Non-Leninist Marxism

[Starkadder]

In Ian Adams & R.W Dyson’s book, Fifty Major Political Thinkers, the entry on V.I.
Lenin states “it was Lenin’s particular interpretations & extensions of Marx’s theory,
known as Marxist-Leninism that became the official doctrine of the Soviet union as of all subsequent
Communist regimes”. The article goes on to note Lenin’s key ideas of “democratic centralism” where
the Communist party controls all social activities (hence the dictatorship found in all Communist countries) and the idea of the “vanguardism”,
where the Communist Party purports to rule on behalf of the working class.
Dyson & Adams note Lenin’s interpretations of Marx have challenged
by elements of the Left since the 1960s.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union demonstrating the
failure of the Leninist model, interest has grown in those thinkers who
have rejected the Leninist model, such as Amadeo Bordiga and Anton
Pannekoek (often referred to as the “Left Communists” or “Council
Communists”). Some of the sixties “New Left” leaders, such as
Guy Debord (the leader of France’s famous Situationist
Movement) and Maurice Brinton of the British "Solidarity" group described themselves as Left Communists.
Because of her criticisms of Lenin and Trotsky, Rosa Luxemburg
is regarded as part of the “Left Communist” tradition as well,
her thought influencing such socialists as René Lefeuvre.

There’s a review of a book on “Non-Leninist Marxism” by Fintan Lane here:
http://www.irishsocialist.net/publicati ... rxism.html

The review is hosted by the Irish Socialist Network, whose member Colm Breathnach
states the ISN are a “non-Leninist” Marxist group.

So what do you think? Was the “Marxism” practiced by Lenin a wrong turn, and are the ideas of Left Communists worth thinking about?

[scotusone]

no

[sandar]

Colm Breatnach? that name rings a bell. and no I don't think they are worth persevering with

[Universal_001]

communism and socialism died of self inflicted wounds in the early 1990s, and it's not coming back.

[DR Runts]

Colm Breatnach? that name rings a bell. and no I don't think they are worth persevering with

He was in the Workers Party - a Stalinist organisation

[Unbeatable South Derry]

communism and socialism died of self inflicted wounds in the early 1990s, and it's not coming back.

Do you know the difference between soviet-communism and any other forms of communism? Or have you, as I suspect, little or no knowledge about the various branches of communism and have just jumped to a lazy conclusion?

[Starkadder]

It's important to point out that just because the Leninist form of socialism (in Russia,
China, former Yugoslavia & elsewhere) hasn't worked, that doesn't mean we all have
to accept the economic system advocated by the hyper-capitalists. Will Hutton
pointed out that in the UK, people who defend the NHS are likened to
Stalinists by right-wingers like Alan Duncan.

[Unbeatable South Derry]

In my opinion it wasn't Lenin who corrupted communism but Stalin. Had Stalin not driven Trotsky into exile perhaps the Soviet Union would not have become a failure. It's also worth noting that many communist uprisings across the world failed because of Soviet "military advisers" forcing purges against any Trotskist, anarchist or left-communist members within the ranks of the rebel movements. Lenin's model was open to corruption from the very beginning, especially the centralisation policy, but it was after Lenin's death that Stalin began the corruption.

[Apparatchik]

It's important to point out that just because the Leninist form of socialism (in Russia,
China, former Yugoslavia & elsewhere) hasn't worked, that doesn't mean we all have
to accept the economic system advocated by the hyper-capitalists. Will Hutton
pointed out that in the UK, people who defend the NHS are likened to
Stalinists by right-wingers like Alan Duncan.

DeValera's policies of economic protectionism (including the economic war with Britain) were entirely consistent with Marx's observations about 18th Century Irish economics.

[Universal_001]

Do you know the difference between soviet-communism and any other forms of communism?

Yes I do, and I know of no branch of socialism or communism that didn't result in disaster, to varying degrees, wherever it was attempted.

There is a reason it's consigned to the dustbin of history, it has a horrific track record, in every form.