As the title says! I have uploaded a new study guide targeting ~20 hours of reading time. I understand that it cannot be comprehensive with such a limit, but at the same time I wish to include a diverse range of voices, convey the core fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism clearly, and to avoid common pitfalls.
Any feedback is appreciated, as long as it doesn’t add bloat.
I thought I could go ahead and answer all the of the checkpoint questions as someone who has gone through all of the material, repeatedly, throughout my life. I don’t think a single individual response is going to change much, but it could perhaps serve as a data point to see if I understand what the question is asking clearly.
Why do you want to study Marxism-Leninism?
want to help create a world where those who see no other option besides death can be told to live in earnest.
How can it be helpful in your present life?
I think ML thought is the best possible method that has been tried, at least so far, in historical attempts, to create such a world.
Why should we establish a socialist society?
Our current society doesn’t make any sense. For instance: Health minister telling doctors that they will have to put up with patients dying in line, while our city is allocating budget things nobody asks for. Even protesting against.
A socialist society would make the world more lively for everyone, by addressing roto causes.
What historical context gave rise to Marxism?
I believe the way to Marxism was paved by the advancement of our means of production. The industrial revolution. Feudalism was replaced by Capitalism, Marx, himself a student of Dialectics, studied capitalism using dialectical approach, he noticed underlying contradictions in Capitalism, his taught became popular as the contradictions started materializing in everyday lives, of workers.
What are the 3 major components of Marxism?
Social components - How stuff relate to one another Economic components - How is the stuff managed Ideological components - How our means of producing stuff influences the stuff we believe in.
In your country, and in your personal life, what social class do you belong to and who is in control of society?
I would belong in the Lumpenproletariat. The people dictating the society would be the Bourgeoise.
What are some examples of idealist explanations, and what would the materialist explanation be?
An ideologue explains that there’s a group of dangerous people out there. For instance, based on how they speak. A materialist explanation would seek the cause for why the group is behaving the way they are. Perhaps the group aren’t allowed to grow their own food and have to either perish or resort to violence, perhaps it’s because the lack education and don’t know any better.
What are some ways you presently think metaphysically, that you can make more dialectical?
I can’t think of any. Which is a problem and idk how I can resolve it.
How can you apply dialectical and historical materialism in your daily life?
Dialectical materialism: Simple use cause would be to not be guided by my emotions, instead seek to be grounded, reasonable, evaluate the situation around me and do the opposite of what my heart tells me to. Am I scared? I should aim to be brave. Am I lonely? I should aim for a community.
Historical materialism: Learning the history of the people’s around me can help find the cause for why things are the way they are. What historical developments contributed to the way current existence is ordered. Why does one group hate another?
What are the qualitative aspects of value? What are the quantitative aspects?
Quantitative = How many commodities can we produce? Who is producing them? Why are they being produced? How much stuff we need to produce them? Qualitative = How much can a commodity be sold for? Who are we selling it to? Wy are we selling it? How do we split the dough?
How can the contradiction of class struggle be negated?
If you don’t want to resolve the class struggles you could guard your vault with violence, give out borrowed life to plant it where it’s absence is causing havoc, put on a theater to distract your victims.
What is the level of development of capitalism in your country, and the stage of class struggle?
It’s Mixed. We have socialism in the walls and capitalism in the sheets, at odds with one another. F.ex
Can the state wither away locally, or must it be global?
The state must learn to wither away on it’s own, when global relations make it possible.
What are some examples of current utopian socialist movements?
Solar-Punk, Anarcho-Primitivists, Liberalism(?)
What determines if a country is socialist or capitalist? Is it based on ratio, is it about purity, or is it about the dominant aspect of the economy, and the class in control of the state?
A socialist country is a country that never lets profit trump over people, where even if such an action is necessary, it is only temporary and able to self-correct.
In the modern era of the US Empire’s decay, how does this impact the global struggle for socialism?
Empire’s decay makes the reach of their tentacles weaker, enabling the raise of Socialist movements in places such as Sahel.
Why is it important that we understand imperialism in this level of depth?
Because Capitalism within the Empire is unsustainable without Imperialism, if Imperialism went away it would implode and destroy itself. If we understand how it functions, we can help fight against it. Therefore fighting against Capitalism.
Is your country in the imperial core, periphery, or semi-periphery? How does this impact your local class struggle, and position within the international class struggle?
I’m the core, the Baltic States. It means I’m on a tight leash, but I also benefit from the spoils of the empire. It’s important to keep that in mind, find way to develop force and assist the causes in the periphery however possible. Strategically.
What are the most important immediate tasks in your nation?
Find each other and organize. Build productive forces.
Is nationalism in countries dominated by imperialism reactionary, or progressive?
In a case like Cuba Nationalism has been progressive.
Are any parties local to you adopting consistent Leninist organizing methods?
No
How do we fight bourgeois cultural hegemony?
By building alternative forces of production, using those forces to spread counter-hegemonic ideals. Like opening a news station that broadcasts alternative view points targeted at dissatisfied citizens, looking for a solution.
How does the revelation that people are not simply “brainwashed” but instead willingly complicit impact how we organize and agitate?
We can’t just fight ideology with ideology, socialism needs more than ideals. There is no secret 3rd way.
Reflecting on the topic of intellectuals, what are some other examples of “subclasses” that do not form a class-in-itself, but are produced by broader classes?
Subclasses are those who are stuck between two (or more) opposing class interests. Take a member of the Shadow Class as some may call it.
On one hand they’re people who experience the horrors of our world and are most easily propelled into action.
On the other hand, they could be bought the most easily and stab you in the back.
Why is it important to have an intersectional outlook?
Because if you don’t you’ll fall into reactionary taught. To put it simply, Whiteness is Whiteness, Bourgeoise Whiteness is not Whiteness, Transness is not Whiteness, but you could be Bourgeoise x White x Trans or Proletarian x White x Trans or Bourgeoise x Non-White x Trans and so on.
How do aspects like queer identity, disability, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and more impact the class struggle between capitalists and proletarians?
Capitalism creates bigotry to prolong itself and prevent the resolution of contradictions. If you are doing identity battles you are not fighting capitalism. You are fighting for Capitalism.
Why are organizations that exclude marginalized groups weaker than ones that fight for marginalized groups?
Marginalized groups are part of the most radical elements of society. If they are not co-opted by organizations, then someone else will or they’ll be a force of Chaos, more than likely which will be taken advantage of by the class conscious Bourgeoise.
I think you’re choices on reading material are quite excellent, at least for the English world. I can’t recommend you what to change tho’ I think my list would have to be different if I wanted to share it around my communities locally.
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer the checkpoint questions, comrade!