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Class 1: Reading and Discussion Questions *How Can You Use The Class 1: Reading and Discussion Questions *How can you use the pieces of the Communist Manifesto represented in the film Manifestoon to better understand the pieces you read for today? *Based on what you've read and what you've just heard about his life and influence, why do you think Marx became such a polarizing figure? What does Lenin identify as the component parts of Marxism? How are they related to each other? Have you heard of these ideas before? If so, what do you know about them? Given the different struggles in which W.E.B. DuBois, Leila Khaled, Ho Chi Minh, and Albert Einstein engaged what common elements brought them to Marx's ideas? What was different for each? According to Einstein, why is it difficult for people to make good use of their political rights under capitalism? How does Einstein characterize a socialist economy? Why does he favor it? What social benefits does he see attached to a socialist economic system? Discuss this statement from DuBois: "Capitalism cannot reform itself; it is doomed to self- destruction. No universal selfishness can bring social good to all." The four readings show how four very different people have been influenced by Marxism: the foremost scientist of the 20th century, an incredibly influential Black theorist of the US, the leader of the Vietnamese revolution, and a dedicated militant in the Palestinian struggle. 1. In Einstein's article, why does he say a planned economy is not yet socialism? 2. What was the most important issue for Ho Chi Minh when he was becoming a socialist and why? 3. Clearly, communism is not now "marching triumphantly on" as DuBois states in his article. But how can struggling for the aims he outlines at the end of his article relate to Marx's ideas about socialism succeeding capitalism? 4. Who in Leila Khaled's article are the major forces in the Palestinian revolution? 5. What were Einstein's main critiques of capitalism? 6. WEB DuBois took a long time in becoming a communist, what were his reasons? 7. What do you think of Leila Khaled's observations of Western radicals? 8. What were Marx's main contributions to understanding society and the struggle for liberation? Class 1 – Terms and Definitions Definitions taken from Merriam-Webster Online and original texts from Marx, Engles and Lenin. Marxism: the political, economic, and social principles and policies advocated by Marx; especially : a theory and practice of socialism including the labor theory of value, dialectical materialism, the class struggle, and dictatorship of the proletariat until the establishment of a classless society. Marxism is the basis for Scientific Socialism (as opposed to non-Marxist Socialism, which is called Utopian Socialism). Communism is the logical conclusion of Scientific Socialism, as they are both based in Marxism. Capitalism: An economic system in which the means of production are largely in private hands and the main incentive for economic activity is the accumulation of profits. Labor Theory of Value is that labor creates all wealth in a society, and we laborers should be entitled (yes, ENTITLED!) to benefit from the fruits of our labor to the fullest extent. Dialectical Materialism: the study of change (dialectics) in the real world (materialism). The "study of change" means analyzing life from theory that nothing remains the same for long (the only thing that doesn't change is change itself). In "the real world" means only what is scientifically provable through "thesis, antithesis and synthesis." What it is not is idealism, metaphysics or pseudo-sciences. Class Struggle: the fact that there are two classes: the working class and the owning class, and their interests are in opposition; hence they are constantly struggling. Bourgeoisie: The class of modern capitalists, owners of the means of social production and employers of wage labor. Proletariat: Marxist-Leninists define the proletariat or working class as "...that class of modern wage labourers who, having no means of production of their own, are reduced to selling their labour power in order to live." In modern society, "... the proletariat alone is a really revolutionary class...so that, in producing the proletariat, the bourgeoisie produces... its own gravediggers". Petit Bourgeoisie: Between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, stands the petty bourgeoisie: Marxist-Leninists define the petty bourgeoisie as a class which owns or rents small means of production which it operates largely without employing wage labour, but often with the assistance of members of their families. They are sometimes owners of the means of production and sometimes aligned with the proletariat. This also applies to a section of employed persons -- those who are involved in superintendence and the lower levels of management -- e.g., foremen, charge-hands, departmental managers, etc. These employees have a supervisory function, a function is to ensure that the workers produce a maximum of surplus value for the employer. On the one hand, such persons are exploited workers, with interests in common with the proletariat (from which they largely spring); on the other hand, their position as agents of the management in supervising the efficient exploitation of their fellow employees gives them interests in common with the bourgeoisie: Dictatorship of the Proletariat is the idea that the proletariat (the working class) should alone run society during the transitional stage of Socialism. This is often misinterpreted to be thought of as one dictator runs everything. But what it means is that instead of democracy for all (including the class enemies), it is only democracy for the working class, which is why it is by definition a "dictatorship." Socialism: An economic and political system in which private property is abolished and the means of production (i.e., capital and land) are collectively owned and operated by the community as a whole in order to advance the interests of all. In Marxist ideology, socialism is considered an intermediate stage in the inevitable transformation of capitalism into communism. A socialist society is envisioned as being characterized by the dictatorship of the proletariat; the existence of a high degree of cooperation and equality; and the absence of discrimination, poverty, exploitation, and war. With the non-existence of private ownership, the private profit motive is eliminated from economic life. Consequently, market forces do not play a role in organizing the process of production. Classless Society is when there are no longer classes in opposition of one another (e.g., the owning class and working class), which is brought about through the implementation of Socialism via the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Communism: an economic theory or system based on the ownership of all property by the community as a whole; the final stage of socialism as formulated by Marx, Engels, Lenin and others characterized by a classless and stateless society and the equal distribution of economic goods; achieved by revolutionary means. W.E.B. DuBois On this first day of October 1961, I am applying for admission to membership in the Communist Party of the United States. I have been long and slow in coming to this conclusion, but a last my mind is settled. In college I heard the name of Karl Marx, abut read none of his works, nor heard them explained. At the University of Berlin, I heard much of those thinkers who had definitively answered the theories of Marx but again we did not study what Marx himself had said. Nevertheless, I attended meetings of the Socialist Party and considered myself a Socialist. On my return to America, I taught and studied for sixteen years. I explored the theory of Socialism and studied the organized social life to American Negroes; but still I neither read or heard much of Marxism. Then I came to New York as an official of the new NAACP and editor of ìThe Crisisî Magazine. The NAACP was capitalist oriented and expected support from rich philanthropists. But it had a strong Socialist element in its leadership in persons like Mary Ovington, William English Walling and Charles Edward Russell. Following their advice, I joined the Socialist Party in 1911. I knew then nothing of practical socialist politics and in the campaign of 1912, I found myself unwilling to vote the Socialist ticket, but advised Negroes to vote for [Woodrow] Wilson. This was contrary to Socialist Party rules and consequently I resigned from the Socialist Party. For the next twenty years I tried to develop a political way of life for myself and my people. I attacked the democrats and Republicans for monopoly and disfranchisement; I attacked the Socialist for trying to segregate Southern Negro members; I praised the racial attitudes of the Communists, but opposed their tactics in the case of the Scottsboro boys and their advocacy of a Negro state. At the same time, I began to study Karl Marx and the communists; I read ìDas Kapitalî and other Communist literature; I hailed the Russian Revolution of 1917, but was puzzled at the contradictory news from Russia. Finally in 1926, I began a new effort: I visited Communist lands. I went to the Soviet Union in 1926, 1936, 1949 and 1959; I saw the nation develop. I visited East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland. I spent ten weeks in China, traveling all over the land. Then this summer, I rested a month in Rumania. I was earl convinced that Socialism was an excellent way of life, but I thought it might be reached by various methods. Fro Russia I was convinced she had chosen the only way open to her at the time. I saw Scandinavia choosing a different method, half-way between Socialism and Capitalism. In the United States I saw Consumers Cooperation as a path from Capitalism to Socialism, while England, France and Germany developed in the same direction in their own way.
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