Greetings from a leftist newb

[Diogenes]

Hi there, I'm Diogenes and I'm from Kentucky. I've been reading this forum for a couple of years but never really took the time to join, but thankfully that's changed. I consider myself to be a libertarian socialist, but I pride myself on being a very nonsectarian leftist. I feel that if there is to be any progress from the left it can only be when every branch of it can quit bickering and join together for a common cause. I hope to learn even more from this forum now that I'm a member.

-Diogenes:)

[Q]

Welcome, it's great to see another non-sectarian around! :)

But being a non-sectarian of course doesn't mean you can't have political views, do you have anything explicit?

[Diogenes]

Just from reading around, I've started to like some things from Daniel DeLeon (some being the key word). I would say that I would agree with council communists on some parts. But I'm really open to any ideas, because they have some value in them. With so many different sects of socialism it's really hard for one person to follow one idea only.

[mick.jones29]

Hi Diogenes, Welcome. As you describe your self as a libertarian socialist, i suspect you might have read some Noam chomsky. I'd be interested to hear what you think of his views. I have dabbled with his wrtings but dont agree with everything he says.

Mick.

[Zanthorus]

Welcome :)


Just from reading around, I've started to like some things from Daniel DeLeon (some being the key word).

Which writings did you enjoy in particular? I think there is a shift in DeLeon's perspective around 1904 when he moves from his earlier conceptions of the relationship between the industrial union and the party, which was quite un-'libertarian', to his post-1904 views when he put more emphasis on unionism and began to talk about utilising elections purely in order to fight for the dissolution of the state apparatus.

[ZeroNowhere]

Which writings did you enjoy in particular? I think there is a shift in DeLeon's perspective around 1904 when he moves from his earlier conceptions of the relationship between the industrial union and the party, which was quite un-'libertarian', to his post-1904 views when he put more emphasis on unionism and began to talk about utilising elections purely in order to fight for the dissolution of the state apparatus.
More or less, yes. It was mainly encouraged by the left turn of the ALU, and the eventual founding of the IWW, I believe.

Welcome, Diogenes. Incidentally, I would assume that you're named after Diogenes of Sinope?

[NoOneIsIllegal]

Welcome. I'm glad you decided to join us :)

Just from reading around, I've started to like some things from Daniel DeLeon (some being the key word). I would say that I would agree with council communists on some parts. But I'm really open to any ideas, because they have some value in them. With so many different sects of socialism it's really hard for one person to follow one idea only.
Nice. I really do like some aspects of DeLeonism from what I know (that would be my ideology if I werent a syndicalist).
I'm not sure how familiar you are with libertarian-socialist thought, but a book I can't stop recommending is "Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism" by Lucien van der Walt and Michael Schmidt (really wish they would publish the second volume already!) I really need to stop recommending this, but it's just so hard not to...

Anyways, welcome!

[Diogenes]

I've read a couple of his works but I can't really recall the names, I would say that I like to take the ideas of DeLeonism and work with them a bit, so I would say that I am not a strict DeLeonist. I guess I can call myself a Libertarian Socialist (thats what I tell everyone anyway). I agree with DeLeon's belief of a direct democracy, but as a means of removing the state I really wouldn't go that far. I think that eventually the state will dissolve but for now we should keep the state.

More or less, yes. It was mainly encouraged by the left turn of the ALU, and the eventual founding of the IWW, I believe.

Welcome, Diogenes. Incidentally, I would assume that you're named after Diogenes of Sinope?


Yup, I started looking at philosophers and found him on the interwebs

Welcome. I'm glad you decided to join us :)

Nice. I really do like some aspects of DeLeonism from what I know (that would be my ideology if I werent a syndicalist).
I'm not sure how familiar you are with libertarian-socialist thought, but a book I can't stop recommending is "Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism" by Lucien van der Walt and Michael Schmidt (really wish they would publish the second volume already!) I really need to stop recommending this, but it's just so hard not to...

Anyways, welcome!



Thanks, I'll look it up.

[Martin Blank]

I've read a couple of his works but I can't really recall the names, I would say that I like to take the ideas of DeLeonism and work with them a bit, so I would say that I am not a strict DeLeonist. I guess I can call myself a Libertarian Socialist (thats what I tell everyone anyway). I agree with DeLeon's belief of a direct democracy, but as a means of removing the state I really wouldn't go that far. I think that eventually the state will dissolve but for now we should keep the state.

It's hard to be a "strict DeLeonist", since he left a lot of room for growth and development in his views. Here on RevLeft, you have DeLeonists of different shades and supporters of variants of "socialist industrial unionism". Most of the DeLeonist comrades here are either former SLP members and supporters, or current and former members and supporters of the organization I belong to.

In any event, welcome and enjoy your time here.