• masquenox@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I think you’re confusing what a State is

    No. I’m not.

    he argued against Anarchism vehemontly.

    Yes, I know - and his arguments against anarchism is still just as as hollow as the statists that came after him.

    government that uphold class society, ie private property rights.

    Yes, I am perfectly aware of how dead wrong Marx was about the nature of the state.

    It’s in this manner that the state “whithers away.”

    There is no such thing as a “withering state” and there never will be. It’s no less ridiculous and esoteric wishful-thinking than Smith’s “invisible hand.”

    but via a lack of maintenance of Capitalist institutions.

    As has been thoroughly demonstrated now, any state institution can easily be returned to use by capitalists - Marx was dead wrong about the state because he rejected the anarchist critique of hierarchy (the only thing the anarchists have that is really worthwile) which has, so far, proven airtight. There will never be a “lack of maintenance” of such institutions as long as hierarchical society exists - the political police in a Marxist-Leninist state will happily play political police for capitalists in a liberal society a decade later and vice-versa.

    Socialism appears from Capitalism, just as Communism emerges from Socialism.

    Not true at all - socialist movements was appearing long before capitalism did. Socialism is not a response to capitalism. It is a response to hegemony - of which capitalism, together with it’s twin sibling, fascism, are merely the most immediate and modern expression.

    • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      Yes, I am perfectly aware of how dead wrong Marx was about the nature of the state.

      Marx was not wrong about the “nature of a state,” but used a different, non-Anarchist interpretation. This doesn’t make Marx “dead wrong” for not being an Anarchist, but a separate type of Leftist with different critiques.

      There is no such thing as a “withering state” and there never will be. It’s no less ridiculous and esoteric wishful-thinking than Smith’s “invisible hand.”

      The state whithers all the time, in the UK the Monarchy is a continuously vestigial element of their government structure. Moving through class society causes the elements of previous society to whither and decay. Socialism works the same way with respect to Capitalism, and Communism the same way with respect to Socialism.

      As has been thoroughly demonstrated now, any state institution can easily be returned to use by capitalists - Marx was dead wrong about the state because he rejected the anarchist critique of hierarchy (the only thing the anarchists have that is really worthwile) which has, so far, proven airtight. There will never be a “lack of maintenance” of such institutions as long as hierarchical society exists - the political police in a Marxist-Leninist state will happily play political police for capitalists in a liberal society a decade later and vice-versa.

      Not quite accurate, Marxism is specifically about working towards ending class society. Anarchist critique of hierarchy is idealist, it doesn’t really get at the heart of why systems work the way they do.

      Not true at all - socialist movements was appearing long before capitalism did. Socialism is not a response to capitalism. It is a response to hegemony - of which capitalism, together with it’s twin sibling, fascism, are merely the most immediate and modern expression.

      Not quite what I meant. Primitive Communism and systems like Owenism aren’t the same as modern Socialism. Capitalism necessarily creates within it the mechanisms for moving onward to Socialism.

      • masquenox@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        but used a different, non-Anarchist interpretation.

        Yes. A conception of the state that camouflages the state’s role as a nexus of hierarchical power.

        The state whithers all the time, in the UK the Monarchy is a continuously vestigial element of their government structure.

        A state being hijacked by a different group of elites and repurposed to serve their interests in no way signifies any form of “withering” - as you can see for yourself… the British state only grew ever more entrenched and pervasive as a result of transforming from a feudal state to a liberal one. Nothing about it “withered” in any way whatsoever. The results will be the same no matter who it is that does the hijacking nor the ideology that they profess while doing so. There is no “withering” to see when liberal states (temporarily) become fascist ones, and there was (and is) no “withering” of any kind to be seen in states run by political elites belonging to any organisation with the words “communist” or “socialist” in their gold-leaf printed titles.

        Sooo…

        Anarchist critique of hierarchy is idealist,

        …absolutely not. The anarchist critique of hierarchy is about as unflinchingly pragmatic as political modelling gets. If I was a liberal, I’d call it downright cynical - but I won’t, since I’m not. It explains why the state cannot and will never be a route to a socialist mode of production, and it has been proven ruthlessly accurate - there aren’t even any “exceptions that prove the rule” around to give an honest Marxist-Leninist a sliver of desperate hope.

        For socialism, the state is a blood-drenched dead-end - only those touched by utopian delusion believe otherwise.

        Primitive Communism

        I think we can give Marx a pass for this silly idea - there is no such thing as “primitive” communism just as there is no such thing as a “primitive” - but I think Marxists themselves should let this go.

        and systems like Owenism aren’t the same as modern Socialism

        The control of the means of production was being contested by the people doing the actual work vis-a-vis the people doing the owning for a very, very long time now - long before anyone self-identified as a socialist. Just because socialists have written lots and lots of books in regards to class warfare doesn’t make “modern” socialism all that unique.

        • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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          2 months ago

          Yes. A conception of the state that camouflages the state’s role as a nexus of hierarchical power.

          Administration isn’t camouflaging anything, it is hierarchical. Marx didn’t see an issue inherent to hierarchy, but class and direction of production.

          A state being hijacked by a different group of elites and repurposed to serve their interests in no way signifies any form of “withering” - as you can see for yourself… the British state only grew ever more entrenched and pervasive as a result of transforming from a feudal state to a liberal one. Nothing about it “withered” in any way whatsoever. The results will be the same no matter who it is that does the hijacking nor the ideology that they profess while doing so. There is no “withering” to see when liberal states (temporarily) become fascist ones, and there was (and is) no “withering” of any kind to be seen in states run by political elites belonging to any organisation with the words “communist” or “socialist” in their gold-leaf printed titles

          The feudal aspects of British society withered away. You’re again confusing size of government with what constitutes the state.

          …absolutely not. The anarchist critique of hierarchy is about as unflinchingly pragmatic as political modelling gets. If I was a liberal, I’d call it downright cynical - but I won’t, since I’m not. It explains why the state cannot and will never be a route to a socialist mode of production, and it has been proven ruthlessly accurate - there aren’t even any “exceptions that prove the rule” around to give an honest Marxist-Leninist a sliver of desperate hope.

          How exaxtly? Vibes?

          For socialism, the state is a blood-drenched dead-end - only those touched by utopian delusion believe otherwise.

          Ah, vibes, gotcha.

          I think we can give Marx a pass for this silly idea - there is no such thing as “primitive” communism just as there is no such thing as a “primitive” - but I think Marxists themselves should let this go.

          The descriptor may not have been the best, but the concept of tribal societies functioning without class doesn’t mean it never happened.

          The control of the means of production was being contested by the people doing the actual work vis-a-vis the people doing the owning for a very, very long time now - long before anyone self-identified as a socialist. Just because socialists have written lots and lots of books in regards to class warfare doesn’t make “modern” socialism all that unique.

          Nobody said Marx invented the concept of Socialism. Socialists have built theory over time, yes.

          • masquenox@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Marx didn’t see an issue inherent to hierarchy,

            Of course not… the people’s boot would never trample on the people, would it?

            How exaxtly? Vibes?

            Rejecting the idea that industrialized feudalism will, upon repressing and deprivating the working class hard and long enough, somehow lead to socialism isn’t “vibes.”

            Ah, vibes, gotcha.

            So you have exceptions to provide, then? Let’s hear it.

            The descriptor may not have been the best,

            And you’ve had how many years to change that descriptor? Or is it sacrilege to touch Red Jesus’ holy writ?

            • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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              2 months ago

              Of course not… the people’s boot would never trample on the people, would it?

              Does the post-office trample on people? Government is not inherently a bad thing.

              Rejecting the idea that industrialized feudalism will, upon repressing and deprivating the working class hard and long enough, somehow lead to socialism isn’t “vibes.”

              You could elaborate on what you mean by “industrialized feudalism,” and why you think a democratic government is feudalist. Otherwise its just vibes.

              So you have exceptions to provide, then? Let’s hear it.

              I want to hear what you mean by “industrialized feudalism” before we get into discussing the successes and failures of AES countries.

              And you’ve had how many years to change that descriptor? Or is it sacrilege to touch Red Jesus’ holy writ?

              What good is it to individually use a term people are not yet familiar with? If leftists were more united, it could be put into question and changed, perhaps in an org or other structure. Without one, it’s easier to use accepted terminology. You already took issue with it, and I already responded, this topic is over. You just want to take a cheap shot at imagined religious reverence towards Marx, rather than maintain a productive convo, I feel.

              • masquenox@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                Government is not inherently a bad thing.

                Again - you are attempting to camouflage the role of the state as a nexus of power… and failing.

                You could elaborate on what you mean by “industrialized feudalism,”

                No elaboration needed - what did you think happens when the people is enslaved by a class of technocratic elites?

                before we get into discussing the successes and failures of AES countries.

                We will not be discussing that at all - you will either provide examples of the working class controlling the means of production or you won’t.

                If leftists were more united

                I have yet to hear one good reason to ally with you - not tripping over the anarchist critique of hierarchy at every step might be a good start, though.

                • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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                  2 months ago

                  Again - you are attempting to camouflage the role of the state as a nexus of power… and failing.

                  What am I camouflaging? Why is the state a “nexus of power,” what does that entail, and why is it a bad thing?

                  No elaboration needed - what did you think happens when the people is enslaved by a class of technocratic elites?

                  Something bad, I’m sure, but I don’t see how that’s relevant.

                  We will not be discussing that at all - you will either provide examples of the working class controlling the means of production or you won’t.

                  There are many examples, Cuba is a quick and easy one. However, given your lack of elaboration on “industrial feudalism,” I think we are in for more stellar vibes-based analysis with lots of fiery language and no analysis whatsoever.

                  I have yet to hear one good reason to ally with you - not tripping over the anarchist critique of hierarchy at every step might be a good start, though.

                  You haven’t given a good reason to ally with you either, you have proven to be needlessly sectarian, aggressive, and unable to explain your criticisms.

                  • masquenox@lemmy.world
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                    2 months ago

                    Why is the state a “nexus of power,”

                    Why do you need the obvious explained to you? Why do you think Marxist-Leninists want to seize the state? Because it (somehow) isn’t the nexus of power? What would be the point of centralized economic, political and social power if there was no organ through which to hegemonically exercise it?

                    Where does the institutionalized monopoly of violence reside in a hierarchical society, Clyde? On my patio, perhaps?

                    but I don’t see how that’s relevant.

                    It’s perfectly relevant - this has been the proscribed logic of every (so-called) “AES” so far… and none of them has delivered anything that can be called socialism with a straight face.

                    Cuba is a quick and easy one

                    The Cuban working class controls nothing. Cuba is not a socialist project - it is a nationalist one, plain and simple. Something isn’t “socialist” just because it got help from the USSR. The USSR cared about a lot of things - helping socialism along wasn’t one of them. It cared about as much for “spreading socialism” as the US cares about “spreading democracy.”

                    Try again.

                    You haven’t given a good reason to ally with you either,

                    I’m not the one whining about “leftist unity” - you are. I see no value in “leftist unity” whatsoever.