World Recession = Rise of Socialism/Communism?

[Shropshire Socialist]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Marx believe that for Socialism/Communism to work, capitalism had to enter a period of crisis before collapsing. Would the current economic crisis count?

The state of the Euro, the economic problems in the West, would seem to indicate that capitalism is in crisis at the moment, or am I being too optimistic?

[Fopeos]

Capitalism has up and down cycles but is extremely resilient. Some capitalists will always profit from the bankrupcy of others. In other words, no matter how bad things get, capitalism won't collapse on itself. It will, however make life more and more unbearable for the workers. In response, workers will be forced to organize to fight for decent wages and benefits. So, the deeper the crisis, the more opportunities socialists will have to join in labor actions and promote an alternative to capitalism.
The current crisis is the worst since the great depression. The 1930's were a time of great labor battles and union growth. The capitalists either granted concessions (Roosevelt's new deal) or backed facist parties to crush the unions.
We have to make sure that we are ready to take advantage of new revolutionary openings that will inevitably arise.
You're not being too optimistic. This crisis has just begun. Living conditions will continue to deteriorate for most of us and we'll have to fight back.

[Tim Cornelis]

Socialism works when it's implemented by the workers, not whether capitalism failed.

[ZeroNowhere]

A glass window hit by a hammer is smashed because of the materials out of which it is made, not because of being hit by a hammer

[Rooster]

Crisis usually brings class struggle to a high point. For example, Greece and Spain. If you look at what Marx calls a crisis in capitalism, then you can see how class struggle appears more intense under it. At the moment I'm too tired to think this through straight and to remember any references.