How to convince reactionaries?

[The Man]

The reactionaries all over the planet, have been making a horrid attack against a system of 'Communism' in which 'There is a single dictator' and blah blah blah. How do we change society's position that Communism is no what they think it is.

How do we change the minds of the majority of the world, which are reactionaries?

[Lenina Rosenweg]

The reactionaries all over the planet, have been making a horrid attack against a system of 'Communism' in which 'There is a single dictator' and blah blah blah. How do we change society's position that Communism is no what they think it is.

How do we change the minds of the majority of the world, which are reactionaries?

First, what makes you think the majority of people in the world are reactionary?

As far as the first paragraph goes, I feel human nature has always tended towards greater freedom, greater control over one's life.Marx defined socialism as "the self emancipation of the working class". That's what it is, taking back power over one's life from the blind force of capital.If socialism is expressed in that way it takes on a different meaning. Socialism = human liberation.

[lines]

The major key is not to go on the defensive. The truth is is that capitalism pretty much creates hell on earth and therefore communists shouldn't be the ones defending themselves. Instead communists should be verbally attacking the capitalist system. Don't bother making excuses or trying to explain things when accusations are made against communism. All that really needs to be said about capitalist attacks on communism is that those ideas they are saying is just capitalist propaganda and that capitalism is very evil. Communists should spend their time verbally attacking capitalism instead of verbally defending communism. Put them on the defensive.

[$lim_$weezy]

What Lines said, but try not to come off as a crazy conspiracy theorist with your denunciation of capitalist propaganda. Argue against capitalism, and when they cannot argue back, propose socialism in its place.

Actually, I find that people are much more agreeable when you phrase things differently than is common. For example, if I say "abolish private property", people think that I mean to make the state in control of everything and no one can live in a house with their family and no privacy, etc. If I say, instead, "make economic decisions democratically" or something like that, people tend to agree more often. Oftentimes, it is not the ideas of communism that people disagree with, but the fact that it is "communism".

[Ocean Seal]

The reactionaries all over the planet, have been making a horrid attack against a system of 'Communism' in which 'There is a single dictator' and blah blah blah. How do we change society's position that Communism is no what they think it is.

How do we change the minds of the majority of the world, which are reactionaries?

The Man, extreme reactionaries especially of the anarcho-capitalist tradition cannot be converted with facts, logic or anything of that kind. Only after a while can they see that what they are doing is wrong. If you fail to convert them instantly, its not your fault. Just use the argument that the state cannot be disconnected from capitalism.
This is the argument that I used against that New Zealand troll.
Against Anarcho-Capitalism.

Most of the world is capitalist, most of the world is poor. Real wages have been falling for the past 40 or so years. And real wages have even stopped growing in China where enormous economic growth has ensued. About half of the world lives on $ 2 a day. 15 million children die a year when there is enough food to go around for everyone ten times over.


And of course don't try the "ahh its the state, not the capitalists," because I assure you that the capitalists are the reason that the state operates. The state is merely a tool of legitimate authority for the ruling class, the state in fact exists because of this ruling class, and a state will exist so long as there is capitalism as there is no class based incentive to get rid of the state for the ruling class. The state being a tool is therefore kept to protect the rulers from themselves, and if you argue that the workers should abolish a state-- then why don't the abolish the ruling class while they're at it?


Capitalists no longer create, and instead merely leech of the creativity of their workers. Factories don't work because they have CEO's but because they have workers. Now you might argue that executives and capitalists do labor to create these institutions of wage slavery. However, why is it necessary that they create new institutions when those institutions are merely as oppressive as the one's before them and not more creative? The fact is, the workers can seize these institutions, centralize them, and create more effectively bypassing the resource destroying process of capitalism and the thin layer of parasites who drain the majority of the wealth from the world.

The capitalist class is no longer necessary, the means of production have already reached their maximum potential under capitalism. It is time to get rid of the exploitative regime which controls them. Put them in the hands of workers, who actually know how to produce and can decide democratically how to control them? If you don't believe that the workers can control what they produce-- then you're not much of a libertarian right? Unless you ironically believe that the workers should be free to do as they please, but they can't control their workplace-- because Daddy CEO knows best.

So let's do a recap
Most of the world is capitalist most of the world is poor

We have people starving and yet the wonderful free market which dictates that prices should drop because we produce so much isn't doing so? And believe me, the capitalist class controls the state-- so in fact we do live in a free market society.

Capitalists do not perform a worthwhile labor yet one CEO is paid as much as 475 workers who are actually involved in the creative process.

Bonus
Capitalism cannot by definition employ all of its workers because the economy is fragile and full employment will lead to hyperinflation. Socialism can employ everyone without serious inflation.

US: 9% unemployment (not including those who have stopped looking for work and the underemployed)
Inflation: ~3.8%

Cuba: 1.8% unemployment, Inflation: 3.4%

The most powerful nation in the capitalist world, and an isolated island nation which the most powerful nation in the world has placed an embargo upon. How did that happen?

Against fascists you have to target the source of their fascism. They typically are fascists because they are racists or nationalists. If they are racists, ask them why race matters to them? Listen to what they have to say, and from that try to deconstruct their concept of race. Ask them what they thought when they were children, about how other children suffered, and why race matters. The same thing with nationalism. Ask them why people in different countries have different problems from them?

In addressing moderates, just defeat the common misconceptions (ie: human nature, Stalin killed 12 billion people, socialism is dictatorship, the Soviet people were starving, socialism is anti-American, Comrade Obama is a socialist).

[28350]

We don't really need to worry about "convincing" reactionaries.
There is ruling class interest and there is working class interest, and as the class struggle advances, people will be drawn to the side of their respective class.

[RadioRaheem84]

Yeah, sometimes it's not a matter of convincing people when their vested interests rely on maintaining class relations.

Many can easily see the exploitation of the working class.

So it's not a matter of the mind but of the heart/will.

[$lim_$weezy]

Eh, I don't think things are quite set in stone as you believe. Someone can be born a prince and later be convinced of socialism or whatnot. Kropotkin is a notable example- also making contributions to theory. The more the merrier, as they say.

[RadioRaheem84]

Eh, I don't think things are quite set in stone as you believe. Someone can be born a prince and later be convinced of socialism or whatnot. Kropotkin is a notable example- also making contributions to theory. The more the merrier, as they say.

I know people can change their mind. I know I did, but many people choose to ignore the facts in favor of upholding an ideal, or to keep their position in life which they know relies on subverting others.

[$lim_$weezy]

Certainly what you say is the case. I was replying to Oscar the Grouch. I didn't refresh the page before I posted. Sorry!

[Zav]

One should express it as "Social Libertarianism" and explain Communist theory in relatively plain words. When they agree with it, tell them that what they have just supported is actually called "Communism".

[RadioRaheem84]

One should express it as "Social Libertarianism" and explain Communist theory in relatively plain words. When they agree with it, tell them that what they have just supported is actually called "Communism".

9 times out of ten they always agree.

[Zav]

9 times out of ten they always agree.
I concur. I've done this many times, perhaps with thirty people, and I've only had one disagree.

[Jimmie Higgins]

We don't really need to worry about "convincing" reactionaries.
There is ruling class interest and there is working class interest, and as the class struggle advances, people will be drawn to the side of their respective class.

I agree. It's one thing to ask, how can we counter the reactionary ideas spread by the ruling class and reactionary toadies - this is possible and necessary through organizing both action and propaganda (the good kind that is).

But the reactionaries themselves are a little different. Personally I don't think it's worth the effort to try to convince people who have firm reactionary ideas when there are so many people out there who are searching for explanations of why society doesn't make sense to them, why it oppresses them and others, and how to change things for the better. This group of people is much larger than the reactionaries and mostly they are drawn to whatever seems easiest or most logical. We can convince these people and organize a movement. With a larger left in the US, we can, in turn have more social power in countering the reactionary ideas and providing an alternative and in this way we will have the ability to win over more people and probably prevent many people from adopting reactionary ideologies.

[quesar]

I really don't think that we really need to convince but rather inform the general populous. It is always better to have people make their own decisions rather than coercing them into an ideology. Also each class has their own interests however we as humans have the magical ability to change the world around us and not just let the class antagonisms unfold on their own. It is a good thought that the revolution will take place eventually but by at least informing the people of an alternate system we can hasten the process.