We have a token libertarian over here at Amsat (Trevor.). He questions the wisdom of Marx. Of course, I find that Marx works best when you look at his writings and writings of his followers as accurate criticism of how capitalism works. Not necessarily as a system to follow. In fact, hardcore capitalists I'm told read Marx for that very same reason: to better understand how capitalism works. I suppose its not much different than when the old bad East Germans used to read 1984 for tips on what to name their organizations and rooms and so forth.
I just find that Marx's description of the ills of Capitalism to be pretty much right on the mark.
So, in today's episode of "Sure, I'm a Marxist" contrast this statement written by Lenin:
The present "freedom of assembly and the press" in the "democratic" (bourgeois democratic) German republic is false and hypocritical, because in fact it is freedom for the rich to buy and bribe the press, freedom for the rich to befuddle the people with venomous lies of the bourgeois press, freedom for the rich to keep as their "property" the landowners' mansions, the best buildings, etc.. The dictatorship of the proletariat will take from the capitalists and hand over to the working people the landowners' mansions, the best buildings, printing presses and the stocks of newsprint.
With this Youtube video about the Real News. It just strikes me as being a correct view of how the press works in a capitalist society. That's why I read Marx. I want to understand how the world works. (Just a note: if you wanted to update that Lenin passage it would include something like "Best Broadband Internets".)
Labels: Lenin, Marx, Marx Was Right
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