New Keith Woods video on the radlib movement

submitted by NeoRail from self.debatealtright

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[–]EthnocratArcheofuturist 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

Lenin was right to call it an infantile disorder.

[–]NeoRail[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

That's a really good text, by the way. I often recommend it to people interested in the practical side of organising, even if the more specifically leftist content is pretty useless. It's a polemical text, but Lenin's perspective is very strategic so even just by reading that, there are some interesting observations that can be made about vanguardism.

[–]EthnocratArcheofuturist 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

Lenin inspired fascists too, so yes, everyone in our circles should read him.

[–]JuliusCaesar225Nationalist + Socialist 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

He's garbage. I am not just saying that because he is a communist because I would not call Marx writings garbage. I find his whole tone and style off putting and was surprised how much he reminded me of modern leftists. Not sure what text you are referring to as I only read State and Revolution and some other shorter writings but was not impressed at all.

Let's not forget either that the end goal of communism is the same as anarchism. The conflict between them is anarchists want the state immediately abolished while communists believe it with "whether away" as communism develops.

[–]NeoRail[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

I find his whole tone and style off putting and was surprised how much he reminded me of modern leftists.

He's very snarky, that's for sure. Personally, I find that funny rather than annoying, because usually he's snarky when he's criticising other, less intelligent leftists.

If you're interested in the text we mentioned, it's "Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder". It's a short work in which Lenin criticises left communists and other "ultra lefts" over bad strategy and points to the model and experience of the Bolshevik party as the way forward.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I think Trotsky proved Lenin wrong. Lenin was too conservative, look what happened, Stalinism, then USSR collapsed.

[–]JuliusCaesar225Nationalist + Socialist 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

USSR was away from Lenin's ideas by the time of Stalin let along by the time it fell. Trotsky was not against Lenin, he was against Stalin specifically because he thought he was ruining the party after Lenin's death.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

moves that lenin made allowed a guy like stalin to take over, if it wasn't stalin it would be someone else too conservative

[–]NeoRail[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

In terms of actions, Trotsky wasn't any different from Lenin or Stalin. He was ruthless, repressive and authoritarian. The only reasons why Trotsky took an issue with Stalin is because Trotsky wanted to be in charge instead of him and because, unlike Stalin, Trotsky was an internationalist cosmopolitan.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

trotsky got called ruthless, repressive etc by his enemies for obvious reasons, propaganda

History is written by winners. That is fair. Stalin was loved for years but died in the 50s, hated since. The international part you mention is key there. Stalin wanted socialism in one country, which can't work for obvious reasons but it's the easy way, the conservative way. The way that allows for bribes from capitalists.