Your most influential Left theory ... ?

[JPSartre12]

Comrades, if there's one thing that I've learned since I began to consciously associate myself with the Left several years ago, it's that it's extraordinarily sectarian. There are so many different factions, tendencies, parties, groups, etc that I feel as if we turn on each other almost as much as we turn on capitalism :(

That being said, I think that each group brings important ideas to the table. I wish we didn't have so much in-fighting amongst us, but varying opinions have made the Left full of rich history, democracy, and debate.

What would you say is the most influential theory to your tendency and self-identification? What idea has impacted you the most? What concept was it that drew you towards your tendency and made that group more attractive to you than others?

I'd say that one of my major ones is derived from (surprise!) Sartre, and that's what pointed me in the direction of existential Marxism. His idea that conflict in human affairs is unavoidable, and that things gain definition through struggle, resonate strongly with me. A culture's teachings or a person's conviction are tested in struggle, and struggle allows us to see how strong, resilient, and adaptable they really are. They will either survive the test, be beaten by a stronger opponent, or have to dramatically change and adapt to survive. The real-word material conditions and choices that are made are what are important, not abstract theory that is not grounded in material reality - and the choices that are made during those periods of struggle define our character and give us definition and meaning.

[ed miliband]

In its mystified form, dialectic became the fashion in Germany, because it seemed to transfigure and to glorify the existing state of things. In its rational form it is a scandal and abomination to bourgeoisdom and its doctrinaire professors, because it includes in its comprehension and affirmative recognition of the existing state of things, at the same time also, the recognition of the negation of that state, of its inevitable breaking up; because it regards every historically developed social form as in fluid movement, and therefore takes into account its transient nature not less than its momentary existence; because it lets nothing impose upon it, and is in its essence critical and revolutionary.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1867-c1/p3.htm



Communism is for us not a state of affairs which is to be established, an ideal to which reality [will] have to adjust itself. We call communism the real movement which abolishes the present state of things. The conditions of this movement result from the premises now in existence.


http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/german-ideology/ch01a.htm





Greed in its fullest sense is the only possible basis of communist society.


http://libcom.org/library/right-be-greedy-theses-practical-necessity-demanding-everything

[mew]

http://endnotes.org.uk/articles/8

[The Idler]

Not sure where to start but its definitely not dialectics. Horizontalism, democracy, voluntarism all spring to mind. Probably not even "impossibilism". Maybe even empiricism but then most people would probably say that.

[JPSartre12]

Not sure where to start but its definitely not dialectics.

Really? I'm a big fan of dialectical materialism.

[Ostrinski]

Marxism.

[JPSartre12]

Marxism.

Haha, but what aspect of it or what theory from it? :p

[Ostrinski]

Haha, but what aspect of it or what theory from it? :pWhy pick it apart when all aspects of Marxist thought are only relevant in relation to each other?

[The Idler]

Why pick it apart when all aspects of Marxist thought are only relevant in relation to each other?
Because various aspects are used by other political ideologies.

[Mr. Natural]

The left "tendency" that grabs my mind is an intact Marxism brought to life, informed, and made whole by the organizational relations of the materialist dialectic.

Ecosocialism has been a positive recent development in that it insists the left must address the ecological issues it has been neglecting, but ecosocialists deny the dialectic, and their economistic ecosocialism therefore lacks the living organizational relations a full ecosocialism would embrace. Thus it cannot "come to life" in a revolutionary birth process.

The "green" of the red-green I claim most definitely includes life's and society's organizational relations, as does the Marxist materialist dialectic. The new sciences of living organization--culminating in systems-complexity science-- underly and reveal this green.

My red-green, dialectical best.

[Comrade #138672]

I'm not sure where I stand yet. I tend towards both left communism and marxism-leninism. I don't believe in state capitalism or anything else that continues to oppress the proletariat.

I'd say that dialectics and pan-leftism have influenced me quite a bit. These two concepts seem related to each other. Pan-leftism is dialectics moving left communism and marxism-leninism towards a synthesis. Before I knew about dialectics, I was very intrigued by cognitive dissonance which is nothing more than psychological dialectics.

Also collectivism and the idea of freedom are important to me.

Maybe there's more, but this is what came to my mind first.

[Art Vandelay]

Materialism is the basis for my political beliefs; as should be the answer of everyone here.

[Pricey]

Gramsci's theory of Cultural Hegemony, this is why I rail so hard against capitals co-option of independent forms of music and anti-establishment literature and art. Prevailing social norms must be challenged in all instances and an alternative needs to be formed to bourgeois culture.

[nihilust]

engels principles of communism was a large turning point in my knowledge of the whole. i think its personally a better starting point than the manifesto, as it clearly defines and identifies many concepts and understandings. from then on, ive allowed dreams of the revolution and the proletariat to sit with me

[Ele'ill]

People I talk to every day, the observations and ideas they have. Users of this forum.

[MustCrushCapitalism]

The labor theory of value. How has this not been mentioned?

[Jesus Saves Gretzky Scores]

I think it's cool to burn down buildings. And I like drawing circle-a's.

In all seriousness, it was probably a sense of rebellion, which then led to learning why it all made sense.

[Leftsolidarity]

I guess if we're saying which positions are the most important or most attracted us to it would be the positions on the national question, self-determination, and that all the struggles of oppressed people are inter-linked.

[Marxaveli]

For me, I would probably have to say Historical Materialism. When I went back to school a couple years ago, I started off as a regular liberal democrat, but as I took more social science classes (my major is Political Science/International Relations), I began to move further to the left. I was exposed to Marx in a philosophy class I took, and was quite intrigued by his work, so I began to study it more. I became a Social Democrat and then a Fabian Socialist for a short period of time, but I wasn't fully convinced of Marxism yet. I finally bought the Communist Manifesto which has a lot of its writing grounded in Historical Materialism contexts (especially in the beginning to middle of the book) - at this point I became convinced, based on these findings, that revolution was the only way. I was officially radicalized, and ever since I have been a full-blown Communist. And there is no turning back. History has shown that the ruling class of every society never gives up its power, and those who are ruled and exploited have always had to fight and forcefully take what is rightfully theirs. Quite simply, this book changed my life dramatically.

So yea, Historical Materialism is what did it for me, though I don't really subscribe to a specific tendency within Marxist thought. Truth be told there are so many I lose track of which is which and cannot remember the specific propositions of each one. I can for sure say that I am not a Marxist-Leninist, as I believe in a bottom-up Revolution only, though I certainly respect Lenin as a philosopher and intellectual. I dont much care for all the different factions anyway, as we all have the same goal regardless and we shouldn't divide ourselves up. Thus why I am "just a communist" in my avatar line.

[The Idler]

I guess if we're saying which positions are the most important or most attracted us to it would be the positions on the national question, self-determination, and that all the struggles of oppressed people are inter-linked.
The left is pretty dire on the national question and self-determination, even Marx got that one wrong. Labor theory of value hasn't been mentioned because its not specifically a left thing.

[Dunk]

Historical Materialism, LTRPF.

[DasFapital]

I read the Communist Manifesto for the first time in high school when I was required to find a book to write a report on. At the time I was a petty burglar and a general selfish hell raiser but Marx opened my eyes to the reality of the world around me. I think his writing on the absurdity of the crisis of overproduction is what has always stuck with me even as I moved through tendencies.

[Robespierres Neck]

Gramsci's theory of Cultural Hegemony, this is why I rail so hard against capitals co-option of independent forms of music and anti-establishment literature and art. Prevailing social norms must be challenged in all instances and an alternative needs to be formed to bourgeois culture.

Cultural hegemony is the first thing that came to mind. It's incredibly prevalent.

Democracy, (historical) materialism, class struggle, commodity fetishism, dictatorship of the proletariat. There's many factors and bits of Marxist theory that have politically influenced me, it's difficult to name and describe them all.

[ComingUpForAir]

Marxian Economics -- Overdeterminism, Labour Theory Of Value, et al

[CryingWolf]

Game theory. Actually, if any comrades are interested, I could make a series of threads explaining some of the most important game theory concepts in plain English.

[Камо́ Зэд]

I think dialectical materialism is what influences my thinking the most.

[Quail]

What resonates most strongly with me is feminist theory, especially anarcha-feminist theory, because I guess as a woman a lot of the stuff really applies to my everyday feelings and my life. Emma Goldman has influenced me a lot because of the way that her feminism includes a critique of class and capitalism. Obviously as a woman I want to see an end to patriarchy but I think a real opposition to patriarchy requires a class analysis.

I don't think that a free and equal society where women are equal to men is possible in a capitalist society (in fact I don't think that a society without any kind of discrimination is possible without communism) so it's strongly in my interests to fight for a communist society. Materially as a member of the working class it is also beneficial to be a communist, but I find that having my eyes opened to the sucky things about being a woman opened my eyes to the problems with capitalism in general.

Sorry if I'm incoherent. I'm drunk.

[Mr. Natural]

Quail, I have yet to encounter a thread at Revleft on left feminist theory, and would like this to happen. Don't be bashful (or too drunk).

My red-green, Judi Barian best.

[Collectorgeneral]

Who needs the convictions of the past when you can simply make up your own leftist theories... like me.

[Mass Grave Aesthetics]

Who needs the convictions of the past when you can simply make up your own leftist theories... like me.

Good luck with that.:)

Anyway, for me it was the whole concept of antagonistic class relations in society which cought my interest to begin with. It opened up a whole new understanding of things which hadn´t made much sense before.
The Labour Theory of Value and Marxist economics in general is really what has influenced my view on society and politics the most in the end.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Probably anarchism. Can't ever entirely shake off it's influence even though I've moved away from it in some respects.

[Leftsolidarity]

The left is pretty dire on the national question and self-determination, even Marx got that one wrong. Labor theory of value hasn't been mentioned because its not specifically a left thing.

I suppose that depends on your stance on self-determination

[The Idler]

I suppose that depends on your stance on self-determination
You suppose wrong my friend.

[Leftsolidarity]

You suppose wrong my friend.

What?

[Yuppie Grinder]

Historical Materialism.

[sixdollarchampagne]

For me. the biggest eye-opener was Trotsky's concept of permanent revolution, which, if I understand it correctly, means that the liberation of colonial countries comes through proletarian revolution in those countries.

The Trotskyist understanding of the USSR, as a bureaucratically-run, degenerated workers' state is also very valuable, though the workers' states have mostly all disappeared by now.

[The Douche]

Marx's theory of alienation.

[Geiseric]

Wage Labor and Capital by Marx was huge for me. Trotsky's stuff in general such as Perminant Revolution, Degenerated Workers State, Transitional Programme, and Kautsky's Erfut Program are also fundamental in my political beliefs at this point. Imperialism and vanguardism as defined by Lenin as well.