What's a "Stalinist"?

[Black_Rose]

Disclaimer: This thread's purpose is not to debate the merits or flaws of Stalinism, and the term "Stalinist" should be used neutrally in this thread, not as an insult.

What you would consider to be the criteria for defining a leftist a "Stalinist"? In general, they are authoritarian, statists who supports the dissolution of civil liberties (at least under revolutionary circumstances), and more militaristic. I do not see how "Stalinists" as a group are significantly different in social conservatism/liberalism or the economic axis (concerning this axis, the variance among revolutionary leftists is much smaller than the variance among the general population). I also think age would be positively correlated with "Stalinism" among the revolutionary left.

My request is quantitative: I consider the political compass and the C4SS tests to be reliable and expedient instruments in evaluation one's political tendencies in a quantitative fashion. I want to use the results of these tests to "diagnose" a revolutionary leftist as a "Stalinist", preferably by employing cutoffs.

For anyone who considers him/herself to a Stalinist (I don't think of myself as "Stalinist" but I have "Stalinist" tendencies although I am more of a Maoist), I would appreciate it if you took the Political Compass and C4SS test and post the results.

My results on the Political Compass: -7.28 economic and -2.88 authoritarian.

My actual results on C4SS on the first try:



71% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
3% Statist(Anarchist / Statist)
68% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
44% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
3% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)

For fun, my reactionary evil twin's results.

I took the test again, but I put in answers that were opposite of my political attitudes:



68% Economic Rightist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
26% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
89% Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
77% Socio-Cultural Conservative(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
33% Civil Authoritarian

[Искра]

Stalinists = Marxist-Leninists

Read this: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1924/foundations-leninism/index.htm

[Azraella]

94% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
100% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
89% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
66% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
53% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)
That's my C4SS political test and the political compasss places me at -9.75 Economic and -9.82 Authoritarian/Libertarian.

Does that make me a Stalinist? :)



What you would consider to be the criteria for defining a leftist a "Stalinist"? In general, they are authoritarian, statists who supports the dissolution of civil liberties (at least under revolutionary circumstances), and more militaristic.


All of this Rosey :)

[Hivemind]

94% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
100% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
89% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
66% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
53% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)
That's my C4SS political test and the political compasss places me at -9.75 Economic and -9.82 Authoritarian/Libertarian.

Does that make me a Stalinist? :)

No. By your political compass test results, you're pretty much at the exact opposite side (vertically) of where Stalin was, so by that definition you're not a Stalinist.

[Azraella]

No. By your political compass test results, you're pretty much at the exact opposite side (vertically) of where Stalin was, so by that definition you're not a Stalinist.

Some missed the smiley and the humor intended.

[Nox]

'Stalinist' is a slang term for a Marxist-Leninist.

[Black_Rose]

'Stalinist' is a slang term for a Marxist-Leninist.

According to Wikipedia:


Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism) as advocated by Leon Trotsky (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Trotsky). Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Marxism) and Bolshevik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolshevik)-Leninist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leninism), arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard_party) of the working-class (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proletariat). His politics differed sharply from those of Stalinism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalinism), most prominently in opposing Socialism in One Country (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism_in_One_Country), which he argued was a break with proletarian internationalism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proletarian_internationalism), and in his belief in what he argued was a more authentic dictatorship of the proletariat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictatorship_of_the_proletariat) based on working-class self-emancipation and mass democracy, rather than the unaccountable bureaucracy he saw as having developed after Lenin's death. The terms Trotskyite and Trotskyist have often been derogatory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derogatory) in historical usage, especially when used by supporters of the Soviet Union (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) under Joseph Stalin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin)[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trotskyism#cite_note-0).

Trotsky considered himself a Marxist-Leninist, thus I wouldn't consider Marxist-Leninism to be synonymous with Trotskyism.

[Искра]

Trotsky was a Bolshevik-Leninist. Marxism-Leninism is term made by Stalin. Read a link I gave you to understand what it is.

[OHumanista]

No. By your political compass test results, you're pretty much at the exact opposite side (vertically) of where Stalin was, so by that definition you're not a Stalinist.

This:thumbup1: (sorry couldn't resist)
But back to the matter at hand...
As others pointed out it is synonimous with Marxism-Leninism (the tendency).

[Commissar Rykov]

No. By your political compass test results, you're pretty much at the exact opposite side (vertically) of where Stalin was, so by that definition you're not a Stalinist.
Using Political Compass to determine tendency is about as useful as tarot cards or divining rods. Every Marxist-Leninist here has scored in the lower left quadrant the PC just puts historical figures where they feel they are regardless of their claim of intellectual rigor.

[Book O'Dead]

As some have pointed out elsewhere "Marxism-Leninism", or plain Leninism, is the precursor of Stalinism. That is, Lenin, Trotsky and most other leading Bolsheviks inadvertently and, I would argue, involuntarily laid the foundation for a semi-permanent political state, authoritarian in nature, that subordinated the Soviet working class to a party bureacracy taht eventually assumed almost complete power over their lives. In my view, Lenin, Trotsky, et al, held great hostility toward the concept of proletarian self-government, characterizing it as anarchism.

Mind you, I have great admiration and respect for all of the Bolsheviks, except Stalin, who in my view personifies almost all that is negative and anti-working class about Leninism.

[Hivemind]

Some missed the smiley and the humor intended.

:crying:



Using Political Compass to determine tendency is about as useful as tarot cards or divining rods. Every Marxist-Leninist here has scored in the lower left quadrant the PC just historical figures where they feel they are regardless of their claim of intellectual rigor.

Yeah I know. Every communist and anarchist should be in the green (lower-left) square though, since it's where maximum freedom exists, which would be synonymous with the end stage of communism, classless, stateless, and free. How you get there is where people differ and where you get variations. However, I agree, the political compass test is nothing but a mere bauble to play around with, it doesn't actually offer much.

[Commissar Rykov]

:crying:




Yeah I know. Every communist and anarchist should be in the green (lower-left) square though, since it's where maximum freedom exists, which would be synonymous with the end stage of communism, classless, stateless, and free. How you get there is where people differ and where you get variations. However, I agree, the political compass test is nothing but a mere bauble to play around with, it doesn't actually offer much.
I get that I was just simply saying you can't tell tendency from it...hell I don't know what exactly you can tell from it other that it is really strange.:lol:

[thefinalmarch]

Trotsky was a Bolshevik-Leninist. Marxism-Leninism is term made by Stalin. Read a link I gave you to understand what it is.
On the naming of "Marxism-Leninism":


Indoctrinated? Tell me Agent Equality, how much do you know about Marxism-Leninism.
The ideological current known as "Marxism-Leninism" was largely just pulled right out of Stalin's arse. "Marxism-Leninism" -- originally termed simply "Leninism" by Stalin in The Foundations of Leninism (1924) -- didn't exist as a concrete ideology until the year of publication of that book in which Stalin's ideology was outlined. Over the years it was developed further and came to be known as "Marxism-Leninism", probably in order to give it some sort of legitimacy or historical precedent by claiming it to be the intellectual heir of true Marxism, or when it was claimed to be perfectly true to Lenin's own ideology (which is what was claimed by the communist party).


Here's a fact: Leninism as a set of theories has nothing to do with Stalin or seizing power away from the proletariat through force. Nothing.
The term "Marxism-Leninism" is not a synonym for Lenin's own ideology, which you subscribe to. The term "Marxism-Leninism" must be understood in its historical context (as described above) as a synonym for what came to be known by Trotskyists/"Bolshevik-Leninists", Left Communists, "Luxemburgists", and Anarchists as "Stalinism". Therefore calling yourself a "Marxist-Leninist" whilst also rejecting Stalin doesn't make any sense.
Words, especially political words, gain meaning through context. "Marxism-Leninism" is no exception.

[Revolutionair]

Economic Left/Right: -10.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -9.08

Sup.:thumbup1:

[Die Rote Fahne]

The last 3 months of revleft have seen a mass influx of Stalinites, stalin related threads and general sectarian havoc as a result. Especially as a result of Stalinite action in Greece (see the KKE incident).

It's very annoying.

However, a Stalinist is one who adheres to the ideas of Joseph Stalin (such as his idea of socialism in one country) and agree with the policies of Stalin and the USSR under his reign. They are also known as Marxist-Leninists, however, this can encompass Maoists as well. I personally think it's time these people embrace themselves as Stalinists. They prefer Marxist-Leninist, because they know if they approach someone and say "Hey, I'm a Stalinist" they'll get a bad reaction, compared to "Hey, Im a marxist-leninist".

In regards to Trotsky and Trotskyism, keep it the FUCK our of the thread. This will only deteriorate into a shit storm of sectarian idiocy. As much as I sympathize with Trotsky and Trotskyists, I'm not reading the same shit again and again, because some guy decided ANOTHER Stalin thread was a good idea.

Hint: Stop making Stalin, Marxism-Leninism, and other ass threads.

[MustCrushCapitalism]

Stalin, Trotsky, who gives a shit? They're not ideologically all that different and it's only a historical conflict.

[Die Rote Fahne]

Stalin, Trotsky, who gives a shit? They're not ideologically all that different and it's only a historical conflict.

I would disagree. But your now feeding into the whole Trotsky and Stalin idea, when this is about Stalinism.

[teflon_john]

i couldn't finish this test because it sucks. i'm a Stalin sympathizer. nail me to a cross or something i guess.

[mrmikhail]

i couldn't finish this test because it sucks. i'm a Stalin sympathizer. nail me to a cross or something i guess.

That wouldn't be very communist though, to nail you to a cross, we should nail you to a large hammer and sickle, that might be more acceptable ;)

but yes, I agree we should keep the Trotsky-Stalin controversy out of this thread (and others not directly referring to just that).

Stalinism just means you follow the ideals of Authoritarianism, socialism in one state, subscribe to his cult of personality, and so on that were followed by Stalin after he took power.

[Revolutionair]

Thanks for completing the quiz!
How you scored:

89% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=89&d1=Economic%20Leftist&d2=Economic%20Rightist
53% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=53&d1=Anarchist&d2=Statist
100% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=100&d1=Anti-Militarist&d2=Militarist
92% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=92&d1=Socio-Cultural%20Liberal&d2=Socio-Cultural%20Conservative
60% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=60&d1=Civil%20Libertarian&d2=Civil%20Authoritarian





I think it is pretty spot on.

[Grenzer]

However, a Stalinist is one who adheres to the ideas of Joseph Stalin (such as his idea of socialism in one country) and agree with the policies of Stalin and the USSR under his reign. They are also known as Marxist-Leninists, however, this can encompass Maoists as well. I personally think it's time these people embrace themselves as Stalinists. They prefer Marxist-Leninist, because they know if they approach someone and say "Hey, I'm a Stalinist" they'll get a bad reaction, compared to "Hey, Im a marxist-leninist".

Actually this is complete bull.

We call ourselves Marxist-Leninists because Marx and Lenin is where the bulk of our theoretical framework comes from. We don't call ourselves "Stalinists" because Stalin made few theoretical additions, and doesn't really constitute a political ideology of its own. I don't think any Marxist-Leninist is afraid to say that Stalin upheld Marxism-Leninism, however flawed that implementation may have been. If popularity of an idea affects someones judgement in deciding what fits their beliefs, then you really shouldn't be a marxist of any kind. We don't like the label of "Stalinist" because it's inaccurate. Stalinism doesn't exist.

Thanks for giving the newbie an honest, impartial opinion. I think the one thing we can agree on is that the number of threads on Stalin has become excessive. You're idealists, we get it already. I personally embrace the label of Stalinist as a form of self satire because of how ridiculous it is.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Discouraging discussion of Marxism-Leninism is a bad step imo. I dont think you see any Marxist-Leninists saying Left Communism, Luxemburgism, Dimmu Bordigism, Council Communism, Anarchism, Anarcho-Communism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Titoism, Trotskyism, De Leonism, or any other ism should be restricted or reduced in discussion on this website.


Rev Left is not a party, an organization, a cell, a council, a commune or anything. It does not have a tendency other than being a discussion board for people who advocate or participate in revolutionary struggle and revolutionary theory as opposed to reformism, fascism, reaction, capitalism and so on.

So what about what happened in Greece. Just because the 'stalinite' KKE fought the anarchists doesnt mean anyone who you label as a 'stalinite' should be restricted. Yes there are differences that manifest themselves in violent confrontations between different tendencies. So what. It wasnt the first time and it isnt the last time.

Also, this is learning no question is dumb. Criticism and the like is fine. Its about opinions. But to say that questions should no be asked is against the purpose of this sub-forum.

[mrmikhail]

Discouraging discussion of Marxism-Leninism is a bad step imo. I dont think you see any Marxist-Leninists saying Left Communism, Luxemburgism, Dimmu Bordigism, Council Communism, Anarchism, Anarcho-Communism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Titoism, Trotskyism, De Leonism, or any other ism should be restricted or reduced in discussion on this website.


Rev Left is not a party, an organization, a cell, a council, a commune or anything. It does not have a tendency other than being a discussion board for people who advocate or participate in revolutionary struggle and revolutionary theory as opposed to reformism, fascism, reaction, capitalism and so on.

So what about what happened in Greece. Just because the 'stalinite' KKE fought the anarchists doesnt mean anyone who you label as a 'stalinite' should be restricted. Yes there are differences that manifest themselves in violent confrontations between different tendencies. So what. It wasnt the first time and it isnt the last time.

Also, this is learning no question is dumb. Criticism and the like is fine. Its about opinions. But to say that questions should no be asked is against the purpose of this sub-forum.

I believe the person was mostly saying keep the Trotsky-Stalin controversy out of this thread and leave it open for a new person to learn/have her questions answered (which I support) but they were just expressing frustration at how many Stalinist-Trotskyist pissing contests get started over Stalinist threads.

[Agent Equality]

Discouraging discussion of Marxism-Leninism is a bad step imo. I dont think you see any Marxist-Leninists saying Left Communism, Luxemburgism, Dimmu Bordigism, Council Communism, Anarchism, Anarcho-Communism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, Titoism, Trotskyism, De Leonism, or any other ism should be restricted or reduced in discussion on this website.


Rev Left is not a party, an organization, a cell, a council, a commune or anything. It does not have a tendency other than being a discussion board for people who advocate or participate in revolutionary struggle and revolutionary theory as opposed to reformism, fascism, reaction, capitalism and so on.

So what about what happened in Greece. Just because the 'stalinite' KKE fought the anarchists doesnt mean anyone who you label as a 'stalinite' should be restricted. Yes there are differences that manifest themselves in violent confrontations between different tendencies. So what. It wasnt the first time and it isnt the last time.

Also, this is learning no question is dumb. Criticism and the like is fine. Its about opinions. But to say that questions should no be asked is against the purpose of this sub-forum.

Well of course we should discuss it! We should discuss what happened and what went wrong and how it failed tremendously. But it should only be discussed in a retrospective manner, not in an active "lets do this again for the 7th time, maybe it will work this time!" way. It should be discussed in a strictly historical context The thing is however, not much discussion ever goes on from ML's (save for yourself and a handful of others) .Usually its just a spout of mass propaganda of failed ideas, supposed "feats" by these gods of socialism, and the utopia that was the country of said socialist god. (as in Tir1944's case or almost every other (insert leader of socialist people's vanguard party state here) ist)

Its cool to be fascinated and all by the imagery and feel of MLism and its associated countries and the guns and the military and history, but seriously, it had a whole century to fuck up, and fuck up it did. Therefore, we move on.

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

I'm not taking that bloody political compass bullshit, sorry mate.

Official answer: Stalinism is essentially just the continuation of Marxist-Leninism and is Anti-Revisionist.

Unofficial answer: we're a cult.

[Die Rote Fahne]

Actually this is complete bull.

We call ourselves Marxist-Leninists because Marx and Lenin is where the bulk of our theoretical framework comes from. We don't call ourselves "Stalinists" because Stalin made few theoretical additions, and doesn't really constitute a political ideology of its own. I don't think any Marxist-Leninist is afraid to say that Stalin upheld Marxism-Leninism, however flawed that implementation may have been. If popularity of an idea affects someones judgement in deciding what fits their beliefs, then you really shouldn't be a marxist of any kind. We don't like the label of "Stalinist" because it's inaccurate. Stalinism doesn't exist.If you really think that Marxism-Leninism is the title you receive because you uphold the bulwark of the views of Lenin and Marx, you are batshit. As a Luxemburgist, I would be more of a Marxist-Leninist than any Stalinite, even with my sharp differences with Lenin in terms of centralization, self determination, and the like.

Stalinism does exist. It's plain as day that Stalin developed his own theory of "socialism in one country" his own method of mass, and ineffective, bureaucratic authoritarianism, and deviated so far from Marx and Lenin, that by no means was he even attempting to build a DotP. That is Stalinism.

What happened to Lenin's Democratic Centralism under Stalin? It was eliminated, for what Stalin said, went.


Thanks for giving the newbie an honest, impartial opinion. I think the one thing we can agree on is that the number of threads on Stalin has become excessive. You're idealists, we get it already. I personally embrace the label of Stalinist as a form of self satire because of how ridiculous it is.
Yes, anyone who believes Stalin was a Marxist is ridiculous.

I gave him a clear, and open and honest opinion. One which is accepted by most, except devoted Stalinites who have a hard-on for mass execution, authoritarianism, anti-democracy and bureaucracy.

The day a Stalinite hones and condemns the wrongs Stalin committed, in full, is the day I convert to Scientology.

[Искра]

Stalin said that basic law of capitalism is not profit, but maximum profit, which means that in "socialism" you can still have profit and be "Marxist".

This speeks much for everything.

[Commissar Rykov]

89% Economic Leftist
18% Anarchist
75% Anti-Militarist
94% Socio-Cultural Liberal
30% Civil Libertarian
Meh.

[thefinalmarch]

89% Economic Leftist
18% Anarchist
75% Anti-Militarist
94% Socio-Cultural Liberal
30% Civil Libertarian
Meh.
306% meaningless quiz

[Comrade_Stalin]

The last 3 months of revleft have seen a mass influx of Stalinites, stalin related threads and general sectarian havoc as a result. Especially as a result of Stalinite action in Greece (see the KKE incident).

It's very annoying.

However, a Stalinist is one who adheres to the ideas of Joseph Stalin (such as his idea of socialism in one country) and agree with the policies of Stalin and the USSR under his reign. They are also known as Marxist-Leninists, however, this can encompass Maoists as well. I personally think it's time these people embrace themselves as Stalinists. They prefer Marxist-Leninist, because they know if they approach someone and say "Hey, I'm a Stalinist" they'll get a bad reaction, compared to "Hey, Im a marxist-leninist".

In regards to Trotsky and Trotskyism, keep it the FUCK our of the thread. This will only deteriorate into a shit storm of sectarian idiocy. As much as I sympathize with Trotsky and Trotskyists, I'm not reading the same shit again and again, because some guy decided ANOTHER Stalin thread was a good idea.

Hint: Stop making Stalin, Marxism-Leninism, and other ass threads.

The KKE is a active group, but when one of the RT interviewer asked a "communist" what they wished from the protest, he told the interview he what a "communist" state. Then he went on to tell the interview that he was a Trotsky and this new communist state would be nothing like Stalin's one.

[Comrade_Stalin]

Disclaimer: This thread's purpose is not to debate the merits or flaws of Stalinism, and the term "Stalinist" should be used neutrally in this thread, not as an insult.

What you would consider to be the criteria for defining a leftist a "Stalinist"? In general, they are authoritarian, statists who supports the dissolution of civil liberties (at least under revolutionary circumstances), and more militaristic. I do not see how "Stalinists" as a group are significantly different in social conservatism/liberalism or the economic axis (concerning this axis, the variance among revolutionary leftists is much smaller than the variance among the general population). I also think age would be positively correlated with "Stalinism" among the revolutionary left.

My request is quantitative: I consider the political compass and the C4SS tests to be reliable and expedient instruments in evaluation one's political tendencies in a quantitative fashion. I want to use the results of these tests to "diagnose" a revolutionary leftist as a "Stalinist", preferably by employing cutoffs.

For anyone who considers him/herself to a Stalinist (I don't think of myself as "Stalinist" but I have "Stalinist" tendencies although I am more of a Maoist), I would appreciate it if you took the Political Compass and C4SS test and post the results.

My results on the Political Compass: -7.28 economic and -2.88 authoritarian.

My actual results on C4SS on the first try:



71% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
3% Statist(Anarchist / Statist)
68% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
44% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
3% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)
For fun, my reactionary evil twin's results.

I took the test again, but I put in answers that were opposite of my political attitudes:



68% Economic Rightist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
26% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
89% Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
77% Socio-Cultural Conservative(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
33% Civil Authoritarian


First to answer your question, C4SS is an Anarchist site and the Political Compass question are made to make anyone vote anti-state.

But if one of us had the time or the will power to answer your question, I would say that the following would be our Stalinist answer.


60%-100% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
60%-100% Statist(Anarchist / Statist)
60%-100% Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
60%-100% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
40%-60% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)

[efficiency]

Disclaimer: This thread's purpose is not to debate the merits or flaws of Stalinism, and the term "Stalinist" should be used neutrally in this thread, not as an insult.

What you would consider to be the criteria for defining a leftist a "Stalinist"? In general, they are authoritarian, statists who supports the dissolution of civil liberties (at least under revolutionary circumstances), and more militaristic. I do not see how "Stalinists" as a group are significantly different in social conservatism/liberalism or the economic axis (concerning this axis, the variance among revolutionary leftists is much smaller than the variance among the general population). I also think age would be positively correlated with "Stalinism" among the revolutionary left.

My request is quantitative: I consider the political compass and the C4SS tests to be reliable and expedient instruments in evaluation one's political tendencies in a quantitative fashion. I want to use the results of these tests to "diagnose" a revolutionary leftist as a "Stalinist", preferably by employing cutoffs.

For anyone who considers him/herself to a Stalinist (I don't think of myself as "Stalinist" but I have "Stalinist" tendencies although I am more of a Maoist), I would appreciate it if you took the Political Compass and C4SS test and post the results.

My results on the Political Compass: -7.28 economic and -2.88 authoritarian.

My actual results on C4SS on the first try:



71% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
3% Statist(Anarchist / Statist)
68% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
44% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
3% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)

For fun, my reactionary evil twin's results.

I took the test again, but I put in answers that were opposite of my political attitudes:



68% Economic Rightist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
26% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
89% Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
77% Socio-Cultural Conservative(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
33% Civil Authoritarian

Did I take the right test? I see four quadrants, but not a break down of Militarist/Anit-Militarist etc. that goes up to 100%. My score for Political Compass was Economic Left/Right: -4.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.87

This was odd since someone here said he thought I was a Stalinist. I am not trying to disprove that. I just want to learn.

I did not see CS44 on the test anywhere. Can you provide the right link?

[Invader Zim]

Typically, at least in the west, a teenage boy who has never been laid.

[Blake's Baby]

A 'Stalinist' is a supporter of the theory of 'socialism in one country'. No other political current that claims to be Marxist (ie that descends from the Second or Third International) has this, not even Trotskyism. Therefore, it's what seperates Stalinism from other political currents. In 1927, the only political current that embraced 'socialism in one country' was the current we call Stalinism (but Stalinists call Marxism-Leninism).

Other currents, post 1927, like Maoism, Hoxhaism, Castroism etc that also claim 'socialism in one country' are elaborations or variations of Stalinism.

[Nikolay]

Thanks for completing the quiz!
How you scored:

89% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=89&d1=Economic%20Leftist&d2=Economic%20Rightist
53% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=53&d1=Anarchist&d2=Statist
100% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=100&d1=Anti-Militarist&d2=Militarist
92% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=92&d1=Socio-Cultural%20Liberal&d2=Socio-Cultural%20Conservative
60% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)
http://c4ss.org/resultbar.php?pct=60&d1=Civil%20Libertarian&d2=Civil%20Authoritarian





I think it is pretty spot on.

What test is that?

[Stirnerist]

C4SS = Center for a Stateless Society. I can't post links yet but it's c4ss followed by an org ;) Follow that with a slash quiz and you get the quiz itself.

[A Marxist Historian]

Disclaimer: This thread's purpose is not to debate the merits or flaws of Stalinism, and the term "Stalinist" should be used neutrally in this thread, not as an insult.

What you would consider to be the criteria for defining a leftist a "Stalinist"? In general, they are authoritarian, statists who supports the dissolution of civil liberties (at least under revolutionary circumstances), and more militaristic. I do not see how "Stalinists" as a group are significantly different in social conservatism/liberalism or the economic axis (concerning this axis, the variance among revolutionary leftists is much smaller than the variance among the general population). I also think age would be positively correlated with "Stalinism" among the revolutionary left.

My request is quantitative: I consider the political compass and the C4SS tests to be reliable and expedient instruments in evaluation one's political tendencies in a quantitative fashion. I want to use the results of these tests to "diagnose" a revolutionary leftist as a "Stalinist", preferably by employing cutoffs.

For anyone who considers him/herself to a Stalinist (I don't think of myself as "Stalinist" but I have "Stalinist" tendencies although I am more of a Maoist), I would appreciate it if you took the Political Compass and C4SS test and post the results.

My results on the Political Compass: -7.28 economic and -2.88 authoritarian.

My actual results on C4SS on the first try:



71% Economic Leftist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
3% Statist(Anarchist / Statist)
68% Anti-Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
44% Socio-Cultural Liberal(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
3% Civil Libertarian(Civil Libertarian / Civil Authoritarian)
For fun, my reactionary evil twin's results.

I took the test again, but I put in answers that were opposite of my political attitudes:



68% Economic Rightist(Economic Leftist / Economic Rightist)
26% Anarchist(Anarchist / Statist)
89% Militarist(Anti-Militarist / Militarist)
77% Socio-Cultural Conservative(Socio-Cultural Liberal / Socio-Cultural Conservative)
33% Civil Authoritarian


What is Stalinism? Well, it is both an ideology and a material reality, and they correspond perfectly to one another. Which we as Marxists should understand is true for all ideologies. The precision of the correspondence is extremely tight in this case, but to avoid flame wars, let us ignore the reality on the ground and talk about what it is as an ideology.

It is based on J. V. Stalin's one independent contribution to Marxist theory. Not original to him, but he was the very first to work it up into a system.

It is the idea that it is possible to build socialism in a single country. Anyone who agrees with this idea, and is involved in a movement with that as its strategic goal, is a Stalinist, whether or not he says he is a Stalinist. That is why Maoism, Castroism, Titoism, Hoxhaism, Khrushchevism, Brezhnevism etc. are all simply national variants of Stalinism, distinguished by which country they see as the appropriate one to build socialism in, and which therefore, and this is the essence of Stalinism in practice, the furthering of socialism in that particular country is more important than anything else, and all other considerations need to be subordinated to it.

So for Stalin it was the USSR, Mao China, Castro Cuba, etc.

The particular brutality and ugliness associated with so many Stalinist regimes is due to the fact that, as all actual Marxists know, it is in fact impossible to build socialism in a single country. Therefore you automatically get gulags etc. when the attempt is made, if the people trying to do the impossible are serious about it.

-M.H.-

[A Marxist Historian]

Trotsky was a Bolshevik-Leninist. Marxism-Leninism is term made by Stalin. Read a link I gave you to understand what it is.

The term "Leninism" was coined by Gregory Zinoviev, the leader of the Soviet Union between the death of Lenin and Stalin taking over. With, then as now, the implication by Zinoviev, then allied with Stalin, that "Trotskyism," yet another of Zinoviev's coinages, was something else.

"Bolshevik-Leninist," the term adopted by the Left Opposition and Trotsky, was also a coinage of Zinoviev's, as originally the Left Opposition was co-led by Trotsky, Zinoviev and Zinoviev's close ally Kamenev.

Was "Marxism-Leninism" Stalin's particular vocabulary contribution, to distinguish him from Zinoviev after he went over to Trotsky's side? Perhaps.

-M.H.-