Tag: Marxism

The Semantics of “Socialism” in a Changing World

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

The Semantics of “Socialism” in a Changing World

Around the world, the terms “Socialism” and “Communism” suddenly took on new meanings, once again. Socialism referred to patriotic, anti-Soviet political organizations that sought to get elected, and gradually transition toward a more egalitarian society, one step at a time. Communism referred to the parties aligned with the Soviet Union that adopted Marxism-Leninism as their ideology and ultimately sought to seize power in a revolutionary situation. However, the Communist Parties were also always critical of “ultra-leftism” and calls for violence, and the Soviet Union urged them to not be parties of extremism, isolated from the masses of people.

Trump Knows What He’s Doing – He Needs to Go Now

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Trump Knows What He’s Doing – He Needs to Go Now

As a longtime left Marxist, I think I would know if the Black Lives Matter movement shared my world view. It doesn’t. Black Lives Matter, whatever exactly it is, does not advocate multi-racial working-class socialist revolution, workers’ control, the collective ownership of the means of production, and the dismantlement of the American capitalist Empire. The sixteen-chapter organization that calls itself the Black Lives Matter Network (formed in 2013) would not have received millions of dollars from the Ford Foundation and various corporate sponsors if it advocated those things.

I have been to numerous “Black Lives Matter” rallies and have never once heard echoes of the original Black Panther Party’s call for multi-racial proletarian revolution. The rallies (whose causes I have supported, including the defunding of the nation’s racist mass incarceration and police state) have been oriented around race, with no or very little reference to class, and no white speakers allowed. The slogan is fairly mild – nothing like “Black Power” or “All Power to the People.”