Spreading the ideas of Socialism and Communism has always been important but it’s never more important than at the time of a systematic crisis of Capitalism.
- Image by andreasmarx via Flickr
DB0: If you remember Orgthingy, he was the contributor to the Division by Zer0 who wrote an article on socialism a month or so ago. Today he returns to discuss a bit of why the Socialist society can only based on democratic principles and why we need to promote. Orgthingy is not a natural English speaker so please try to read more into his sentences if it doesn’t immediately make sense.
Many have told me already that Capitalism is a “Natural system therefore loved by society”. First of all, it’s not natural at all. It’s a fairly new system that emerged just few centuries back in Europe, brain-washed the people then democratically got applied (at least in countries like UAE and Kuwait, but Capitalism democratically emerging isn’t the case in most of the world I guess).
[DB0: I have to disagree with Orgthingy here, as he is taking a very simplistic view of the rise of Capitalism. Capitalism didn’t brainwash the people just like that. The state helped the capitalist mode of production take hold, by protecting the bourgeoisie from proletariat aggression and by always siding with the Capitalist on legal challenges. As the mode of production spread and people’s rebellions (e.g. the Luddites) failed to stop it, eventually the got used to it. So it wasn’t democratically applied, but rather brutally forced on peasants and artisans.]
Most of this blog’s regular readers already know that Capitalism offers inequality and contradicts with democracy, yet people these days seem to like it as most are ignorant of the ‘bad’ aspects of it). Now if you do similar techniques, like educating people on Socialism and Communism, through schools or any other way, then you’d end up with a fully-democratic move towards this economic system and ‘country’ since you’re not forcing ((forcing, even if they don’t clearly know what Socialism and Communism really are, would be against people’s will, therefore contradicts with democracy and idea of revolution which needs support of majority of the people)) any of the two ideologies onto people.
This was of course a simple and theoretical view, since in reality it would be much more complex to achieve having a communist/socialist society. Capitalism unfortunately is a ‘changing-proof’ kind-of system ((by that, it means it’s hard to reform a bourgeois state apparatus into communist or socialist ideologies)) and prevents that from happening. Simply put, capitalists have the money and power. For example they use expensive mass advertisement for their political campaigns (and unsurprisingly win); They’ve got the money/power, therefore media would not spread the idea of communism and socialism, but actually oppose it as much as possible ((Dbo: This is a bit simplistic really but the main idea is right)).
Thus without the people’s support, a ‘democratically’ emerging communism and socialism is impossible, as the capitalist-propaganda model will break even through a revolutionary spirit. A Revolution of minority can only fail.
[Db0: This is not strictly true. While a revolution without popular support will fail, during times of severe downturn, such as a period of economic crisis, the spark of a revolution can be lit by a minority uprising and this can quickly spread elsewhere. People who were neutral may become supportive, and those who were a bit opposed may become neutral and silent consentors. But one has to remember that the current system is indeed maintained by a minority rule. The minority of the state and the capitalist class. To overcome this, a socialist revolution would probably just need to have a somewhat larger minority than that]
What has to be done then? You may be wondering what should we do to get Socialism/Communism into power. First of all, don’t lose hope. What we need to do is get people’s attention, especially now since we’re in a recession (like what I’m doing by writing this article). Second: Communists and Socialists all around the world should focus on education (not necessary through media, but L’Humanite is a great example of ‘communist-media’) of what Socialism and Communism really are and free their minds from propaganda of the capitalists.
Socialists/Communists all over the world, unite! Educate those who don’t know!
Db0: The idea of Orgthingy is basically very similar to what my tactic is, although I do not limit myself to Socialism only. The whole point of this site is to spread my ideas around. I believe that each of us is incapable of changing the world by himself but small actions in concert would be enough. I would be happy to know that I’ve managed to convince two people to not only espouse Epicurean/Anarchist/Communist thoughts, but to also attempt to convince two more people themselves.
For all of us, it is vitally important to promote grassroot informational campaigns and word-of-mouth “advertising” of what we espouse. And it’s not enough to simply do it behind close doors in a forum of our peers and bask in the groupthink, like some Rothbardians like to do. We must go out, on open ground and challenge others and ourselves (to defend our ideas). Doing this will not only give our voices a chance to be heard by the silent majority, but strengthen your own arguments and give a much needed confidence.
So don’t be afraid of dialogue. Go out, challenge and be challenged!
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Well here we are we find the unholy alliance between the Atheists and the communists, despite the fact that communism is responsible for killing 150 million peple in the last century.
I have blamed Charles Darwin for the communist population control programs.
You may be a troll but you talk about a common misconception of the US religious right. So I think you warrant a response, even though you're unlikely to listen.
1) Atheists and Communists are not two different groups of people. Being one does not exclude the other, but nor does it require it. In fact, you'll find a small group of Atheists who are rabidly anti-communists, and you'll also find a majority of them being content with the current system.
However it is true that most Communists are atheists, but that is not because the later causes the former, but because those who are antiauthoritarian generally find the concept of a "Lord" in the sky repulsive. And the lack of evidence towards it does not hurt either.
2) Communists killing 150 million in the last century, I don't know where you get your figures, but to get such numbers you'd have to apply the label of Communist very liberally. In such a case, one can consider that pro-Capitalists have killed about 170 mil.
Of course, counting the dead is not an argument for either system. And of course I refute your liberal application of the label "Communist"
Conflating Darwin and Communist population control programs? Interesting fail.
I`m ready to be challenged. Why else would I be reading your blog? However so far I've found about 95% agreement and very little to disagree about.
By the way, reddit is not a "neutral ground." I've been there a few times and it's pretty much communist territory. Very few LLers, MAers or capitalists. In a debate between capitalists and communists, I'd propose the left-libertarian forum as a neutral ground.
http://libertarianleft.freeforums.org/index.php
I think you're mistaken. There's quite a bunch of mutualists around (some even admins) and there's no banination going on. Certainly you will see how much other people agreed/disagreed with your comment but generally as long as you're not outright advocating statism or capitalism, you don't get downvoted (and I disagree with downvotes even in that case)
OTOH, the FotLL have very little anarchists from the social perspective it seems to me (otherwise you wouldn't have asked me to come and comment on the anti-anarcho-communist thread).
So everything has a bit of a bias, but by neutral I mostly meant a place where the banhammer can't fall just because an admin disagrees with you.
In my opinion about capitalism .. Capitalism entails the private ownership of the latter two .Natural resources and capital goods by a class of owners called capitalists, either individually, collectively or through a state apparatus that operates for a profit or serves the interests of capital owners..