Against the working class? No. Against the bourgeoisie? Yes.
I believe having a belief in this position is a fundamental requirement to be a committed revolutionary. Being part of a revolution means understanding that people are absolutely going to be put to death. You don't have to love that or be bloodthirsty but you do have to believe it is going to be necessary.
I see it as a distinction between criminal justice and war. In criminal justice I believe in rehabilitation and the avoidance of unnecessary cruelty, Johnny the axe murderer is a shit person so he should be kept away from society and hopefully reformed so he can be let out some day and no longer be a threat. Johnny the fascist or Johnny the oligarch on the other hand are not just shit people, they're waging a war against the working class and denazifying then to a permanent end is completely justified.
I see it as a distinction between criminal justice and war.
Do you really consider the war to be over after seizing power in one country?
Socialism itself is a stage of war. Its entire existence is informed by the conflict between proletariat and bourgeoisie and that war is only truly over when the bourgeoisie are marginalised worldwide to the point that counterrevolution is impossible.
At some point the war will hopefully be over but there is still a long way to go from the establishment of socialism somewhere to the end of capitalism everywhere.
This is why socialist societies needs to be watchful as they will be under constant attack.
The overthrow of one class by another is inherently violent. If you aren’t willing to engage in this sort of “authoritarianism” then your revolution is over before it even started. Violence is critical to the suppression of the counterrevolution, or more precisely the threat of violence, ranging from imprisonment to execution. This is needed if you want to be anything other than a paper tiger. Reactionaries won’t graciously accept the inch you give them and submit themselves to your moral victory, they’ll take another mile and curb stomp you.
Against the working class? No. Against the bourgeoisie? Yes.
I believe having a belief in this position is a fundamental requirement to be a committed revolutionary. Being part of a revolution means understanding that people are absolutely going to be put to death. You don't have to love that or be bloodthirsty but you do have to believe it is going to be necessary.
I see it as a distinction between criminal justice and war. In criminal justice I believe in rehabilitation and the avoidance of unnecessary cruelty, Johnny the axe murderer is a shit person so he should be kept away from society and hopefully reformed so he can be let out some day and no longer be a threat. Johnny the fascist or Johnny the oligarch on the other hand are not just shit people, they're waging a war against the working class and denazifying then to a permanent end is completely justified.
Do you really consider the war to be over after seizing power in one country?
Socialism itself is a stage of war. Its entire existence is informed by the conflict between proletariat and bourgeoisie and that war is only truly over when the bourgeoisie are marginalised worldwide to the point that counterrevolution is impossible.
At some point the war will hopefully be over but there is still a long way to go from the establishment of socialism somewhere to the end of capitalism everywhere.
This is why socialist societies needs to be watchful as they will be under constant attack.
The overthrow of one class by another is inherently violent. If you aren’t willing to engage in this sort of “authoritarianism” then your revolution is over before it even started. Violence is critical to the suppression of the counterrevolution, or more precisely the threat of violence, ranging from imprisonment to execution. This is needed if you want to be anything other than a paper tiger. Reactionaries won’t graciously accept the inch you give them and submit themselves to your moral victory, they’ll take another mile and curb stomp you.