Cowbee [he/they]

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Marxist-Leninist ☭

Interested in Marxism-Leninism, but don’t know where to start? Check out my Marxist-Leninist study guides, both basic and advanced!

  • 2 posts
  • 18 comments
Joined 3 years ago
Cake day: December 31st, 2023
  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    11 days

    You did not explain how the “ruling class” was not the majority of society. You explained that you have an incomplete, non-Marxist view of what class is, and thus we are talking about entirely different subjects.

    Classes are relations to ownership of production, not levels of wealth, and not hierarchy. The ruling class of the USSR was the proletariat, administrators were proletarian and the state was run in the interests of the proletariat. Capitalists, fascists, landlords, kulaks, etc. were the oppressed classes and had their property expropriated.

    Ruling class does not mean leadership, nor “tiny,” it refers to the class in power.

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    11 days

    You still see the state as outside of class struggle, which is why you believe you can keep the ruling class in “check.” The reason the USSR had a much better structure than capitalist economies is because the ruling class of the USSR was the same as the majority of society, the proletariat. Production and the state are intensely intertwined in both capitalism and socialism, the state is the means by which the ruling class cements its rule.

    As for the DDR, the ruling class, similarly to the USSR, was the proletariat. Democracy in the DDR was controlled by the working classes, and the working classes controlled the state. They did not have a western, liberal form of democracy, but this is exactly why they were genuinely more democratic as opposed to the west.

    I don’t necessarily need to respond to your metaphors substituted as a point. It’s very well-known that the USSR charged reparations from Germany, which was in their right but caused economic hardship in East Germany, and that the west was flooded with support from the US and the rest. Further, East Germany had much less to work with, and was more devastated by the war. Despite this, it had a better form of society that, if both had continued to be distinct, would have surpassed the west down the line.

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    15 days

    I can admit to a wording error on my part, the point being made was that capitalists de facto hold power over media and control the means of production by the very fact that they are capitalists, and controlling industry is what capitalists do.

    As for “checking capitalism,” it cannot actually be. When you have a small class that dominates production and the state, any legislation “checking” capitalism is done with the consent of those it is supposedly checking. Moreover, this is often a game of manipulation between capitalists. Capitalism itself turns to crisis, and this is unavoidable.

    As for Hitler, it’s of course a simplified overview. This is a Lemmy comment string, not academic discourse. I can back up with good reasoning my claims, such as how the US demanding repayment on loans for World War I accelerated the reparations from Germany to the other western powers, which put an even greater strain on their economy and drove their need for new colonies.

    As for the DDR, it was a socialist state. You could not be a Nazi or a supporter of capitalism, the DDR was run by the majority of society, the proletariat. Western Germany continued much of what was going on under the Nazis, encroached on East German territory, and played a pivotal role in destabilizing East Germany. This is what caused the rise in the Stasi. People generally left the DDR mostly because they could get free and high quality education, and then make more money in West Germany. They took advantage of the socialist system and then abandoned it in favor of living a labor aristocratic lifestyle.

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    16 days

    This isn’t the “Marxist definition” of capitalism, it’s an analysis of existing systems. You’re focusing on definitions when I am talking about what exists in the real world. Classes do exist. Capitalists do control the media and the state. Capitalism cannot actually be “checked.”

    As for my data on the USSR, you’re more than welcome to attack the points, but you didn’t. Instead, you handwaived the real and genuine material improvements made BT socialism. The USSR was not a unicorn paradise, it was a real system with real, dramatic, steady improvements that were massive leaps beyond what came before.

    Capitalism leads to fascism, because capitalism centralizes over time and results in crisis, usually from overproduction or speculation gone awry. This results in boom/bust cycles, and in each cycle the capitalist class gets stronger and the workers get weaker and more desperate. Fascism arises as a violent means of suppressing worker organization that rises in response to crisis.

    As for Hitler, he was voted against and still took power. Germany has never been democratic, except in the DDR. Capitalists wanted Hitler in power, so they made it happen. The loophole could just as easily been crushed had they not wanted him in power, which is why focusing on legalistic protections is horrible analysis in the context of highly biased class society, which is all existing society.

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    2 months

    So, free and fair elections. Well, now we’re back to square one, and pretty much describing how Western democracies work.

    Nope. You’re making a metaphysical error, focusing on similar structures while ignoring the entirely different context, the class character of the state. The mechanisms of elections exist within a definite social context, and in the case of capitalism, capitalists definitionally hold power over the media, production itself, and more to gain what they want. The state exists to serve the ruling class.

    Ah, yes, the soviet Union, definitely not imperialist. Sarcasm aside, they literally did not allow their population to leave. They killed people who dared to leave. That’s not a sign of things going well, to mention just one.

    The Soviet Union was not imperialist, correct.

    The USSR had steady and consistent economic growth, and provided free, high quality education and healthcare, full employment, cheap or free housing, and fantastic infrastructure and city planning that still lasts to this day despite capitalism neglecting it. This rapid development resulted in dramatic democratization of society, reduced disparity, doubling of life expectancy, tripling of functional literacy rates to 99.9%, and much more. Living in the 1930s famine would not have been good, but it was the last major famine outside of wartime because the soviets ended famine in their countries.

    Literacy rates, societal guarantees in the 1936 constitution, reports on the healthcare system over time, and more are good sources for these claims.

    The USSR brought dramatic democratization to society. First-hand accounts from Statesian journalist Anna Louise Strong in her book This Soviet World describe soviet elections and factory councils in action. Statesian Pat Sloan even wrote Soviet Democracy to describe in detail the system the soviets had built for curious Statesians to read about, and today we have Professor Roland Boer’s Socialism in Power: On the History and Theory of Socialist Governance to reference.

    When it comes to social progressivism, the soviet union was among the best out of their peers, so instead we must look at who was actually repressed outside of the norm. In the USSR, it was the capitalist class, the kulaks, the fascists who were repressed. This is out of necessity for any socialist state. When it comes to working class freedoms, however, the soviet union represented a dramatic expansion. Soviet progressivism was documented quite well in Albert Syzmanski’s Human Rights in the Soviet Union.

    The truth, when judged based on historical evidence and contextualization, is that socialism was the best thing to happen to Russia in the last few centuries, and its absence has been devastating.

    Death rates spiked:

    And wealth disparity skyrocketed alongside the newly impoverished majority:

    Capitalism brought with it skyrocketing poverty rates, drug abuse, prostitution, homelessness, crime rates, and lowered life expectancy. An estimated 7 million people died due to the dissolution of socialism and reintroduction of capitalism, and this is why the large majority of post-soviet citizens regret its fall. A return to socialism is the only path forward for the post-soviet countries. A lot of Eastern European countries were swarmed with western capital during the destruction of socialism, which is what temporarily caused the rise of the far-right in these countries, but in time their problems will no longer be able to be ignored.

    Just because you repeat it a hundred times doesn’t make it true. The very mechanisms you described are used (with varying degrees of success depending on how well the democracy functions) to keep the state accountable to the people.

    This isn’t true, though. Concessions come from organized resistance, at the consent of the ruling class. Capitalists do not fear the state, the state serves them. What the people actually want is not what the state does, what happens is the state fulfills the will of the ruling classes and tosses the crumbs they deem necessary to keep the populace from outright revolting. This is why organization gains concessions, not the bourgeois democratic structure.

    That’s a very, very broad interpretation that many historians would disagree with. But let’s say, for the sake of argument, that it’s the case. How do these capitalist structures decay into imperialism then?

    I believe you mean fascism, not imperialism, so correct me if I’m answering the wrong question. The decay into fascism generally happens when the state begins nakedly applying colonial methods to the domestic population. In the US, for example, this involves mass incarceration of ethnic minorities, attacks on queer people, mass deportations, and the attack on left wing organizations. In Germany, it involved the brown shirts killing communists, and rounding up Jews, Slavs, queer people, disabled people, and mass murdering them.

    Voting doesn’t stop this. Hitler was handed power, and the US has been fascist no matter which party is in control. Capitalists deem it necessary due to drops in imperialist extraction, and a need to respond to crisis that stands to upset their rule. It’s like a fever that kills off anything risking the system.

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    2 months

    Yes, but who enforces the consulting and the usage of the information gathered from consulting? Without accountability, that’s just fantasy and/or simping for authoritarianism. Let’s not forget, every authoritarian leader, party or Organisation has its supporters who will claim they’re not authoritarian.

    The people hold them accountable, through the mechanisms I described previously. “Authoritarianism” is not a thing, all states are tools of the ruling class to oppress the rest, they are necessarily uplifting one class and oppressing the rest. Socialist states have the working classes as the ruling class.

    Except when it doesn’t. There are plenty of examples where countries that have capitalism based economies moved significantly to the left. Look at Nordic countries, for instance.

    Nordic countries offer sizable concessions to their working classes because the Soviets were right next to them, and already offered better safety nets. These are concessions, to prevent revolution, and are funded through imperialism and neocolonialism. The working classes do not actually hold state power. These countries are still highly centralized, dominated by finance capital, and rely on the export of capital to the global south along with huge megacorps plundering the global south to persist as they are. To get rid of imperialism and keep safery nets requires socialism.

    What about all the public broadcasters? There are many countries where they’re quite strong. And as to parties getting things done, what about:

    Minimum wages Welfare systems Massive improvements in workplace safety Universal healthcare Childcare

    The state serves private interests in capitalism, this is why nationalizing within a capitalist economy is not socialism, and privatization within a socialist economy is not necessarily a restoration or capitalism. Public broadcasters are not representatives of the working classes, and you’re again giving examples of concessions given largely because of working class organization, not through the “democratic processes.”

    I could go on and on, but that’s not the point. The point is that fascists are trying to weaken the electoral system because they know how effective it can be. Otherwise, they wouldn’t give a fuck. And part of the way they do that is by downplaying its efficacy in order to wear it down and eventually get rid of it.

    Fascism is a result of the decay in capitalism and imperialism, and is where neocolonial methods are turned inwards. That’s what causes fascism to rise.

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    2 months

    Oh really? How do you hold the people in power accountable, then, if they’re part of the only party that is allowed to exist (which that party itself decided, what a coincidence!)?

    Recall elections, consultative democracy, electing candidates, etc.

    False, that is the result of capitalism when it goes unchecked, not the definition. And different countries have different levels of checks on capitalism.

    Capitalism cannot be “checked.” Capitalism inevitably tends towards centralization of the essential means of production and distribution into fewer and fewer hands, but even in the earliest stages capitalists were far outnumbered by workers.

    Yeah, no, that’s not the case. Otherwise explain to me how many western countries have leftist parties and even marxist-leninist parties. It’s just not the will of the majority. Which leads me back to the point: your (or even my) satisfaction with the results don’t measure how democratic a country is, despite the FUD spread by authoritarians and wannabe authoritarians to destabilize democracies by encouraging people to not participate.

    Very few leftist parties can get anything done in western countries because the media is largely controlled by capitalists, and the state itself serves capitalists. Taking PSL as an example, a great deal more people agree with their positions than the ~1% of the vote they receive, but they are either actually barred from running, or receive a tiny portion of the vote due to not wanting to spoil your vote, as well as a lack of positive publicity from media (or any publicity, for that matter).

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    2 months

    Elections aren’t democracy, as you said democracy is rule by the majority. Pluralism, the ability to choose between parties, isn’t actually democracy either. A single party system can be more democratic if it’s a consultative democracy and reflects the will of the majority, like how it works in China (though China obviously has many, many elections). That also doesn’t mean pluralism is inherently antidemocratic, countries like the DPRK have multiple political parties with seats (even if the majority are held by the WPK), just that the will of the majority be upheld.

    In capitalism, a tiny class of people controls the most essential means of production and distribution for society. The state represents their interests, and any parties that exist must represent them, or instead have strong grassroots support and work against the state (such as the Bolsheviks). Choosing between any number of capitalist parties doesn’t mean workers are going to be represented. No western country represents the will of the majority.

  • Memes@lemmy.ml•zionazi libs b like "its good actually"byCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    2 months

    Elections are not indicative of democracy. The fact that capital is what determines which parties are viable, what candidates are allowed to run, and controls the entire economy means that elections in capitalism are more of a pressure valve than an actual way to get your voice across. Capitalism is incompatible with working class democracy.

Communism@lemmy.mlbyCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
5 months

Marxism-Leninism Study Guide: Basic Course

lemmy.ml English
A picture of Lenin, sitting down on a chair, writing on paper

The following is a guided study plan for Marxism-Leninism. This is not a comprehensive guide, and is instead meant to build solid fundamentals that you can carry on to the advanced course if you wish to extend the depth of your knowledge. This guide is also meant to help you in your real life organizing work, and encourage you to get involved. This is not a history or evaluation of actually existing socialism (AES), nor will it cover advanced topics. For those, see the advanced course (currently under construction).

Everything is made to be readable on a smartphone, with .epubs and audiobooks provided when available. The entire basic course is targetting ~25 hours (I find Red Sails has higher estimates of reading times than is realistic), so it can be completed in 1-2 months of consistent self-study, reading 30 minutes to an hour a day so as to maintain focus and attention. Forming a study circle is also highly recommended, as is following this guide in the order it is presented, without skipping anything. At the bottom of this page, there are links to resources you can use while you go through this course, and an FAQ. Feedback is welcome!

Let’s get started!

1. Introduction [~1.5 hr]

Before beginning your studies, it’s important to learn how to best economize our time, and why we should study Marxism-Leninism in the first place.

  1. General Rules for Independent Study - N. Krupskaya (1934)

Webpage [~5 min]

Written by one of the founding Bolsheviks for students in the early USSR, this is a concise guide on how to best absorb the information to come as efficiently as possible by Nadezhda Krupskaya.

  1. Why Socialism? - A. Einstein (1949)

Webpage | Audiobook [~10 min / 22 min]

Wanting to persuade his contemporaries to pursue a path of intentional development in order to avoid nuclear war and escape the profit motive, Einstein argues the case for moving onto a planned and collectivized economy over the chaos of markets and the profit motive.

  1. Why Marxism? - R. Day (2020)

Webpage | Audiobook [~15 min / 21 min]

Roderic Day makes his case for why now, in the 21st century, Marxism-Leninism remains the strongest tool for working-class liberation, and why we should defend the achievements of actually existing socialism despite their real flaws.

  1. “Tankies” - N. Frome (2020)

Webpage | Audiobook [~5 min / 11 min]

Marxist-Leninists do not believe Stalin, Mao, etc. did no wrong, nor do we believe actually existing socialist states (AES) to be perfect and free from criticism. Proper appraisal of the genuine achievements and genuine shortcomings of socialism in real life requires brushing away capitalist mythologizing. Once the fact is separated from fiction, only then can we hope to build on the successes of our predecessors while avoiding repeating mistakes.

  1. US Interventionism, the Third World, and the USSR - M. Parenti (1986)

Webpage Transcription of Speech | Original Speech [~1 hr / 1 hr 33 min]

Dr. Michael Parenti delivers perhaps his most famous speech, discussing the predatory role of the US Empire and the progressive role played by socialist countries, including the necessary mechanisms of protection they develop against western imperialism.

  1. Why do we Have to Study Theory? - Ho Chi Minh (1957)

Webpage [~10 min]

As a hugely successful revolutionary, Ho Chi Minh explains why it is not enough to have good intentions, we must do our best to study revolutionary theory to guide revolutionary practice.

Checkpoint

  • Why do you want to study Marxism-Leninism?

  • How can it be helpful in your present life?

  • Why should we establish a socialist society?

2. Fundamentals [~2.5 hr]

To start off your studies, a clear understanding of basic terminology, as well as the historical context that gave rise to Marxism, is necessary.

  1. Principles of Communism - F. Engels (1847)

Webpage/.epub | Audiobook [~30 min /48 min]

A glossary of terms and background information, in an FAQ format.

  1. Karl Marx: A Brief Biographical Sketch with an Exposition of Marxism - V.I. Lenin (1914)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1 hr / 1hr 28 min]

Lenin, as a part of his rigorous studies of Marx and his writings for application in the conditions particular to his contemporary conditions, came to know and understand Marx and his ideology at a deeper level.

  1. The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism - V.I. Lenin (1913)

Webpage | Audiobook [~5 min / 18 min]

Outlaying the 3 major components of Marxism, and a short history of how they came to be.

  1. Manifesto of the Communist Party - K. Marx & F. Engels (1848)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1hr / 1 hr 35 min]

Marx & Engels call the international proletariat to action using the in this overview of the aims of the communists.

Checkpoint

  • What historical context gave rise to Marxism?

  • What are the 3 major components of Marxism?

  • In your country, what does the class makeup of society look like? Which can be aligned with the proletariat? Which cannot?

3. Philosophy [~2.5 hr]

In order to better understand the later sections, we must understand Marx’s materialist outlook and dialectical method.

  1. Dialectical and Historical Materialism - J.V. Stalin (1938)

Webpage/.epub | Audiobook [~1hr / 1hr 42 min]

A clear summarization of the fundamental components describing the materialist outlook, the dialectical method, and applying both to analyze the arc of history.

  1. On Practice - Mao Zedong (1937)

Webpage | Audiobook [~30 min / 1 hr 9 min]

One of the best primers on the Marxist-Leninist theory of the unity of theory and practice to inform correct understanding.

  1. On Contradiction - Mao Zedong (1937)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1 hr / 1 hr 57 min]

Mao explores and elaborates on one of the most fundamental concepts in dialectical materialism, the contradiction.

Checkpoint

  • What are some examples of idealist explanations, and what would the materialist explanation be?

  • What are some examples of metaphysical thinking, and how does the dialectical method improve upon it?

  • How can you apply dialectical and historical materialism in your daily life?

4. Political Economy [~3 hr]

Using your newfound tool of dialectical materialism, let’s explore capitalism, it’s contradictions, and the class struggle between laborers and exploiters.

  1. Wage Labor and Capital - K. Marx (1849)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1hr / 1 hr 37 min]

Delivered as a speech to workers, Marx explains the fundamental struggle between labor and capital under capitalism.

  1. Value, Price, and Profit - K. Marx (1865)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1.5hr / 2 hr 48 min]

More mature in his development of the critique of capitalism, Marx dives further into the nature of surplus value extraction, what forms prices, and how this impacts the class struggle.

  1. An Extremely Condensed Summary of Capital - N. Frome (2020)

Webpage [~20 min]

Nia Frome, taking inspiration from Marx’s Inferno, summarizes the key points of Capital Volume 1.

Checkpoint

  • What are the qualitative aspects of value? What are the quantitative aspects?

  • How can the contradiction of class struggle be negated for good?

  • What is the difference between price and value?

5. Scientific Socialism [~4.5 hr]

We must now move on to socialism, not as it exists purely in our heads, but as it comes into being as a consequence of human development and progression via contradictions in capitalism and the class struggle.

  1. Socialism: Utopian and Scientific - F. Engels (1880)

Webpage/.epub | Audiobook [~1.5 hr / 1 hr 48 min]

Engels shows how the creation of dialectical materialism, and its application to social development, turned socialism from a practice of “utopia building” into a rigorous science.

  1. The State and Revolution - V.I. Lenin (1917)

Webpage | Audiobook [~3 hr / 4 hr]

Lenin concretely explains the Marxist theory of the state, revolution, and how the state is to wither away.

Checkpoint

  • Why is utopianism ineffective? How does scientific socialism help our movement?

  • What are some examples of current utopian socialist movements?

  • What makes a country socialist?

6. Imperialism [~3.5 hr]

Marxism lives on beyond Marx, but conditions have changed. Marxists have been carrying forward his work to use dialectical materialism in a new context, as capitalism transforms into its imperialist stage.

  1. Imperialism, the Current Highest Stage of Capitalism - V.I. Lenin (1916)

Webpage | Audiobook [~3 hr / 4 hr 20 min]

The clearest explanation of imperialism, its origins, and its behavior today. As the principle contradiction the world over, understanding imperialism, how it works, and how we can end it forever is at the core of organizing work today.

  1. The Imperialist Partition of Africa - W. Rodney (1970)

Webpage | Audiobook [~20 min / 25 min]

Absent from Lenin’s analysis of imperialism is the specific role played by the partitioning of Africa among the imperialist powers. Rodney extends the analysis of imperialism, and further elaborates on how suffering in the core is exported to the periphery.

  1. Five Characteristics of Neoimperialism - Cheng Enfu (2021)

Webpage [~30 min]

Lenin did not live to see the consolidation of imperialism into a single international dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, helmed by the US Empire. Cheng Enfu carries Lenin’s analysis forward, to the modern era of moribund neoimperialism.

Checkpoint

  • In the modern era of the US Empire’s decay, how does this impact the global struggle for socialism?

  • Why is it important that we understand imperialism in this level of depth?

  • Is your country in the imperial core, periphery, or semi-periphery? How does this impact your local class struggle, and position within the international class struggle?

7. Leninism [~5.5 hr]

Leninism is where Lenin carried forward Marx’s analysis to the age of imperialism, as well as the strategies and tactics of the Marxist-Leninist party and organization.

  1. Understanding Lenin - R. Day (2021)

Webpage [5 min]

Putting Lenin in his proper context, and not simply trying to find ready-made solutions in Lenin’s works, is how to properly apply his method to our present conditions.

  1. Foundations of Leninism - J.V. Stalin (1924)

Webpage | Audiobook [~3.5 hr / 4 hr 53 min]

Leninism, it’s historical origins, and its strategy and tactics, stance on nationalism vs internationalism, the role of the peasantry, and more.

  1. What is to be Done? (Abridged) - V.I. Lenin (1902)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1hr / 43 min] (Note: audiobook is a summary from Red Pen, not the same as the text)

The abridged version was chosen for its clarity, and for bringing its most relevant bits to the modern day. The full original is much longer, and requires much more historical context, but a summary is linked in audiobook form.

Lenin outlines the most pressing stances for the communists to take, and contrasts them with incorrect positions such as “economism” and “adventurism.” Useful for avoiding pitfalls in organizing work to this day.

  1. Freedom to Criticize and Unity of Action - V.I. Lenin (1906)

Webpage [~5 min]

Diversity in discussion, unity once the decision has been made. Lenin lays out the fundamentals of democratic centralism, the basis of communist organization.

  1. The Correct Handling of a Revolution - H. P. Newton (1967)

Webpage [~10 min]

The revolutionary party must earn the respect of the people, and show them the way to carry out revolution, so as to gain the support of the people and integrate itself within the people.

  1. Left-Wing Childishness - V.I. Lenin (1918)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1 hr / 1 hr 5 min]

One of the important pitfalls of organization is putting ideals ahead of material conditions, which can lead to disastrous mistakes.

Checkpoint

  • What are the most important immediate tasks in your nation?

  • Is nationalism in countries dominated by imperialism reactionary, or progressive?

  • How can adopting Leninist organizational principles, such as democratic centralism, aid the working class movement in your area?

8. Cultural Hegemony [~1.5 hr]

The bourgeoisie do not simply maintain control through holding onto the means of production. They also put forth their own culture, ideas, and intellectuals to propogate ideas that license complacency.

  1. The Intellectual, the State, and the Political Party - A. Gramsci (1932)

Webpage [~20 min]

Are intellectuals a class in themselves, or does each class produce their own intellectuals? How does this relate to the character of the state, and the process of party formation? Gramsci answers these questions in this excerpt from the Prison Notebooks.

  1. Western Marxism Loves Purity and Martyrdom, but not Real Revolution - J. Manoel (2020)

Webpage | Audiobook [~15 min / 22 min]

Western Marxism is held back by cultural ties to purity and sacrifice, preferring the perfect socialism in our heads to real, existing and thus imperfect socialism. This is an example of how cultural hegemony in the superstructure of society reinforces the base mode of production.

  1. Masses, Elites, and Rebels: The Theory of “Brainwashing” - R. Day (2022)

Webpage | Audiobook [~1 hr / 1 hr 22 min]

If you want to change the world we live in, you must rejext the idea that the masses are simply too uneducated or too propagandized, and recognize instead the wisdom and rational self-interest expressed in their actions, no matter how abhorent this manifests as. People don’t support imperialism because they are too stupid to realize that it’s holding back progress, but because they believe they benefit from supporting it.

Checkpoint

  • How do we fight bourgeois cultural hegemony?

  • What do we gain by refusing to use “brainwashing” as an explanation for human behavior?

  • Reflecting on the topic of intellectuals, what are some other examples of “subclasses” that do not form a class-in-itself, but are typically subsections of broader classes?

9. Social Liberation [~1.75 hr]

This is a grand struggle, for the liberation of all oppressed people.

  1. Functional Definition of Politics - H.P. Newton (1969)

Webpage [~10 min]

The police are a special tool of state violence, and in capitalism in general and the US Empire in particular, are brutally murdering black people. It is the right of the oppressed to defend themselves from their oppressors.

  1. Combahee River Collective Statement - CRC (1977)

Webpage | Audiobook [~20 min / 24 min]

Released by a collective of black feminists, the Combahee River Collective Statement stresses the importance of intersectionality.

  1. The Social Basis of the Woman Question - A. Kollontai (1909)

Webpage | Audiobook [~30 min / 42 min]

As one of the leading Bolsheviks, Kollontai had a deep understanding of Marxism-Leninism as she applied it to the struggle for women’s liberation.

  1. Transgender Liberation: A Marxist View - L. Feinberg (1992)

Webpage [~ 45 min]

Leslie Feinberg struggled for queer rights as a Marxist for decades, elaborating in this work on the importance of extending social recognition and support to gender-queer struggles.

Checkpoint

  • Why is it important to have an intersectional outlook?

  • How do aspects like queer identity, disability, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and more impact the class struggle between capitalists and proletarians?

  • Why are organizations that exclude marginalized groups weaker than ones that fight for marginalized groups?

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the course! For further reading, see the advanced course. With the fundamentals and core under your belt, you can skip around the advanced course and use it more modularly, or you can go through the full advanced course from the beginning to advance to a higher level of understanding.

Make sure to get organized, as well. It is not enough to merely read theory, you must put it to practice. Serve the people! Build up your community! Educate, agitate, and organize! You’re more than ready to do so at this point, so try to develop yourself and apply your unique skills and talents to the broader class struggle.

We will win!

FAQ

Q: When should I read?

A: I recommend reading at the same time daily, consistently, making it a part of your routine. It works even better if you can gather some like-minded comrades and form a study-circle, so that you can speak your thoughts and criticisms aloud. This isn’t strictly necessary, though, and reading on your own when your mind is fresh will get you great results. The audiobooks in particular are great for commutes or working out, though do remember to take notes when you can.

Q: Where should I read?

A: In a comfortable, well-lit area. Try to make it free from distractions. Ideally, with reference books and other learning tools. In a pinch, earbuds or headphones and instrumental music can help drown out noise, if you prefer reading on a commute or on break.

Q: What if I don’t understand a text?

A: Asking online or consulting with a reading group are both great options for most people. If studying alone, try looking up background information on the author and subjects being brought up, to help contextualize.

Resources

a. Theory

  • ProleWiki - A robust library and wiki for Marxism-Leninism.

  • Red Sails - “Woke ML-MZT Criterion Collection with home videos thrown in”

  • Comrade’s Library - Excellent source for .epubs

  • Qiao Collective - Connecting western diaspora with Chinese political commentary

b. Podcasts

  • Blowback - Anti-imperialist podcast about the crimes of the US Empire.

  • Rev Left Radio - Marxist-Leninist podcast centering theory, history, and current events

  • The Deprogram - Marxist-Leninist variety podcast

c. News

0
    Communism@lemmy.mlbyCowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    5 months

    Marxism-Leninism Study Guide: Advanced Course

    lemmy.ml English

    🚧 This reading guide is under renovation! Please see the basic list for the time being!🚧

    Without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement.

    — V. I. Lenin

    In the dying capitalist hellscape we occupy, it can often seem hopeless. However, a better world is possible. We can move on from the destitution, genocide, and privation of today’s society and move onto one where we consciously decide to take a scientific approach to production. We can direct society in such a fashion that satisfying the needs of the people is the goal of production, and not satisfying the bottomless avarice of a handful of billionaires. What we need is socialism. What we need is Marxism-Leninism.

    Who is this guide aimed at?

    Anyone wanting to begin their journey into the world of leftist theory and organizing.

    How long will this guide take to follow?

    Aimed at about 60 hours of active reading time. This can be stretched out over a year, or condensed into a few months of hard study, depending on your availability.

    Section 0a: The Case for Marxism-Leninism [4hr 19 min]

    In the 21st century, with global capitalism in crisis, now more than ever an alternative is needed. Why should we look to Marxism-Leninism, specifically?

    1. A. Einstein’s Why Socialism? | Audiobook

    [20 min]

    From the unique scientific perspective of a legendary physicist, the case for taking a coordinated, planned, and scientific approach to production and distribution.

    1. R. Day’s Why Marxism?

    [26 min]

    The case specifically for Marxism-Leninism as the basis of social organizing and revolutionary practice.

    1. M. Parenti’s “Yellow Parenti” Speech

    [1 hr 33 min]

    The importance of revolution in uplifting people’s lives across the 20th century.

    1. M. Parenti’s Blackshirts and Reds | Audiobook

    [2 hr]

    A litany against anti-communist mythos, an examination of the real successes and struggles in the USSR, and an analysis of fascism.

    Section 0b: Self-Education [15 min]

    When beginning to study a new subject, it’s important to frame why studying said subject will be useful, as well as how best to go about studying.

    1. Ho Chi Minh’s Why Do We Have to Study Theory?

    [11 min]

    Practice alone is insufficient for developing a solid understanding of effective methodology.

    1. N. Krupskaya’s General Rules for Independent Study

    [4 min]

    Best practices for how to get the most out of study, through active engagement with theory.

    Section 1: Fundamentals of Marxism [2 hr 6 min]

    Let’s begin with some gentle overviews to form a base to build upon in the later sections.

    1. V. I. Lenin’s The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism | Audiobook

    [10 min]

    The core fundamentals of Marxism.

    1. F. Engels’ Principles of Communism | Audiobook

    [1 hr 11 min]

    The FAQ of communism. Quick to read, and easy to reference.

    1. V. I. Lenin’s Karl Marx: A Brief Biographical Sketch with an Exposition of Marxism | Audiobook

    [~45 min]

    A history of Karl Marx and the framework he created.

    Section 2: Philosophy [5 hr 17 min]

    By far the most critical subject to firmly grasp within Marxism-Leninism is the philosophy of dialectical materialism, the main tool by which Marxist-Leninists interpret the world so as to more effectively change it.

    1. G. Politzer’s Elementary Principles of Philosophy | Audiobook

    [2 hr 46 min]

    A gentle and thorough introduction to dialectical materialism and how it came to be.

    1. Mao Zedong’s On Practice | Audiobook & On Contradiction | Audiobook

    [2 hr 16 min]

    Directed towards guerilla fighters of the People’s Liberation Army, this pair of essays equip the reader to apply the analytical tools of dialectical materialism to their every day practice.

    1. K. Marx’s Theses on Feuerbach | Audiobook

    [15 min]

    Spend some time using what you have just learned, and actively engage with each of Marx’s 11 theses here. This is the true germ of dialectical materialism, and proper study avoids falling into vulgar materialism.

    Section 3: Economics [3 hr 37 min]

    The Law of Value is the bedrock of the Marxist analysis of capitalism. Understanding how it is that capital behaves and functions will help us identify its contradictions, which we can exploit.

    1. N. Frome’s An Extremely Condensed Summary of Capital

    [20 min]

    A basic introduction to the Law of Value. By no means a replacement for Capital, but will suffice for now.

    1. K. Marx’s Wage Labor and Capital | Audiobook & Value, Price and Profit | Audiobook

    [2 hr 17 min]

    Best taken as a pair, these essays simplify the most important parts of the Law of Value.

    1. I. P. Wright’s Marx on Capital as a Real God

    [~1 hr]

    An unorthodox approach to analyzing capital as a material expression of control systems.

    Section 4: Scientific Socialism [6 hr 12 min]

    Scientific socialism takes an analytical approach to development and class struggle. We aim to understand the laws governing development so that we can become the masters of production, and develop in a planned fashion.

    1. F. Engels’ Socialism: Utopian and Scientific | Audiobook

    [1 hr 32 min]

    Engels introduces scientific socialism, explaining how Capitalism itself prepares the conditions for public ownership and planning by centralizing itself into monopolist syndicates and cartels.

    1. K. Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Programme

    [47 min]

    Dissects a weak socialist program and elaborates on the dictatorship of the proletariat, as well as the early socialist stage and higher communist stage.

    1. V. I. Lenin’s The State and Revolution | Audiobook

    [2 hr 8 min]

    Further analyzes the necessity of revolution and introduces the economic basis for the withering away of the state.

    1. H. P. Newton’s In Defense of Self-Defense

    [10 min]

    The working class must be able to defend itself from violent reaction, it can’t jump from state to non-state overnight.

    1. N. Frome’s How is it to be Done?

    [20 min]

    What does building socialism in the real world actually look like? How do we get from capitalism to socialism to communism?

    1. R. Day’s The Case for Socialized Ownership

    [23 min]

    Highlights the importance of collectivized and planned production from an economic, scientific, and efficency standpoint.

    1. Deng Xiaoping’s Marxism is a Science

    [40 min]

    The struggles and contradictions in existing socialism, and the process of building to higher and more developed stages, can only be accomplished by taking a scientific and analytical approach.

    1. N. Frome’s So You’ve Decided to Abolish the Value-Form. Now What?

    [12 min]

    Addresses competing interpretations of the Law of Value with respect to the transition from capitalism to communism.

    Section 5: Imperialism [8 hr 48 min]

    Capitalism didn’t collapse in Europe, it found new ways to survive, chiefly by exporting capital. This current protracted evolution of capitalism into imperialism is the primary contradiction facing the global march to socialism.

    1. V. I. Lenin’s Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism | Audiobook

    [2 hr 39 min]

    The formation of imperialism, as well as general characteristics of its behavior.

    1. K. Nkrumah’s Neocolonialism, the Last Stage of Imperialism

    [4 hr 39 min]

    Over time, imperialism has managed to export the bulk of the contradictions in the global north to the global south.

    1. Cheng Enfu’s Five Characteristics of Neoimperialism

    [~1 hr 30 min]

    The characteristics of the moribund US Empire, and its use of the dollar to dominate the global south in the current era.

    Section 6: Colonialism [16 hr 14 min]

    Understanding the ongoing national liberation movements in the global south, as well as the problem of settler-colonialism, is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of modern empire.

    1. Ho Chi Minh’s The Path Which Led Me to Leninism

    [4 min]

    Decolonialization is fundamental to Marxism-Leninism.

    1. F. Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth | Audiobook

    [4 hr 48 min]

    A Marxist understanding of nationalism in the global south.

    1. J. Katsfoter’s To Stop Marx, They Made Zion

    [22 min]

    The genocidal history of the settler-colonialism of Palestine, from its origins to today.

    1. J. Sakai’s Settlers: The Mythology of the White Proletariat

    [~7 hrs]

    Analysis of the dark, bloody history of settler-colonialism in the US Empire.

    1. P. Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed | Audiobook

    [4 hr]

    A fiery pedagogy for those wretched of the Earth.

    Section 7: Feminism [2 hr 3 min]

    The historic oppression of women needs to be recognized and fought against.

    1. H. P. Newton’s The Women’s Liberation and Gay Liberation Movements

    [6 min]

    All sections of the working class must uplift each other, and not use homophobia or misogyny against capitalists, as it attacks our comrades as well.

    1. A. Kollontai’s The Social Basis of the Woman Question

    [45 min]

    A Marxist counter to the existing bourgeois feminist movement, explaining why feminism needs Marxism, and Marxism needs feminism.

    1. Combahee River Collective’s Statement

    [~30 min]

    An exploration of the state of the feminist movement and the importance of intersectionality as it relates to combatting oppression.

    1. J. Freeman’s The Tyranny of Structurelessness

    [42 min]

    Throughout the history of feminist struggle, the struggle against formalized organization has been counter-productive and led to less efficient effort and increased problems with elitism, while groups with formalized structures have had far more success and open dialogue.

    Section 8: LGBTQIA+ [4 hr 22 min]

    We must correctly push for queer liberation, unflinchingly.

    1. L. Feinberg’s Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue

    [2hr 39 min]

    When different social groups fight for liberation together, they are emboldened and empowered ever-further.

    1. V. Storm & E. Flores’ The Gender Accelerationist Manifesto

    [~40 min]

    Breaks down the basis of misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia from a Marxist perspective.

    1. N. Frome’s The Problem of Recognition in Transitional States, or Sympathy for the Monster

    [63 min]

    Trans liberation and communism go hand-in-hand.

    Section 9: Party Work [5hr 12 min]

    You can’t build communism by reading it into existence. Roll up your sleeves, and get to work.

    1. J. V. Stalin’s The Foundations of Leninism

    [2 hr 2 min]

    Marxism-Leninism is the living and evolving Marxism that has tested theory to practice for over a century.

    1. V. I. Lenin’s What is to be Done? (Abridged)

    [70 min]

    The fundamental tasks of the revolutionary party.

    1. Liu Shaoqi’s How to be a Good Communist | Audiobook

    [~1 hour]

    If we are to be successful, we must work to better ourselves, and do good party work.

    1. Liu Shaoqi’s On the Party: Concerning the Mass Line of Our Party

    [~30 min]

    The mass line is the fundamental tool of maintaining a direct link between the working class and the vanguard, without falling into tailism or commandism.

    1. Liu Shaoqi’s On the Party: Democratic Centralism Within the Party

    [~30 min]

    Democratic centralism turns an amorphous but radicalized working class into a solidified force to overwhelm its enemies. It takes the greatest strength of the proletariat, its mass, and aligns it in a unified direction.

    Section 10: Self-Conduct [2 hr 39 min]

    We cannot be dogmatic, or let the perfect socialism in our heads be the enemy of socialism in the real world.

    1. V. I. Lenin’s “Left-Wing” Communism | Audiobook

    [1 hr 47 min]

    As organizers, we must do our best to engage where the working class is at, and not let the perfect socialism in our heads be the enemy of our own practice.

    1. J. Manoel’s Western Marxism Loves Purity and Martyrdom, But Not Real Revolution

    [17 min]

    Marxism in western countries is often clouded by those who seem to only support socialism that failed, the “pure” socialist movements unsullied by the very real struggles involved in building socialism over a lengthy period of time. This perfect vision of socialism in our heads becomes not just the enemy of our practice, but also that of socialists in the global south that fought and died for a better world.

    1. Zhou Enlai’s Guidelines for Myself

    [1 min]

    Simple and straightforward virtues for any good cadre.

    1. Xi Jinping’s Water Droplets Drilling Through Rock

    [4 min]

    Tenacity is what creates valleys and shifts mountains. Through our connected struggle, even if the odds seem overwhelming, we all contribute to bringing about a better world.

    1. Ho Chi Minh’s On Revolutionary Morality

    [~30 min]

    We must combat the notion of putting self-interest above that of our collective struggle. It is through collaboration that we emancipate all, not just ourselves.

    Conclusion

    Congratulations, you completed your introductory reading course! Now, if you haven’t already, get organized. The Party for Socialism and Liberation, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Red Star Caucus are all good Statesian options. Pick whichever decent org is most active in your area regardless of where you live.

    Be industrious, and self-sufficient. Take up gardening, home repair, tinkering. It is through practice that you elevate your knowledge. Learn self-defense. Get armed, if practical. Be ready to protect yourself and others. Try to use FOSS if you can. Go vegan!

    We will win.

    Resources

    a. Theory

    ProleWiki - A robust library and wiki for Marxism-Leninism.

    Red Sails - “Woke ML-MZT Criterion Collection with home videos thrown in”

    Comrade’s Library - Excellent source for .epubs

    Qiao Collective - Connecting western diaspora with Chinese political commentary

    b. Podcasts

    Blowback - Anti-imperialist podcast about the crimes of the US Empire.

    Rev Left Radio - Marxist-Leninist podcast centering theory, history, and current events

    c. News

    Liberation News - PSL’s newsletter

    Fight Back! News - FRSO’s newsletter

    Naked Capitalism - Economic newsletter centering capitalism’s decay

    Credits

    1