TBF there are different types of communism. Marxist, Leninist, State, Libertarian, etc… I don’t know enough about how they all decided to become all these sub-genres, but my basic take is that there’s communism, the kind where workers have the power and the distribution of goods and wealth is shared among society; and then there’s the communism that we all know, the authoritarian regime that controls the classes and distribution of goods and wealth.
Personally I think the latter shouldn’t be called communism at all, it’s a completely different animal than the original idea, but IMO conservative politics have so thoroughly conflated tyrannical state control with communism, along with Stalin’s\Lenin’s authoritarian brutality claiming to be communism, that the two will never be separated.
kuato@lemmy.world 1 week ago
On the unlikely chance that the question isn’t rhetodical, I’d suggest Michael Parenti’s Blackshirts and Reds.
Eldritch@lemmy.world 1 week ago
It’s not rhetorical. ML, Leninism is called that because it literally isn’t communism. Otherwise they’d just call it communism. It’s a cunning master plan to build an economy capable of somehow transitioning to communism. How? Good question. Even the ideologies creators didn’t really explain it properly. It literally fits the 3 step meme.
Step 1: slaughter everyone that disagrees with you.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: communism!
My criticism of Leninism isn’t defense of anyone. As an anarchist I’m anti-authoritarian whether they’re liberal/leninist/maoist. You’re all a danger to yourselves and everyone else. Regardless of how much everyone despising each other or constant whataboutism. Under capitalism oligarchs buy our representation. Turn them against us. Putting the boot at our necks. Under leninism. The Vanguard party consolidates power. Killing or imprisoning anyone who is a threat no matter how small. And rewarding friends and family with wealth and power. All the while the boot at the throat of the proletariat they’re supposed to be serving. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. They all need to be torn down.
btaf45@lemmy.world 1 week ago
They actually do just call it Communism. Few people call it Leninism.
Eldritch@lemmy.world 1 week ago
They call it Communism. I could name my dog Communism and it would be Communism too. It still wouldn’t be communism.