"Progressives should not make the same mistake that Ernst Thälmann made in 1932. The leader of the German Communist Party, Thälmann saw mainstream liberals as his enemies, and so the center and left never joined forces against the Nazis. Thälmann famously said that ‘some Nazi trees must not be allowed to overshadow a forest’ of social democrats, whom he sneeringly called ‘social fascists.’

After Adolf Hitler gained power in 1933, Thälmann was arrested. He was shot on Hitler’s orders in Buchenwald concentration camp in 1944."

  • archomrade [he/him]@midwest.social
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    5 days ago

    Jesus christ, that’s just not what socialism is.

    There’s a reason why social-democrats are castigated in communist circles. Social-democratic policy is always inevitably eroded because social safety nets don’t solve the fundamental contradiction of capitalism. It isn’t a matter of ‘getting out the vote’

    • Dagwood222
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      5 days ago

      I’ve spent decades listening to Communists tell me that the revolution was just around the corner.

        • Dagwood222
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          5 days ago

          So we agree. The Communist revolution isn’t coming anytime soon so we should work with what we’ve got.

            • Dagwood222
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              5 days ago

              Well, either you think the revolution is close at hand, or you think it isn’t and people should suffer as much as possible.

              • archomrade [he/him]@midwest.social
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                5 days ago

                Either you think reform will liberate the working class from capitalist oppression, or you think it can’t and people should just shut up about it already.

                • Dagwood222
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                  5 days ago

                  The US got an eight hour day, child labor laws, environmental laws, and things like Social Security and the ADA without a revolution, so yes, I do think reform is possible.