What is Marxist-Leninism? Is it a dictatorship?

[MisanthropicSocialist]

I'm a bit new to leftist politics. I can't figure out the difference between Marxist-Leninism and trotskyism. From what I've read, Trotsky wanted a worker's democracy where the state would act on the worker's decisions, while Marxist-Leninists want a party that pretty much 'takes care' of the working people. Is this correct? I'm probably very off the mark, so please correct me where I'm wrong. :D

As of now, I'm an anarchist communist, but my mind is open to changing and I'm interested in learning more about other forms of communism.

[DDR]

To answer yourself that read The State and the Revolution by Lenin. And yes, you are very off the mark :D (don't worry nobody is always right)

In before the tendency war!

[Imposter Marxist]

A dictatorship? Yes! A revolutionary dictatorship of the Proletariat!!!

In all seriousness, both tendencies want a workers republic. You should definatly read State and Revolution, The foundations of Leninism by Stalin, and then a book by Trotsky. Revolution Betrayed maybe?

[Impulse97]

Marxist-Leninists are cool, but deep down their just Luxembourgist wannabes. :lol:








[I'm joking of course]

[Spawn of Stalin]

I'm a bit new to leftist politics. I can't figure out the difference between Marxist-Leninism and trotskyism. From what I've read, Trotsky wanted a worker's democracy where the state would act on the worker's decisions, while Marxist-Leninists want a party that pretty much 'takes care' of the working people. Is this correct? I'm probably very off the mark, so please correct me where I'm wrong. :D

As of now, I'm an anarchist communist, but my mind is open to changing and I'm interested in learning more about other forms of communism.
It sounds like you've been reading some very biased material, which is absolutely fine, as long as you take the time to hear the other side of the story afterwards. Read what Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky had to say. Avoid reading analyses of their core beliefs while you are learning so that you can decide for yourself based on the FACTS.

[Impulse97]

Try www.marxists.org. They've got a TON of things to read from a wide variety of leftists. There you can get a feel for more than just the big wigs, but all those small wigs too.

[Rafiq]

Marxism Leninism was created by Stalin in 1924. The only difference between them is the view on Stalin, permanent revolution and whether or not a state is deformed.

[W1N5T0N]

Isn't Marxism-Leninism a branch of leftism based on the teachings of lenin and marx? and stalinism based on stalins own contorted vision of a perfect state?

[DrStrangelove]

Isn't Marxism-Leninism a branch of leftism based on the teachings of lenin and marx? and stalinism based on stalins own contorted vision of a perfect state?
Except that Stalin was a Marxist-Leninist. His policies were based on the teachings of Lenin and Marx as you put it. "Stalinism" doesn't actually exist, because Stalin never made any radical changes to ML theory that would constitute as an expansion on it. "Stalinism" is a slur against Marxist-Leninists, Maoists, and Anti-Revisionist MLs

[SacRedMan]

Well, Lenin once wrote that freedom of speech will create bourgeois ideals. Marx never, I guess, wrote about freedom of speech and how it should be in a communist society. So what is Leninism? And what is Marxism? And how were/are they combined?

It's just a matter of passing revisionist traps succesfully!

[chegitz guevara]

Except that Stalin was a Marxist-Leninist. His policies were based on the teachings of Lenin and Marx as you put it. "Stalinism" doesn't actually exist, because Stalin never made any radical changes to ML theory that would constitute as an expansion on it. "Stalinism" is a slur against Marxist-Leninists, Maoists, and Anti-Revisionist MLs

ML was invented by Zinoviev, not Stalin. Both Stalin and Trotsky accepted this crap theory of Zinoviev's which had very little basis in the history of the Bolsheviks, and was based largely on the exigencies of the civil war. The made a principle of necessity, where as Lenin always based his politics on what was needed at the moment.

I do not believe Lenin would recognize what was claimed in his name. For instance, most ML organizations are ideologically "pure," whereas only ONE person was ever known to be expelled from the Bolsheviks, Bogdanov, because he stole money from the Party.

MLism requires that all party members publically support the line of the Party, and yet Lenin would publish articles attacking the leadership of the Bolsehviks in non-party papers if they wouldn't publish his criticisms. Can you imagine any ML party allowing such behavior, even from its leader? I can't.

[chegitz guevara]

Well, Lenin once wrote that freedom of speech will create bourgeois ideals.

That is taken entirely out of context.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

The analysis that the OP provided isn't incorrect though. MLism in practice has constituted the party "taking care" of the workers, acting on their behalf. Trotsky spoke of "the birthright of the party" at the 1920 Congress of Soviets in criticism of the Workers opposition. Stalin certainly "took care" of the workers himself:


by 1932, absentees were to be fired; quitters (and discharged absentees) were to barred from housing and rations, and were to be blacklisted from new employment. See, for example
Decree of the Central Executive Committee and Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, "On Firing for Unexcused Absenteeism," 15 Nov 1932
Source: "Pravda," 16 Nov 1932, p. 1
In reality, these sanctions were widely ignored, partly because they were unenforceable: an attempt in 1930 to impose "labor books" (labor passports, required for getting new jobs, listing all previous work and the conditions for discharge) had been quietly frustrated by shopfloor resistance. In addition, managers, desperate for additional workers, would hire them without too rigid an examination of their past. Some workers deliberately showed up late in order to force their firing, so that they could get a better job elsewhere.
In late 1938, however, after he had exterminated his former political opponents, Comrade Stalin was ready to settle accounts with the workers.

His first measure was a requirement for labor books. Unlike the 1930 law, this one was enforced; society by now was thoroughly cowed.

Decree of SNK SSSR, 20 Dec 1938, "O vvedenii Trudovykh knizhek", Pravda, 21 December 1938.
(Russian text only; English translation may be posted later)
Now that labor books gave the government leverage, this was followed by a major revision of the labor code:
Resolution of the SNK SSSR, CK VKP(b), and VCSPS
"On Measures for the regulation of labor discipline, improvement in the practice of state social insurance, and struggle against abuses in that matter," 28 Dec 1938.1
(partial text available in Russian, or in English translation).
This restated the 1930 and 1932 penalties for quitting and absenteeism (mandatory firing, blacklisting, and loss of social benefits, eg housing, food rations, and social insurance). Managers who failed to obey and enforce these laws were subject to dismissal and criminal prosecution.
On 8 January 1939, the government made clear that an unauthorized lateness of 20 minutes (or taking a break 20 minutes too long, or leaving 20 minutes early) counted as absenteeism, grounds for mandatory dismissal (Pravda, 9 Jan 1939). Transportation breakdowns (a common event) were no excuse; a doctor's certificate was required, and doctors who gave certificates too easily themselves faced prosecution and prison.

Some workers still found it worthwhile to be absent and force a mandatory dismissal, so that they could seek work in a place where labor books were not closely read. Stalin put an end to this with a remarkable law,

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, 26 June 1940
"On the Transfer to the Eight-Hour Working Day, the Seven-day Work Week, and on the Prohibition of Unauthorized Departure by Laborers and Office Workers from Factories and Offices2"
This replaced the civil sanctions of the 28 Dec. 1938 decree with mandatory criminal penalties: 2-4 months imprisonment for quitting a job, and 6 months of probation and 25% pay confiscation for an unauthorized tardiness of 20 minutes. Both managers and prosecutors were themselves subject to criminal prosecution if they did not enforce this law strictly.

http://www.cyberussr.com/rus/labor-discip.html

[Spawn of Stalin]

Isn't Marxism-Leninism a branch of leftism based on the teachings of lenin and marx? and stalinism based on stalins own contorted vision of a perfect state?
Stalin played a major role in shaping the Marxist-Leninist line which was the continuation of Leninism, the vast majority of MLs uphold Stalin, except of course revisionists who agree with Khrushchev's analysis of "Stalinism". They call themselves Marxist-Leninists even though Khrushchev firmly rejected the most fundamental aspects of Leninism, namely on revolution.

All MLs base theory on the works of Lenin and Marx, and most accept Stalin's analysis of various issues such as the national question, the role of the Party, etc.

Marxism-Leninism emphasises the continuity of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, sometimes Mao and sometimes Hoxha. Hence, Marxism-Leninism, instead of just Leninism.

[RedSunRising]

All MLs base theory on the works of Lenin and Marx, and most accept Stalin's analysis of various issues such as the national question, the role of the Party, etc.

Marxism-Leninism emphasises the continuity of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, sometimes Mao and sometimes Hoxha. Hence, Marxism-Leninism, instead of just Leninism.

Werent Stalin's work on the national question written before Lenin died?

What did Stalin say on the role of the Party that is not in Lenin?

Personally my view is that Stalin was 90 per cent as opposed to 80 per cent correct. I have great love for the man....But though is works are very useful in explaining Lenin's and Marx's thought I dont think he offered much original (which is not to take from his huge contributions to the struggle for working class liberation).

[Rusty Shackleford]

Leninism is both about the way a party or organization is organized and how it conducts its business, and an expansion on Marxism into the realm of the state (though marx and engels wrote about it to some extent) and the issue of the "nation" meaning a group of people that are ethnically and culturally similar and their relation to other nations. it centers around sovereignty and the issue of national oppression like say, Georgians being oppressed by the "white russians" during the Tsar times.

Also, another major advancement in the theory of marxism made in "Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism"