"I'm also a Marxist-Leninist."

liberalism

Both are socialists. I don't think we do ourselves any favors by saying that one of the prominent left politicians in America, who is despised by the Democratic party elite, is a "fake" socialist. Evo and AOC are both important courageous leftists.

The differences between them aren't even that extreme. Evo Morales isn't a Marxist-Leninist or anything, he governed as a moderate reformer and actually was protested by the left for being disappointing on a number of things and not going far enough.

These people are the opportunists you've been warned about. Stop defending them. They're less than useless.

  • DirtbagVegan [he/him]
    5·
    4 years ago

    He's not wrong, though? The hard line Marxists in Bolivia don't really like Evo. He is every bit a social democratic reformer. The thing that really makes Evo very different from other reformists is his connection to the indigenous movement in Bolivia. Like he's obviously one of the best leaders we've seen on the continent in decades, buy you don't have to pretend he's actually a Leninist.

    • EthicalHumanMeat [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      At the very least the Communist Party of Bolivia and Communist Party of Bolivia (Marxist-Leninist) support him and MAS.

      Here's the first group at a post-victory MAS rally.

      The only leftists that I'm aware of that actually formed a part of the opposition were Trots.

      Also, Evo does considers himself an ML, and MAS's opposition to imperialism, the nationalizations they've overseen, their alliance with Cuba and Venezuela, and the militia Evo armed (the Red Ponchos) make me think he's more than a social democrat. Even revolutionary communists do electoralism sometimes when they're sufficiently organized and in a position to do so, like in Kerala.

      If he's just a reformer (which I don't think is accurate), it would be in the vein of a global south social democrat like Lula, who I don't think is comparable to imperial core social democrats.