this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2025
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The vast majority of Marxists globally are either "ignorant, delusional, or worst of all, tankies" then. The idea that the Soviet Union wasn't Socialist is an extremely fringe opinion among all of Marxists, typically limited to Trotskyists, themselves limited to Western Countries and devoid of any revolutions.
Oh, you mentioned Permanent Revolution. I take it you're a Trotskyist, then? That explains your stance, but I really don't see why Permanent Revolution is relevant in any way, the theoretical basis relied on the assumption of the Peasantry as incapable of being truly aligned with the Proletariat and thus eventually would become counter-revolutionary. This ended up being false, and Socialism stabilized in the USSR, Cuba, China, Vietnam, Laos, and more, effectively debunking its relevancy.
In China, the Trotskyists wished to martyr China by attacking the Kuomintang and the Japanese Imperialists both, rather than allying with the KMT before overthrowing them. Had the Trotskyists had their way, China would remain a colony.
Today, the Russian Federation certainly is Capitalist and extremely Nationalist, but the PRC is still Socialist. I wrote a post on some common problems that some people run into when trying to determine Mode of Production. I also made an introductory Marxist-Leninist reading list, if you want to check it out. I think you'd benefit, especially since you took more of an adventurist route.
i'm not going to get into a debate about it, because i have better things to do, sorry.
i would agree that the USSR was socialist, but very quickly stopped being so, and now it is capitalist. that's not what i call a success.
Fair enough, but I would say that examining what went right and what went wrong is an imporant duty for any socialist examining the USSR not just dismissing it outright. Many of the issues and problems with Soviet Union can be applied to any country building socialism as can many of the benefits. So we must learn what to keep and what to leave aside, as it remained Socialist until the very end of its existence.
And for what it's worth, I reccommend that first link I sent. I think what I described in that could be useful for you.
i still think you're assuming what my actual, real-life views are from a silly what-if scenario! i am never gonna be in control of anything more powerful than a barbeque.
but if somehow i got to mind control the president or something, yes, i'd take advantage of that brief control to eliminate as many capitalists as possible
You can't just kill Socialism into existence, though. That's Idealism, not Materialism. That removes the entire process of Historical Materialism, and erases the foundations of Scientific Socialism, as opposed to Utopianism. I recommend reading or revisiting Socialism: Utopian and Scientific.
i wouldn't be trying to will socialism into existence, though, i'd just be having a little fun :3
That's "tankier" than the "tankies" you demonize, though. Kinda just confused here.
You got temp-banned from a different comm for breaking the rules, I don't think picking fights is a good usage of your time to be honest.
How so?
Pretty different context, I was asking for clarification from someone who used "tankie" unironically to ask them what they meant, you used it as an unironic insult, and further this is a different comm.
You understand the difference between actually using a word and referring to said word’s past usage by others, right?
The USSR hasn't existed for 35 years you arrogant fucking western dipshit.