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Published byDamion Gledhill Modified over 9 years ago
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Engels’ reinterpretation Revisionism (Bernstein) – evolutionary theory Lenin’s reinterpretation, “vanguard party,” critique of revisionism, theory of imperialism Stalin’s reinterpretation of Marxism-Leninism Mao Zedong’s reinterpretation of Marxism- Leninism
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Marx dies (1883), Engels chief spokesman for Marxist theory Simplifies, recasts as “deterministic” and “materialist” Marx’ emphasis = choices and options; Engels’ = necessity and inevitability Marx = social foundation for material production and social change (“materialist conception of history”); Engels = older, outmoded philosophical “materialism,” reducing social, economic phenomena to “matter in motion”
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Revisionist Marxists revise, update Marxist theory Revolution politically unnecessary, morally undesirable Working class not immiserated Power of labor unions, socialist parties workers better off economically, politically Peaceful political and economic evolution of capitalism socialism morally preferable “Evolutionary” Marxism becomes dominant in German socialist circles
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A.k.a., Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Russia unripe for revolution Workers = agricultural, suspicious, superstitious, religious “Vanguard” party educate, enlighten workers about real, true class interests Small, tightly knit organization Secretive and conspiratorial “Democratic centralism” organizing principle Members free to discuss and disagree until decision made and agreed to Party of bourgeois intellectuals knowledge and acumen to inform, educate workers
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Lenin’s, Imperialism (1916) WWI, workers (England and Germany) volunteer to fight each other rather joining to fight ruling bourgeoisie Workers in advanced capitalist countries share in “super-profits” generated by imperialism (Africa, Latin America, Asia) Capitalists pay higher wages, raise living standards of workers, put off immiseration Not Bernstein’s “evolution” WWI = war among capitalist countries for larger share of super-profits from imperialism
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Russia enters war against Germany March 1917, riots break out Tsar Nicholas orders troops to put down revolt, they refuse Tsar steps down, replaced by coalition government Lenin leaves exile in Switzerland Rallies Bolshevik forces to topple provisional government of non-Bolshevik socialist Alexander Kerensky (October 1917)
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Lenin premier; Russia withdraws from war “War communism” -- Bolshevik government seizes mines, mills, farms, and factories; gives land, bread to peasants Wealthy landowners “White” counterrevolution against “Reds” Brief civil war takes heavy toll, Reds victorious Lenin (1921) institutes New Economic Policy (NEP) Peasants allowed to farm own land and sell produce for profit Secret police (Cheka) formed to root out dissidents, potential counterrevolutionaries
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Lenin dies (1924) Joseph Stalin power Consolidates hold over party (1929) Mid-1930s, lays groundwork for purge trials (late 1930s), imprisonment, death of leading Bolsheviks, millions of ordinary Soviet citizens
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Party (like working class) likely to suffer “false consciousness” Must be led by all-knowing, all-powerful, infallible genius (guess who?) “Socialism in one country” Socialism must be consolidated in Soviet Union before being spread elsewhere Communist parties elsewhere subservient to Soviet Communist Party; national Soviet hegemony “Scientific socialist” theory of “dialectical materialism” Crude, reductionist; inspired by Engels
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Mao attracted to Lenin’s views China economically underdeveloped primarily agricultural; mostly peasants, few industrial workers; lacked sizable proletariat Vanguard party could lead successful revolution against ruling class Adapted Lenin’s arguments to Chinese conditions Provided ideological justification for Chinese Revolution and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (1949)
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Bypasses urban proletariat, taps reservoir of resentment among peasants Downplays “objective,” “material” conditions, stresses importance of revolutionary “consciousness” or “will” Class covers economic and social strata within China and between nations U.S. = bourgeois, China = proletarian China and other proletarian nations surround bourgeois nations Cut off from resources, cheap labor, vast markets, and super-profits in “proletarian” (“Third World,” developing, Global South) countries, bourgeois nations capitulate
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Anarcho-communists Criticize Marx’s revolutionary seizure of state power State ought to be abolished; oppressive State power in hands of communists corrupts them, making them new, more oppressive masters Examples: Bakunin and Kropotkin Fabian Society (G.B.) Eschewed revolution altogether, favored peaceful parliamentary path to socialism View taken by most American socialists (Edward Bellamy Michael Harrington)
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