Quick Question

[The Intransigent Faction]

Marx once said "History repeats itself. First as tragedy, then as farce."...What did he mean by this, exactly?

[Grenzer]

Take the coming hypothetical Stalinist revolution.

The first Russian Revolution ended in the tragedy of Stalinism. Its participants could in no way anticipated what would happen, which is what makes it tragic. Yet the Stalinists have not learned from history and insist on repeating the mistakes of the past. It's not tragic; it's dumb because it's entirely avoidable.. farcical if you will. I think that's kind of what he means.

[Prometeo liberado]

Pres. Bush sr., Pres. Bush jr. Gulf war 1, Gulf war 2.

[ArrowLance]

Take the coming hypothetical Stalinist revolution.

The first Russian Revolution ended in the tragedy of Stalinism. Its participants could in no way anticipated what would happen, which is what makes it tragic. Yet the Stalinists have not learned from history and insist on repeating the mistakes of the past. It's not tragic; it's dumb because it's entirely avoidable.. farcical if you will. I think that's kind of what he means.

Calling what Marxism-Leninism and the Soviet Union did for the working class movement a tragedy is a farce.

The Russian Revolution most certainly ended in tragedy--a tragedy no one has learned more from than the Marxist-Leninists--but that tragedy was in its inevitable destruction and short comings.

[Omsk]

That quote can be used against us all,becuase it's too short,and too simplified.

[hatzel]

Bush jr.

On the subject of Dubbbya:


There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me...you can't get fooled again.

I guess it's safe to say Marx and Bush are on basically the same page here...

EDIT: as an English-speaker, Bush would say 'great minds think alike.' As a German-speaker, Marx would say 'two fools, one thought.' I'll let you decide which is more fitting in this situation...

[Anarpest]

He was making fun of Louis Napoleon, I think.


There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me...you can't get fooled again.I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
And I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again


EDIT: as an English-speaker, Bush would say 'great minds think alike.' As a German-speaker, Marx would say 'two fools, one thought.' I'll let you decide which is more fitting in this situation... I think that the truth is somewhere in between in this case.

What do the Belgians have to say about it?