this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2025
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Stalin wasn't a perfect saint nor a horrendous monster. Stalin was a real socialist, with personal failings and mistakes, but also real victories and advancements as the leader of the first socialist state in its most turbulent era.
Demystifying Stalin
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Stalin's Major Theoretical Contributions to Marxism
Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR
Dialectical and Historical Materialism
History of the CPSU (B)
The Foundations of Leninism
Marxism and the National Question
Che, please don't call him that.
Yea it's a bit iffy, lol.
I swear it don't sound as bad in Spanish lmao, "papi" can even be something you call a friend
Oh, gotcha! Makes sense, my spanish is super rusty and I didn't think about the different context it would have in spanish.
Agreed, and to clarify, I'm pretty much a socialist, just think co-operatives oughta be allowed to hold similar assets to a state, (within the laws of a state in question) ideally subsidiary to the state's own collectivized system. The cold bit about Stalin was crediting the fellow with having more idealogical depth than the simple "funny gulag man" many paint him as.
Many socialist states do have cooperative sectors, the PRC has a pretty big cooperative sector, as did the USSR. At higher levels of development they become less useful, though, as production outscales simple cooperative formations. As for Stalin, again, he's not as bad as the Red Scare painted him as.
True, why I count myself among y'all, I just quibble over the details frankly. Bad habit of mine. The results themselves overall in terms of quality of life speak volumes over the reduction in quality of life under capitalist systems generally. Even with failures like Mao's famines.
Frankly the socialist states are generally more friendly to cooperatives over corporations. But again I call myself a social corporatist and folks usually imagine I'm arguing in favor of a techno-libertarian corporate congress. Pardon me for the lack of outright clarity.
Not to sound rude, but have you read much Marxist theory? There's good reason why we generally see cooperatives as only really useful in certain levels of development and certain industries for a certain period of time, and not as the basis of production.
True, and yes unfortunately on Marxist theory and commentary. Part of why I'm a disillusioned corporatist if I still count as one and not an outright socialist. What can I say, Marx makes good arguments for economies of scale.
Any reason you still hold to corporatism?
Mostly, a misguided attachment to libertarianism, and a lack of faith in a successful global proletariat revolution. Thus why in the original comment I clarified "tankie"; the other bit? The American feds. Real Red-scare vibes over here.
There's no need for one big revolution, the revolution comes to different countries at different times. I think it sounds like you're already pretty self-aware, why not commit?
You know, that's a valid question I've been asking myself lately due to the intersection between American Union history and the current state of politics. Frankly, contribute to the local orgs already; so as I said, arguing I'm not under the umbrella isn't strictly valid.
The other bit being that you can loop folks further left out of the more extreme sections of the evangelical right by presenting yourself as a middle ground. Talk them into reading some libertarian theory, conservative theory, and to read Marx and Engels for comparative analysis. Or at worst, reduce the theory to memes and make them read it by cutting absurd bits. I'm a bit of a dadaism fan if it wasn't obvious.
I think it's pretty effective to be extremely clear and honest too, depends on the person.
True; frankly, it usually works. I may have just read too much philosophy and feel crappy feeling like I'm telling people what they oughta believe. Still, this was a delightful discussion. Have a lovely day in case I pass out (night shift).
Oh gosh, that sucks. Hope your shift ends well! I hated working nights.