"But surely, no capitalist would ever agree to the complete abolition of unemployment, to the abolition of the reserve army of unemployed, the purpose of which is to bring pressure on the labour market, to ensure a supply of cheap labour. Here you have one of the rents in the "planned economy" of bourgeois society. Furthermore, planned economy presupposes increased output in those branches of industry which produce goods that the masses of the people need particularly. But you know that the expansion of production under capitalism takes place for entirely different motives, that capital flows into those branches of economy in which the rate of profit is highest. You will never compel a capitalist to incur loss to himself and agree to a lower rate of profit for the sake of satisfying the needs of the people. Without getting rid of the capitalists, without abolishing the principle of private property in the means of production, it is impossible to create planned economy."
Everyday, I get more and more sure they lied to me about Stalin. Even with the "bad" things I can't explain yet, I'm sure there's some key piece of information being hidden from me.
There's a lot to know about Stalin, I guess. I think it's interesting in analyzing the historical forces, etc. But ultimately, he's just a man. Not sure if the cosmic classification of good guys or bad guys is too useful. I do recommend this interview, very accessible and good info.
The link you gave in the previous post is broken. Is that the interview you're talking about?
More and more I see Stalin as a committed organizer responding to his circumstances and making decisions with uncertain information, which I'm sympathetic to, as opposed to a demon with no goals you might appreciate.
I'm part way through, and I'm seeing a science fiction nerd 🤓 actually argue with Stalin about how to build socialism. Stalin points out, "I have some experience in fighting for socialism." I'm loving it. Shut the fuck up nerd! I killed a Czar!
Edit: I feel like Wells is giving the most concise and coherent articulation I've ever seen for a reformist approach to socialism. It's amazing that he got to have a dialog with Stalin, and neither one of them are just being presented with strawmen.
Yeah, it is an interesting discussion, and to hear a world leader speak with an actual coherent ideological vision is crazy when I think about what I hear in the states.
I think it's probably just a product of the US has no intention of reconciling any of the contradictions of capitalism, and that leads to this kind of "if we believe in each other, we can do this" platitudes.
Whereas Stalin wasn't hindered by capitalism for the Soviet state project, or whatever you wanna call it. So you kind of get like a genuine assessment of what these systems of oppression are doing and what the west is accomplishing or failing to accomplish. Hope you're enjoying it.
I used to be actually engaged in organizing, and felt like I used to have at least a little skill for articulating ideas of class struggle in a clear and repeatable way that could motivate my coworkers. I really don't have that ability anymore, probably from lack of practice, but I'm also I'm in a professional circle now with so little instinct for class consciousness that I wouldn't know where to begin. To hear someone like Stalin articulate his revolutionary analysis so plainly, without telling anyone to go read something they really don't want to read, was really impressive. Even with H G Wells he didn't have to say "let me send you back to this essay by Marx." He was just able to say, over and over, "look, this is how the world works, and you know I'm right because you've never seen it any other way in your own life or in any of the history you know."
Imagine Stalin in Moscow communicating to the US as it collapses from an avoidable covid epidemic? Who will be the American Stalin? It won't be me. I'm looking at you.
"But surely, no capitalist would ever agree to the complete abolition of unemployment, to the abolition of the reserve army of unemployed, the purpose of which is to bring pressure on the labour market, to ensure a supply of cheap labour. Here you have one of the rents in the "planned economy" of bourgeois society. Furthermore, planned economy presupposes increased output in those branches of industry which produce goods that the masses of the people need particularly. But you know that the expansion of production under capitalism takes place for entirely different motives, that capital flows into those branches of economy in which the rate of profit is highest. You will never compel a capitalist to incur loss to himself and agree to a lower rate of profit for the sake of satisfying the needs of the people. Without getting rid of the capitalists, without abolishing the principle of private property in the means of production, it is impossible to create planned economy."
-Joseph Stalin Marxism Versus Liberalism
Everyday, I get more and more sure they lied to me about Stalin. Even with the "bad" things I can't explain yet, I'm sure there's some key piece of information being hidden from me.
There's a lot to know about Stalin, I guess. I think it's interesting in analyzing the historical forces, etc. But ultimately, he's just a man. Not sure if the cosmic classification of good guys or bad guys is too useful. I do recommend this interview, very accessible and good info.
The link you gave in the previous post is broken. Is that the interview you're talking about?
More and more I see Stalin as a committed organizer responding to his circumstances and making decisions with uncertain information, which I'm sympathetic to, as opposed to a demon with no goals you might appreciate.
Ah, shit, yeah. I just fixed it.
I'm part way through, and I'm seeing a science fiction nerd 🤓 actually argue with Stalin about how to build socialism. Stalin points out, "I have some experience in fighting for socialism." I'm loving it. Shut the fuck up nerd! I killed a Czar!
Edit: I feel like Wells is giving the most concise and coherent articulation I've ever seen for a reformist approach to socialism. It's amazing that he got to have a dialog with Stalin, and neither one of them are just being presented with strawmen.
Yeah, it is an interesting discussion, and to hear a world leader speak with an actual coherent ideological vision is crazy when I think about what I hear in the states.
I think it's probably just a product of the US has no intention of reconciling any of the contradictions of capitalism, and that leads to this kind of "if we believe in each other, we can do this" platitudes.
Whereas Stalin wasn't hindered by capitalism for the Soviet state project, or whatever you wanna call it. So you kind of get like a genuine assessment of what these systems of oppression are doing and what the west is accomplishing or failing to accomplish. Hope you're enjoying it.
Just finished it. It's amazing.
I used to be actually engaged in organizing, and felt like I used to have at least a little skill for articulating ideas of class struggle in a clear and repeatable way that could motivate my coworkers. I really don't have that ability anymore, probably from lack of practice, but I'm also I'm in a professional circle now with so little instinct for class consciousness that I wouldn't know where to begin. To hear someone like Stalin articulate his revolutionary analysis so plainly, without telling anyone to go read something they really don't want to read, was really impressive. Even with H G Wells he didn't have to say "let me send you back to this essay by Marx." He was just able to say, over and over, "look, this is how the world works, and you know I'm right because you've never seen it any other way in your own life or in any of the history you know."
Imagine Stalin in Moscow communicating to the US as it collapses from an avoidable covid epidemic? Who will be the American Stalin? It won't be me. I'm looking at you.
:stalin-cig: