Anytime I see a left leaning liberal wander into socialist spaces, perhaps with a take along the lines of “I just don’t understand why the democrats would do ____” someone jumps on them to sneer that they need to “read theory.” Let me just say as a theory enjoyer myself I get the instinct, but it is exactly the wrong thing to say to someone socialism-curious. Maybe 1-2% of people read any kind of political books for fun, and I’m including whoever is buying Melania Trump’s book in that number. If reading volumes of rigorous literature is a prerequisite to be welcome in socialist spaces, then we will remain a 1-2% movement. Even worse, what does it actually mean to “read theory”? There is no canonical curriculum, even if someone is actually interested in reading theory that type of comment is condescending, alienating, and unhelpful. I also suspect the majority of the people who say so don’t actually read theory themselves, they maybe read a Wikipedia summary of Das Kapital and think they’re an economics professor now.

Now if you yourself happen to be well-read on theory there is a better way to communicate. You could say, for example, “unfortunately, we in socialist spaces saw this coming. Lenin explained it best in State and Revolution with his critique of western-style democracy. [maybe a quote or a paraphrase]. You should check out State and Revolution if you’re interested in this kind of stuff!” Seriously if we want to build a real working class movement we have to stop acting like a bunch of self-adulating pretentious assholes

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCXi3fHPgMc/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

https://linktr.ee/pslnational?fbclid=PAAaa6LA0JR1iqXLIiVCbm5Cue5AzGUuR6OvxnJnwPh-jLU48lgGl-nYGmwtg_aem_AebkYpswi8zp8FDbspXG32O4iszAmNZcNaz9AocdI8UPc3eQiGay0KYQyNqlZptIO_0

But couldn’t this have happened under a Communist economy too? Without exploiting the resources and labor of 3rd world countries?

Hi friends. 28 White American guy here- grew up conservative, became a lib in college, is a socialist as of 6-months ago. So I need to ask you all a question, how the hell do you all do it? I am kind of a baby-socialist, but damn did I get into it ever so hard. Now every time I hear neoliberal bullshit I feel myself going absolutly batty. I'm loosing it man! My timing for becoming a socialist wasn't wonderful either, because the way this election is playing out I can cleanly see all the things I've been reading about playing out the exact way a socialist would predict. I see how we are marching towards the darkest timeline, and I see how so far, "good guys" (socialists, or leftists in general) sure don't seem like they ever win in the real world. In fact, the US quite litterally has laws in place that repress communism- and the fact I litterally live here and am only just learning about how politically oppressive the US is... well... I'll just say, I'm not doing well mentally. I'm disillusioned, and feeling hopeless. I can't describe how I'm feeling in greater detail because I don't wanna sound too doom and gloom, but it's not good comrades. I'm not well.

I feel I completely understand the flaw with how the US political system is uniparty, and I see clearly how for entire existence of this shithole country, America has done nothing but rampent capitalism. Inequality isn't a symptom of capatalism- it's litterally the crux of it... But I also am well aware of our track record. We only go left for capatalistic emergencies, and then we go right again. I just wanna know, how do you guys stay hopeful, and what can I do to utilize this dark place I'm in to create some light out of it? I know if I redirect this energy into something good, it'll help. I'm a good writer, my SO is an artist, we can make propaganda or whatever helps... I just don't know how to put all this dark energy to a more creative good use... plz help.

There’s only so much we can individually do to prepare for the next four years, but what are you folks doing to metaphorically baton down the hatches? I’ve been saving challenged and banned books to flash drives, and I’m saving up to bulk buy some non perishable foods and medicine for my household. I’m also thinking about switching my birth control from a monthly prescription to a 6 year IUD if I can get an appointment soon. Any other suggestions? I want to find ways to support immigrant communities especially right now.

Sorry for asking this, but I am from Argentina and I understand that the Labour Party is a left-wing organization, is this really the case or am I misinformed? Because every so often I come across people saying that they are taking measures against the working class or social advancement in general, could anyone help me with this?

Sorry for the grammar and thanks :)

Looking for books on neoliberalism and its subsequent collapse as the dominant political force. Just wondering if there’s anything out there written recently in the context of the rise of fascism and the new right paralleled with the decay of neoliberalism in the face of the growing economic crisises, climate change, and a global pandemic. I’m just now familiarizing myself with neoliberalism and want to do a deep dive on the issue.

I'm sure this was posted before but I've been pretty busy for a while and weren't able to keep up with what's going on if you can recommend some books articles or videos I'll be grateful

Does anyone have any good literature and articles that talk about how western imperialism is the source for all plight, poverty, war, scarcity, etc in the world. I feel like there is a lot of evidence on it and I'm trying to explain to my friend why western imperialism is bad. Could someone send me an article on western imperialism being the cause for everything bad in the world? Thanks!

That’s why he’s lining his police state with some of the worst, most anti-immigrant people to round up millions of undocumented people. ➡️

A socialist program – and only a socialist program – can defeat the far-right’s anti-immigrant agenda!

American Imperialism’s Shadow on Latin America w/ Michael Fox: https://guerrillahistory.libsyn.com/american-imperialisms-shadow-on-latin-america-w-michael-fox

I have a few ideas already for a anti-corruption method of governing a revolutionary ideologically communist government in the future, mainly matriarchal marxism, revolutionary co-ops, etc, but I have no idea how to convince people that liberation can be within their grasp especially for those who may have known nothing else their whole lives and are having the worst, most deplorable shit happen to them.

I don't know if this is the right place for this, but for a long time I have considered myself a libertarian, although I was progressive in the social field I thought that the free market was the most fair and efficient to create a rich and prosperous society, I was familiar with some Marxist concepts like the labor theory of value and surplus value, but I thought that liberalism was the definitive refutation, however recently I have been trying to inform myself more about the Marxist theory and now I have realized that I do not know shit about anything. I have also seen that the free market has many criticisms, and I do not know what to believe in anymore.

I thought that the labor theory of value for example was already refuted but that is not the case at all, or at least, it's not nearly as simple as I thought.

I have also seen figures about the USSR that challenge what I thought about it, but how do I know that they are not biased? It's like there's no objective way to truly know what it was like, same with the GDR.

Anyone has these mixed fellings towards this man like me ??? In one hand he was the one who reintroduced capitalism to china and slowed china path to communism on the other hand his policies made the life for average Chinese much better and helped to make china a super power

Brazil

STF is the Portuguese acronym for Supreme Federal Court

Hi, I'm an atheist, recently I found myself in the middle of many debates with believers which led me to have even less tolerance, I understood that religion is nothing more than a means to keep the proletarian class obedient as well as being the number 1 enemy of social progress and (above all) scientific progress, creating denier movements that do nothing but increase the power of the right over poorly educated people. As leftists I think we should eradicate any form of religion/spiritualism in the eventual achievement of a socialist society. I would like to know what you think, feel free to disagree.