Tag: Socialism

A Caricature of Marxism and Imperialist Economism: 5. “Monism And Dualism”

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

A Caricature of Marxism and Imperialist Economism: 5. “Monism And Dualism”

But this Kievsky argument is wrong. Imperialism is as much our “mortal” enemy as is capitalism. That is so. No Marxist will forget, however, that capitalism is progressive compared with feudalism, and that imperialism is progressive compared with pre-monopoly capitalism. Hence, it is not every struggle against imperialism that we should support. We will not support a struggle of the reactionary classes against imperialism; we will not support an uprising of the reactionary classes against imperialism and capitalism.

Maxim Gorky: Song of the Falcon + Bhikaiji Cama, Indian independence movement

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Song of the Falcon, Maxim Gorky

II

Laying in his crevice, Snake contemplated the death of Falcon, her love of flying. He lay a long time in the narrow crevice, staring into this puzzling air that teases the eyes of the misguided with silly dreams. 

– What did she see there, in total emptiness, without bottom or edge or cover? The likes of her, in death as living, why do they dare confuse one’s soul with their passion for skyward flying? What do they see there? What do they hear? And might not I grasp all its meanings if I could fly there for just one moment? 

Snake said – and did it! His body tightened, he fast uncoiled, cutting through the air, like a flash of lightning. 

Those born to crawl – will never fly!.. Forgetting that, Snake hit the stones; not hurt, however, he thought, elated: 

– So, that’s the beauty of skyward flying! It is – in falling!.. Birds are so foolish! Not knowing earth, depressed when grounded, they feel the calling to rise to heaven and seek life’s pleasures in empty vastness. It is but empty. It is filled with light but void of food and of protection for us the living. Why, then, was Falcon so bold and proud? Just to conceal the sheer madness of her desires and lack of fitness among the living. Birds are so foolish!.. But I am wiser! I shan’t be bullied by their tattles. I know now! I saw their heaven, the sky of flying. I launched into it, its depths I measured; endured falling, but did not shudder, and gained much confidence from this endeavor. Let those wretches who cannot love this solid ground live in delusion. I know the truth. I won’t be fooled. Of earth created – by earth I’m living. 

And feeling proud, he coiled tightly, and was quite happy.

H/T: The USSR Tomorrow

Related:

Radical Books: Maxim Gorky, ‘Song of the Falcon’ (1894)

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Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy

In the social production of their existence, men inevitably enter into definite relations, which are independent of their will, namely relations of production appropriate to a given stage in the development of their material forces of production. The totality of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which arises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness. The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness. At a certain stage of development, the material productive forces of society come into conflict with the existing relations of production or – this merely expresses the same thing in legal terms – with the property relations within the framework of which they have operated hitherto. From forms of development of the productive forces these relations turn into their fetters. Then begins an era of social revolution. The changes in the economic foundation lead sooner or later to the transformation of the whole immense superstructure.

Related:

A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy

Ranting and Rereading Lenin’s “Left-Wing” Childishness

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

I could barely finish listening to this (Revolutionary Communist International, of which they’re part of, is a Trotskyite organization). China is supposedly imperialist because they export goods and provide loans to other countries through their Belt and Road Initiative for infrastructure. He also mentions that China has a military base in Djibouti (the U.S. has over 800). Does he get his information from Wikipedia? He sounds like the Trotskyite version of John Mearsheimer! This isn’t the first time that I’ve heard this argument, which is why I made the page “Is China Socialist Or Capitalist?” Say what you will about Vijay Prashad, but I share his sentiment. Worry about building socialism in your own country!

Anyway, I decided to reread Lenin’s “Left-Wing” Childishness and highlighted a few passages.

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