So you want to know more about socialism and communism.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Richard Cribb

He does monologues
Joined
Nov 5, 2003
Messages
4,291
As Henry VIII said his wifes, I will not keep you long.
In short,I simply offer the community the possibility to learn more about communism and socialism in the shaope of an "Ask a red" thread by yours truly. I think most of you know me sufficiently well to be aware of that I have enough credentials for this.
If any of you approves of this idea, send me a PM or post in this thread. I will now go on vacation for a week, and if I see that there is sufficiently interest for this sort of thing, I will ask one of the more reasonable moderators for permission, and (hopefully) the fun can start.
 
what's your stance on marx's idea that the state would just die off after a successful revolution?
I will answer that in an official thread if a such one will ever materialize.
Which depends on two things; firstly the interest of the board members, secondly the clemency of the moderators.
Since you posted in this one with a question and everything, I chalk you as one interested.
And to clarify; this is not a thread for asking specific questions, since I need permission from above for such an enterprise.
Also, I want the approval of at least 20 people to take it any further.
 
I tend to feel that the most trenchant criticism of marxism and Marx comes from environmentalist and ecological attacks on its essential materialism, rather than criticisms operating blindly out of the conventional liberal ideology of our age.

Count that as an approval from me i guess.
 
I tend to feel that the most trenchant criticism of marxism and Marx comes from environmentalist and ecological attacks on its essential materialism

what has materialism to do with ecology?


ehm,.... i mean when i comes to feuerbach/marx materialism, in which way is environmentalism opposed to it?
 
Technically it doesn't matter what we think, but rather a moderator, who has to approve this kind of thread.
 
what has materialism to do with ecology?


ehm,.... i mean when i comes to feuerbach/marx materialism, in which way is environmentalism opposed to it?

The short version is:

It's an anthropological and biological view of humanity as collectively striving for liberation from nature. Everything conditioned by material factors, liberation and freedom defined as removal from things like hunger and poverty and oppression by others seeking to control resources more completely.

Which is fine and dandy except for the notion of progress it shares with other products of the enlightenment. The idea is that --given the lack of freedom in a natural state where hunger and poverty and conflict are issues-- we will "escape" our natural condition and the conflicts that this condition brings. Essentially it posits that enough accumulation of material wealth, properly distributed, will end scarcity and conflict in society. This state of superabundance, which ends the necessity of conflict over material resources... it just seems a bit wrong-headed in light of later understandings of ecology and the environment. Not to mention the way people's perceptions of "needs" worth fighting over appear far more situational than Marx may have conceived.
 
Technically it doesn't matter what we think, but rather a moderator, who has to approve this kind of thread.

I know, which is evident from what I wrote above.
I want, however, to see if there is sufficient interest in such a thread before I ask a mod about permission.
I would also appreciate if people took their discussion of concrete topics somewhere else.
 
I've got questions. You've got answers?
 
Would be great to have such a thread. Even I got a question or two.
 
With correct moderation I think it might create interesting discussion.

JerichoHill said:
So long as you answer with facts, not opinions
What's wrong with opinions if they are reasonably explained if people cannot agree about something as a fact?

Or do you really think theories of some person about something like that of socialism and communism are facts as they are presented?

For me the whole point of discussion is to see the other points of view that might reveal extra information to the subject and might also give hints about larger picture even beyond such facts that you originally think of being obvious.

Nothing should be accepted from face value neither should be rejected.
 
Problem is I only see the new guys and a few others not knowing the definition, meaning, and the differences between communism and socialism. The topic has been drilled extensively here and there in the OT in the past. ..Still, would like to know your personal reason for being involved with this topic matter.

*I am also seconding(thirding?) this. It has much more potential than all the other half baked 'ask a ...' threads)
 
Problem is I only see the new guys not knowing the differences between communism and socialism. The topic has been drilled extensively here and there in the OT in the past. ..Still, would like to know your personal reason for being involved with this topic matter.

Marxist theory and stuff is always fertile ground.
 
Endorsed if rigid rule structures are laid out including none of this "you're and idiot" crap, 14 year old proto-communists spouting useless dialectics etc.
 
nonconformist said:
Endorsed if rigid rule structures are laid out including none of this "you're and idiot" crap, 14 year old proto-communists spouting useless dialectics etc.
What he said.
 
I think the idea is awesome Luc, and you'd have my full support in making a thread.

I do have one qualm, which I think bears mention. I have a sneaking suspicion that the thread will degenerate into you being attacked by a bunch of 14 year old clueless capitalists rather then the sort of discussion that you and I seek.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom