Wat am i....?

[More Fire for the People]

I'm facing an identity crisis of sorts. Am I a Trotskyist or Maoist? If the latter what branch, if the former what tendency? Left-communist or right?

So...
I support Mao's philosophic contributions and agree with his theory of the 'protracted people's struggle'.

Conversely, I support Trotsky's theory of the socialist state and permenant revolution.

I agree with Lenin's theory of economics and his theory of organization except for democratic centralism.

I agree with Luxemburg's criticism of early Soviet Russia but vehemently disagree with her theory of economics.

I am a supporter of the Cuban Revolution & Fidel Castro

I support what some would call 'reformism' for these reasons:
(1) The tendency of the rate of profit to fall is not absolute and could be the cause of revolution but not the only possible cause of revolution.
(2) The orientation of economic study called 'labor economics' and 'welfare economics' should influence Marxist theory.
(3) And, consequently, Marxists should push for welfare and labor reforms that benefit the working class and, in absence, put up critical support for bourgeois politicians that institute these reforms. (Ex. Kucinich, Obama, Sanders, etc. )
But, socialism can only come from the dictatorship of the proletariat and the dictatorship can only come from proletarian revolution.

I am an anti-Orientalist, negritude, anti-colonialist, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist, pro-soviet, pro-Nepal, Afrophile Marxist. But what the hell am I really?

[Sprocket Hole]

This may sound blunt, but you are you. I don't think anyone should cling to ideologies. I don't think there is any laws of the universe that say you have to stick with one theory, quite frankly I think what you've done is great. It's not like the things you have picked out of different individual's theories contradict each other and you've got some doublethink going on.. :rolleyes:

That's just my opinion though.

[Black Dagger]

Can't you just be a 'Marxist'? Clearly conceiving your perspective as this or that tendency has limitations (which you've identified yourself) for the moment. Why not step back from labels for a while? Then again, you could always be a Composite Communist :p

[manic expression]

I think you're tackling a wide range of issues and thinking about them independently, which is great. However, I also think you're getting ahead of yourself. Having an "identity crisis" isn't a bad thing, it allows you to reconsider different perspectives; let it run its course and it'll work itself out, I think you'll find that a lot of tendencies have more wiggle room than you would initially expect.

I don't have a label for myself beyond Marxist-Leninist because I don't really need one. Perhaps, as Black Dagger suggested, you don't need a label beyond Marxist (at least for now).

[Revulero]

Screw ideologies, your'e yourself. I hate it when people try to categorize themselves.

[ZeroNowhere]

You don't really seem to fit any labels, you can just settle for 'socialist'. Other than the Luxemburg part, you would probably be a Leninist, though.


I hate it when people try to categorize themselves.
So you're an anti-labelist?

[apathy maybe]

I think you're a monkey.

Seriously though, this just shows the absurdity of trying to label your ideology after a person.

Wouldn't it be better to label yourself after your ideas?

Black Dagger said "Marxist", which might would work if you really want a label, or maybe you could say, "communist", with the addition of, "influenced by Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Mao", when people press you.


Because you have so many 'ideas', another option is to simply look at what is most important for you.

For me, it is anarchism. I am an anarchist. When pressed, I can say, I am an adjective free anarchist, I fit no particular strain.

For you, I guess it is socialism, which you feel will come through "proletariat revolution". How about: "class struggle socialist"?

[Rascolnikova]

Screw ideologies, your'e yourself. I hate it when people try to categorize themselves.

Yes; stupid people. . . using. . . language. About themselves.


As for MFFTP--you're a bunyip, of course.

[NecroCommie]

Screw ideologies, your'e yourself. I hate it when people try to categorize themselves.
It makes talking about ideologies much easier. I can just say that I am a Marxist-Leninist, instead of saying: "I am a supporter of democratic centralism, and soviet communism, in which the workers control the means of production by collectivizing factories and farms for the communal soviets..."

[Decolonize The Left]

I'm facing an identity crisis of sorts. Am I a Trotskyist or Maoist? If the latter what branch, if the former what tendency? Left-communist or right?

So...
I support Mao's philosophic contributions and agree with his theory of the 'protracted people's struggle'.

Conversely, I support Trotsky's theory of the socialist state and permenant revolution.

I agree with Lenin's theory of economics and his theory of organization except for democratic centralism.

I agree with Luxemburg's criticism of early Soviet Russia but vehemently disagree with her theory of economics.

I am a supporter of the Cuban Revolution & Fidel Castro

I support what some would call 'reformism' for these reasons:
(1) The tendency of the rate of profit to fall is not absolute and could be the cause of revolution but not the only possible cause of revolution.
(2) The orientation of economic study called 'labor economics' and 'welfare economics' should influence Marxist theory.
(3) And, consequently, Marxists should push for welfare and labor reforms that benefit the working class and, in absence, put up critical support for bourgeois politicians that institute these reforms. (Ex. Kucinich, Obama, Sanders, etc. )
But, socialism can only come from the dictatorship of the proletariat and the dictatorship can only come from proletarian revolution.

I am an anti-Orientalist, negritude, anti-colonialist, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist, pro-soviet, pro-Nepal, Afrophile Marxist. But what the hell am I really?

After running deveral diagnostic tests, I can tell you with 99.97% certainty that you fall directly within the range of x3-sb77. Furthermore, your collateral ambivalence ratio is currently 2:45, very large for your post count. When we factor this into your overall account we see that you're going to emerge on the left side of 530.23 and two thirds.

This would make you a radical leftist. If you wish to define yourself further, I'm afraid we're gonna need to run some more tests...

- August

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

Your a morefireforthepeopleist

that and a nazi

[Black Sheep]

OP i am in a dilemma myself, between M-Lism, Marxism, and anarchosyndicalism.For several months now. :cursing:


Can't you just be a 'Marxist'? Clearly conceiving your perspective as this or that tendency has limitations (which you've identified yourself) for the moment. Why not step back from labels for a while? Then again, you could always be a Composite Communist :p
That is, if he limits him/herself into an internet commie.

If you want to act, you have to ally yourself with a group, and groups have a specific ideological identity.

[More Fire for the People]

I am active with a great organization, USAS (http://www.studentsagainstsweatshops.org/). But they are anti-globalization, worker's rights organization and not particularly identified with a certain trend. I would like to find a tendency/party that I can get along with so we can flesh out the details of our ideas over brewskies.

[Black Dagger]

That is, if he limits him/herself into an internet commie.

If you want to act, you have to ally yourself with a group, and groups have a specific ideological identity.

Not really. More than feasible, it's common for people to be involved in groups or organisations on a strategic political basis. Usually this would preclude involvement in organisations or groups that are fundamentally opposed to one's core ideas or principals, but in many instances it's possible to find groups or organisations one can work with or in - without any requirement to make pledges of devotion to a certain name or idea.

Not every group or organisation enforces rigid ideological purity, especially not in the case of strategic alliances (which you alluded to yourself).

[Il Medico]

Comrade, you are a communist! And that's all you need!:D After all, who here is purely anything. I know I am not.

[Post-Something]

What are you?

You're probably a Type 4 (http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/Typefour.asp).

[Yehuda Stern]

It sounds to me like you're really confused. You hold a lot of ideas that at times are quite contradictory. Maybe it would be better for you to study more of Marxism, so that you could build in your head a stable, whole theory? That is the only solution I see for this 'identity crisis.'

(If you would like help from me in this, I would be very glad to help. Be aware, though, that I am a Trotskyist)

[bcbm]

I think there is far too much focus on the movement today on defining yourself as a certain -ism based on a number of factors that are almost entirely irrelevant to our current struggle. For example, due to the economic crisis, a local group is holding an event called "Marx is back!' explaining that the current crisis has proved his theories or some such. Which is all fine, except that it will be completely meaningless to most people's everyday lives and probably won't attract many people new to working class politics and especially not anyone who knows nothing of them. Your initial post strikes me in the same way as none of your seemingly major beliefs have anything to do with working class militants and politics as they occur on the shop floor and that strikes me as problematic. First and foremost I think our job is to agitate in our workplaces, communities, schools etc as workers who are militant about our self-interest. I don't see how being a trotskyist, maoist, whateverist matters at this stage.

[black magick hustla]

I think there is far too much focus on the movement today on defining yourself as a certain -ism based on a number of factors that are almost entirely irrelevant to our current struggle. For example, due to the economic crisis, a local group is holding an event called "Marx is back!' explaining that the current crisis has proved his theories or some such. Which is all fine, except that it will be completely meaningless to most people's everyday lives and probably won't attract many people new to working class politics and especially not anyone who knows nothing of them. Your initial post strikes me in the same way as none of your seemingly major beliefs have anything to do with working class militants and politics as they occur on the shop floor and that strikes me as problematic. First and foremost I think our job is to agitate in our workplaces, communities, schools etc as workers who are militant about our self-interest. I don't see how being a trotskyist, maoist, whateverist matters at this stage.

I think it does when you decide to join a political organization. Its not a question of pinpointing yourself but there is generally always a tendency for you to agree with a certain group. :shrugs: You always say you reject labels but you seem to me a pretty standard internationalist anarchist of the Afed kind.

[bcbm]

I think it does when you decide to join a political organization. Its not a question of pinpointing yourself but there is generally always a tendency for you to agree with a certain group.

Maybe, but I guess I prefer to not join political organizations for precisely this reason.


:shrugs: You always say you reject labels but you seem to me a pretty standard internationalist anarchist of the Afed kind.I'm not sure where I've said I reject labels recently? I more or less view my politics as anarchist but I find most anarchists as insufferable in the regard I'm speaking of as anyone else. At the moment most of my "political" work is done with non-political folks or people outside the revolutionary left. I don't really care what ideology one decides to identify with, but I do think our politics should have something to do with the class struggle as it occurs in our everyday lives and not some theoretical abstraction.

[Dejavu]

I think you're a monkey.

Seriously though, this just shows the absurdity of trying to label your ideology after a person.

Wouldn't it be better to label yourself after your ideas?

Black Dagger said "Marxist", which might would work if you really want a label, or maybe you could say, "communist", with the addition of, "influenced by Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Mao", when people press you.


Because you have so many 'ideas', another option is to simply look at what is most important for you.

For me, it is anarchism. I am an anarchist. When pressed, I can say, I am an adjective free anarchist, I fit no particular strain.

For you, I guess it is socialism, which you feel will come through "proletariat revolution". How about: "class struggle socialist"?

I agree. I tend to stay away from labels myself. There were many great different thinkers that contributed something positive in the way of freedom though they might for the most part disagree with each other. People ought to be self-conscious before class-conscious which means formulating their own views through reason and evidence and understanding their own identity and then they can collaborate with others with similar sympathies.

Don't go with what's popular , go with what's right. :)