One of the biggest obstacles we have to reaching the public is the massive gap between their understanding of what socialism is and what it actually is. We need to address that if we're going to get there. We can just explain that it's when the capitalists, people who don't work, own everything.
But, like, we can't run away from Marx and Lenin if they're integral to our political theories and strategies.
it’s important to remember that socialism existed as a movement before the term was assigned and defined on paper to identify the movement.
If it's not worker or common control of the means of production, it's not useful to us. That fundamental change in the mode of production that Marx described is what we need; it's what every one of our other demands hinges on.
there is no “one true” perception of material reality just as there is no “one true” leftist.
Inasmuch as we believe in the reality of science and in scientific socialism, there is a true material reality that we should try to perceive as accurately as possible.
i think it is more effective for socialist/communist groups to build community trust and organize communities so as to foster discovery of socialism by the people themselves, whatever form it may take as is informed by their relationship with material reality. this is why the mass line is such an effective strategy, since it empowers the people in the context of their own concerns. this was also used to some effectiveness by some door knockers for the sanders campaign by consulting people on their concerns and offering solutions through the policy framework set forth by the campaign. of course, the campaign lacked a pre-existing solid social basis of organization and trust, which was a severe issue, but i think it was being built for a little bit there. i sincerely doubt that the gap can be bridged on a large scale by other means, particularly ones that amount to screaming definitions into the void.
Obviously, but clarifying people's conceptions of socialism isn't mutually exclusive with any of that. Asking people to not use this one quote, because it obfuscates what our goals are and the natures of capitalism and socialism, isn't a very radical demand.
One of the biggest obstacles we have to reaching the public is the massive gap between their understanding of what socialism is and what it actually is. We need to address that if we're going to get there. We can just explain that it's when the capitalists, people who don't work, own everything.
But, like, we can't run away from Marx and Lenin if they're integral to our political theories and strategies.
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If it's not worker or common control of the means of production, it's not useful to us. That fundamental change in the mode of production that Marx described is what we need; it's what every one of our other demands hinges on.
Inasmuch as we believe in the reality of science and in scientific socialism, there is a true material reality that we should try to perceive as accurately as possible.
Obviously, but clarifying people's conceptions of socialism isn't mutually exclusive with any of that. Asking people to not use this one quote, because it obfuscates what our goals are and the natures of capitalism and socialism, isn't a very radical demand.
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