.
3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries.
That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" seen on lemmygrad and more specifically GenZedong (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).
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The only dangerous minority is the rich.
5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.
We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.
(if you are reading the rules to apply for modding this community, mention "Mantic Minotaur" when answering question 2)
6. Don't idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.
Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.
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(This is not a definitive list, the spirit of the other rules still counts! Eventual duplicates with other rules are for emphasis.)
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No, Lenin was not a genocidal dictator. Additionally, whether you agree with his contributions to Marxism or not, he remains the most influential Marxist of the 20th century, every major Marxist org since Lenin has been influenced by his analysis of Imperialism, the State, and Revolution, whether it be via accepting them, or deliberately rejecting them.
You could dispute the genocidal bit but you cannot in good faith argue that the communist party wasn't dictatorial.
And I believe the OPs point is that that's a bad thing.
We shouldn't be basing our politics and imagery today off the guy who fucked socialism for a century.
In what manner was the Communist Party "dictatorial?" It held immense power, yes, but it wasn't 1 dude deciding everything, there was worker participation in how it ran and the party itself was democratically run. There was corruption, yes, but it wasn't a dictatorship either.
How, exactly, did Lenin "fuck socialism for a century?"
Ah yes, as long as there is at least 2 dudes deciding everything it's not a dictatorship.
As long as you liked the way that the party wanted things to be, yes.
His party went on to encourage other revolutionary groups to adapt the anti-socialist Leninist-Stalinist structure, at times actively sabotaging socialist movements that were structured differently.
In those times you either fell behind the ML party line or had no support from the international movement, the russian communists absolutely fucked it all up.
There were far more than "2 dudes" in the CPSU, and far, far more than 2 dudes in the USSR that contributed to the electoral process and voted within it.
Yes, generally, though you could join the party and influence it from within.
How was it "anti-socialist?" Where is the departure from Marx in Lenin?
What other movements have succeeded at all? Why do you think Marxists generally are made up of MLs?
I recommend reading Blackshirts and Reds if you want a critical look at the successes and failures of the USSR, and its place in Socialist history.
It's almost like some Mario-mustache-ass pedophile resented other socialist movements for threatening his order.
I am honestly tired, you people all peddle the same nonsense talking points and link the same shitty books and essays.
MLs have not had an independent thought since the early 20th century and it really fucking shows.
You're flinging mud because you can't or don't want to respond. Linking Marx is linking "shitty books and essays?"
Why do you believe I didn't link them while thinking critically? You have misconceptions about Marxism, and don't want to take my word for it, so why not hear it from Marx?
I'm arguing now, about a 20th century Socialist State. If you want to move on to current events, like Palestinian Liberation, we can do that if you'd like.
If you've argued these points 100,000 times and people are still linking theory, then maybe you should visit the theory yourself. Maybe then you'll have new arguments.
Who are my figureheads?
Not really sure how to respond to this, this is just mud-flinging.
I can and do. The current world is dominated by US Hegemony, but Imperialism is weakening as countries in the global south seek increased protectionism and are starting to shake-off the IMF. The winds are changing. I also critically analyze the USSR, their adherance to planning by hand even with the advent of computers drew inefficiency that need not be replicated. Capitalist monopolies and near-monopolies also practice central planning internally, and we can scalp from their methods. Additionally, shutting itself off from the Capitalist world contributed to the collapse of the USSR, and created over-reliance on itself from smaller Socialist countries, who were hit hard during the collapse of the USSR, such as Cuba.
Homophobia, color me shocked.
My display name literally lists my pronouns as [he/him], as does my profile description.
That's what the origin of oral as an insult is, yes. Ask yourself why it's insulting to claim someone to be sucking off a man.
Projection. Treating sexual acts as demeaning is chauvanistic and puritanical. Why specifically use "sucking off" and not "worshipping," or some other demeaning display of loyalty? To draw on homophobia.
Do some self-crit. I don't believe you are intending on being homophobic, but I do believe you are relying on homophobia to insult me.
Fair enough.
Using sex as a demeaning act is still chauvanistic. As for authors, I would advocate reading Rosa Luxemburg had the conversation been about Reformism vs Revolution, or Leslie Feinberg (though she used a variety of pronouns, they preferred She/Her) had the topic been about Trans Rights. Pretending only Men have contributed to Marxism is again, chauvanism.
Sigh, chauvanism again, and back to homophobia as you know I identify as male.
Sure, you aren't directing that as an insult towards another, but as individual expression of your own sexuality. There's a large difference between the two.
I try to be self-critical as much as possible, otherwise I would never be able to grow.
He wasn't, but the fact that his system was so easily taken over by someone who was should be reason enough to distrust ML.