view the rest of the comments
Lefty Memes
An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of the "ML" influence of instances like lemmy.ml and lemmygrad. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.
Serious posts, news, and discussion go in c/Socialism.
If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.
Please don't forget to help keep this community clean by reporting rule violations, updooting good contributions and downdooting those of low-quality!
Rules
0. Only post socialist memes
That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme)
1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here
Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.
2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such
That means condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.
3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries.
That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" seen on lemmygrad and more specifically GenZedong (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).
4. No Bigotry.
The only dangerous minority is the rich.
5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.
We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.
(if you are reading the rules to apply for modding this community, mention "Mantic Minotaur" when answering question 2)
6. Don't idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.
Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.
- Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:
- Racism
- Sexism
- Queerphobia
- Ableism
- Classism
- Rape or assault
- Genocide/ethnic cleansing or (mass) deportations
- Fascism
- (National) chauvinism
- Orientalism
- Colonialism or Imperialism (and their neo- counterparts)
- Zionism
- Religious fundamentalism of any kind
In what manner is Engels "wumao?" Marxism is not about "fairness," or "justice," but liberation of the working class. It's about rapidly improving the lives of the Proletariat. The notion that private property can be abolished with one stroke is anti-Marxist, and that means the idea that the bourgeoisie and thus billionaires can be abolished at one stroke is also anti-Marxist. The CPC is increasing control over the Private Sector and gradually wresting Capital from the Bourgeoisie, precisely as Marx and Engels envisioned a Socialist State would.
You can't just uncritically label everything you disagree with as "wumao."
You can’t liberate the fucking working class when you’re allowing someone to make the billions of dollars that should be going to the working class. China is a fucking hypocritical country and you are programmed by them. Goooodbye Wumao
Can you explain how an American managed to be "programmed" by the PRC despite not speaking any mandarin? Is the PRC that powerful? Again, I point you to Marx:
Markets centralize and lay the foundations for public ownership and central planning. You can't wave a wand and command these internal mechanisms for planning to spring out of thin air.
You can quote whatever you want. You cannot have a communist country where people are not equal.
Goodbye Wumao
Marxism is not about "equality," and in fact recognizes the very real differences in people as individuals. Marx railed against "equalitarians" his entire life. Is Marx "wumao" too?
Critique of the Gotha Programme
No, just you. lol. You’re making a fool of yourself. It at least you’re getting your money.
How am I "making a fool of myself?" Am I misrepresenting Marx? Misanalyzing the PRC? Are you capable of answering anything without repeating unproductive ad hominems?
I am accomplishing my goal.
If your goal is to help me prove my points by offering no actual opposition, then you're doing a splendid job.
You aren’t proving anything. You’re copying and pasting propaganda, which isn’t an original thought.
Marx and Engels are propaganda?
Anything can be used as propaganda in the right setting.
Then explain where the differences are between the intention of Marx and Engels and how the PRC operates today. I have been asking you to give any reasoning, but you've failed to. If you believe what I say to be "propaganda," then you're only aiding me by refusing to counter it yet continuing to engage via ad hominem.
I’ve accomplished my goal. Goodbye.
Thanks for your help in providing a sounding board to bounce points off of, comrade 🫡
Glad I could help you make money. Spend it wisely, and one day you might be a billionaire too.
Never will be, considering I am not being paid for any of this, but hopefully this exchange will help convince onlookers of the validity of Marxism.