Komrade Kolonel Korbyn

[northernladyuk]

So in reality what you are saying is that actual socialism has never existed/been tried because we only ever get as far as a Socialist Dictatorship where in reality the workers are really just slaves to the dictator?

And so it was not a Socialist Dictatorship - more just a dictatorship (in much the same way as the Nazi's were?)

No. I don't think we've ever got to socialist dictatorship either, because the workers did not control the means of production so it was not socialist. The term that makes most sense to me for Soviet communism is state capitalism (the state now owns and controls the means of production, and ensures that the surplus of production is distributed to the benefit of the new political, bureaucratic and managerial ruling class). But state capitalism is a contentious idea.

My view of Maoism and Stalin is is they are examples of the tendency for revolutionary states to tend towards dictatorship (a pattern that extends before socialist theory - see the Cromwellian protectorate or Napoleon). But they are clearly not socialist societies in any accepted meaning of the term. It is muddled because they called themselves socialist, but then the DPRK calls itself democratic.

There is a much easier critique of socialism in that it fails to establish itself. Lost of arguments to be had around why that is. Blame human nature, or blame the capitalist class's squeeze on bourgeois democratic systems. Or blame something else.

[AtW]

What's the point to risk your neck in risky revolution and then give up the power to somebody else?

[northernladyuk]

What's the point to risk your neck in risky revolution and then give up the power to somebody else?

Squirrels.

[Mordac]

Squirrels.

That might just be the most intelligent answer you have ever given to any question ever...

[greenlake]

Squirrels.

That might just be the most intelligent answer you have ever given to any question ever...

Yeah, don't mess with the squirrels....