Post by Sr.Leytenánt Lyaksandro Pribeg on Oct 16, 2005 17:23:04 GMT -5
Note: I am not a communist, but have studied Marx decently well through the years.
I shall list here some of the many ways communism is misinterpretted:
1) Communists believe that all humans are inherently good, that they will be willing to share. This is why communism won't work:
Why this is wrong: First, communism does not and cannot have a morality. There is no good or evil in Marx's philosophy. Marx believed strongly in materialistic determinism, that the entire world was only material, and that this material functioned in a mechanistic and predictable way. Looking to the stars, one can see that yes, the universe can be predictable.
So no, Marx does not believe humans are inherently good or evil, just that they are predictable economically.
Secondly, the communist revolution itself would have two stages, the first being a crude communism in which human greed would be the primary driving force. Marx saw capitialism as making people greedy, it made people want to have things they otherwise could care less about. This greed would eventually be the bane of capitalism. When only an elite group of individuals held the majority of the wealth, the greed of the common people would cause them to overthrow these capitalists. Sharing has nothing to do with this initial stage.
2) Communists believe everything about capitalism is evil.
Why this is wrong: As I said before, Marx is a materialist determinist. There is no good or evil in this mindset. Capitalism is of itself a revolutionary force, a force that overthrew the previous monarchial regimes. In this sense, capitalism is helping communism in overthrowing 'all existing social establishments.'
And Marx believed communist revolutions would eventually happen in the most industrialized, capitalistic societies (he was wrong). Capitalism allowed for such a great amunt of production, and also such a great difference within the classes that it was here, Marx believed, revolutions would take place.
3) Communists wants to abolish the concept of money.
Why this is wrong: Trotsky, especially, viewed money as a necessary means of exchange for the revolution. Money is the primary ends of human greed, and that greed is needed for the revolution and the first stages of communism.
4) Communists favor the use of bureacracy:
Why this is wrong: 'The bureaucracy is a circle from which one cannot escape. Its hierarchy is a hierarchy of knowledge. The top entrusts the understanding of detail to the lower levels, whilst the lower levels credit the top with understanding of the general, and so all are mutually deceived.'
-Marx
These, of course, assume that communism's primary founder is the one defining communism. I think this is a decent assumption. The state-capitalism of the USSR is such a far cry from Marx's ideas, it could hardly be considered truly 'communist.'
Any more ideas about communism feels free to post here. I would be happy to answer any questions.
Some more interesting quotes from Marx:
The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it.
Religion ... is the opium of the people.
The policy of Russia is changeless. Its methods, its tactics, its maneuvers may change, but the polar star of its policy, world domination, is a fixed star.
The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain.
History repeats. First as tragedy, then as farce.
The traditions of the dead generations weigh like a nightmare upon the living."
Anyone who knows anything of history knows that great social changes are impossible without feminine upheaval. Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex, the ugly ones included.
Democracy is the road to socialism.
I am not a Marxist.
Necessity is blind until it becomes conscious. Freedom is the consciousness of necessity.
The bourgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all nations into civilization.
The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.
Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form.
-Karl Marx
I shall list here some of the many ways communism is misinterpretted:
1) Communists believe that all humans are inherently good, that they will be willing to share. This is why communism won't work:
Why this is wrong: First, communism does not and cannot have a morality. There is no good or evil in Marx's philosophy. Marx believed strongly in materialistic determinism, that the entire world was only material, and that this material functioned in a mechanistic and predictable way. Looking to the stars, one can see that yes, the universe can be predictable.
So no, Marx does not believe humans are inherently good or evil, just that they are predictable economically.
Secondly, the communist revolution itself would have two stages, the first being a crude communism in which human greed would be the primary driving force. Marx saw capitialism as making people greedy, it made people want to have things they otherwise could care less about. This greed would eventually be the bane of capitalism. When only an elite group of individuals held the majority of the wealth, the greed of the common people would cause them to overthrow these capitalists. Sharing has nothing to do with this initial stage.
2) Communists believe everything about capitalism is evil.
Why this is wrong: As I said before, Marx is a materialist determinist. There is no good or evil in this mindset. Capitalism is of itself a revolutionary force, a force that overthrew the previous monarchial regimes. In this sense, capitalism is helping communism in overthrowing 'all existing social establishments.'
And Marx believed communist revolutions would eventually happen in the most industrialized, capitalistic societies (he was wrong). Capitalism allowed for such a great amunt of production, and also such a great difference within the classes that it was here, Marx believed, revolutions would take place.
3) Communists wants to abolish the concept of money.
Why this is wrong: Trotsky, especially, viewed money as a necessary means of exchange for the revolution. Money is the primary ends of human greed, and that greed is needed for the revolution and the first stages of communism.
4) Communists favor the use of bureacracy:
Why this is wrong: 'The bureaucracy is a circle from which one cannot escape. Its hierarchy is a hierarchy of knowledge. The top entrusts the understanding of detail to the lower levels, whilst the lower levels credit the top with understanding of the general, and so all are mutually deceived.'
-Marx
These, of course, assume that communism's primary founder is the one defining communism. I think this is a decent assumption. The state-capitalism of the USSR is such a far cry from Marx's ideas, it could hardly be considered truly 'communist.'
Any more ideas about communism feels free to post here. I would be happy to answer any questions.
Some more interesting quotes from Marx:
The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it.
Religion ... is the opium of the people.
The policy of Russia is changeless. Its methods, its tactics, its maneuvers may change, but the polar star of its policy, world domination, is a fixed star.
The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain.
History repeats. First as tragedy, then as farce.
The traditions of the dead generations weigh like a nightmare upon the living."
Anyone who knows anything of history knows that great social changes are impossible without feminine upheaval. Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex, the ugly ones included.
Democracy is the road to socialism.
I am not a Marxist.
Necessity is blind until it becomes conscious. Freedom is the consciousness of necessity.
The bourgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all nations into civilization.
The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.
Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form.
-Karl Marx