A free, general-purpose video sharing platform for the leftist community
  • Comrade_Improving@lemmygrad.ml
    14·
    13 days ago

    The fundamental law of revolution, which has been confirmed by all revolutions, and particularly by all three Russian revolutions in the twentieth century, is as follows: it is not enough for revolution that the exploited and oppressed masses should understand the impossibility of living in the old way and demand changes; it is essential for revolution that the exploiters should not be able to live and rule in the old way. Only when the ‘lower classes’ do not want the old way, and when the ‘upper classes’ cannot carry on in the old way—only then can revolution triumph. This truth may be expressed in other words: revolution is impossible without a nation-wide crisis (affecting both the exploited and the exploiters).

    V. Lenin - “Left-Wing” Communism

  • Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml
    8·
    14 days ago

    I understand and agree what he is saying in a historical context but I disagree that it has to be that way in the future.

      • Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml
        91·
        14 days ago

        I just think that as time goes on the degree of material suffering before revolution is going to get lessened. Conditions in Cuba and Venezuela before the revolution were no where as bad as they were in prerevolutionary China or Russia.

        • Spectre@lemmy.mlOP
          71·
          14 days ago

          Conditions in Cuba were terrible. They virtually had indented servitude and slavery.

          • Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml
            81·
            14 days ago

            I’m not saying the conditions weren’t horrible just that they were better than prerevolutionary Russia and China where the slavery wasn’t virtual.

            Is it so outlandish to postulate that with higher standards of living as a starting point, the point at which violent revolution becomes acceptable recourse for falling standards would be higher as well?

  • Red_Scare [he/him]@lemmygrad.ml
    6·
    14 days ago

    Love this tiny bit of theory from an old Soviet film about the revolution, between Tanya the nurse and the political comissar Ignatyich:

    Tanya: Listen, Ignatyich… Why isn’t there Soviet power abroad? Are they stupid?

    Ignatyich: Go to sleep.

    Tanya: But how come, Ignatyich?

    Ignatyich: Seems they don’t have the strength for it. And they live better than we do. They’re not desperate enough, haven’t ripened for it yet.

    It’s a great film, shame there doesn’t seem to be a version with English subtitles on YT.