Simple intro to Dialectical Materialism

[Jesus Saves Gretzky Scores]

I need to learn about dialectical materialism, but I had trouble understanding it. There was a thread about this a week or two ago, but I was pretty confused by the text that was given. Does anyone have a really, really, really simple text about materialism?

[Homo Songun]

Dialectics for kids

http://home.igc.org/~venceremos/

On Contradiction

http://www.marx2mao.com/Mao/OC37.html

[Caj]

http://libcom.org/library/dialectical-method-amadeo-bordiga

It's not "really, really, really simple," but simpler than most introductions to dialectical materialism. Plus, it's by Bordiga!:D

[Comrades Unite!]

By far the most simplistic is Freiderich Engels work 'Socialism: Utopian and Scientific'

Also the dialectical materialism is EXTREMELY important to Marxist, It is a fundamental part to our reasoning.

The Dialectical Materialism shows us why Socialism can and must triumph.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/index.htm

[jookyle]

I know quite a few people have expressed a better understanding after reading this work on the subject by Stalin

http://marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1938/09.htm

[Flying Purple People Eater]

I don't know if I've read it wrongly, but whenever I read from those websites it confuses me to no damn end.

Is it sort of like "two opposing views arguing with each other until they combine/synthesise"? Because personally, that's just ridiculous! Wouldn't that mean that all communists would end up vouching for reformist soc-dems because they 'dialectified' with the right?

[Jesus Saves Gretzky Scores]

By far the most simplistic is Freiderich Engels work 'Socialism: Utopian and Scientific'

Also the dialectical materialism is EXTREMELY important to Marxist, It is a fundamental part to our reasoning.

The Dialectical Materialism shows us why Socialism can and must triumph.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/index.htm

That's why I knew I needed to learn. I have a good understanding on communism in general, but I knew eventually I should get around the economics and materialism.

[Caj]

You should also check out this (http://anti-dialectics.co.uk/index.htm). The person who made it used to be a revleft user named Rosa Lichtenstein.

[Rafiq]

http://libcom.org/library/dialectical-method-amadeo-bordiga

It's not "really, really, really simple," but simpler than most introductions to dialectical materialism. Plus, it's by Bordiga!:D

It's probably the best introductions offered so far, but I really had something of a disdain with his terminology at times. For example, his usage of the term "Bourgeois Materialism" instead of Mechanical materialism. Materialism is not subjective, or class based in understanding. There is no such of a thing as "proletarian materialism", as Lenin showed us, Materialism is not proletarian in nature, it is objectively scientific and something proletarians will have to adjust their mode of thought to (Intellectual proletarians, at least, or vanguard leaders, aspiring marxists, etc.).




The Dialectical Materialism shows us why Socialism can and must triumph.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/index.htm

Well, this is a load of shit. Dialectical materialism wasn't formulated to substantiate Socialism ideologically, and Dialectical materialism is not a "proletarian/socialist mode of thought". It is an objectively scientific mode of analysis.


That's why I knew I needed to learn. I have a good understanding on communism in general, but I knew eventually I should get around the economics and materialism.

Well, you should know then, that although they are connected, Dialectical and Historical materialism are two very, very different matters.

[Comrades Unite!]

It's probably the best introductions offered so far, but I really had something of a disdain with his terminology at times. For example, his usage of the term "Bourgeois Materialism" instead of Mechanical materialism. Materialism is not subjective, or class based in understanding. There is no such of a thing as "proletarian materialism", as Lenin showed us, Materialism is not proletarian in nature, it is objectively scientific and something proletarians will have to adjust their mode of thought to (Intellectual proletarians, at least, or vanguard leaders, aspiring marxists, etc.).



Well, this is a load of shit. Dialectical materialism wasn't formulated to substantiate Socialism ideologically, and Dialectical materialism is not a "proletarian/socialist mode of thought". It is an objectively scientific mode of analysis.



Well, you should know then, that although they are connected, Dialectical and Historical materialism are two very, very different matters.

I never claimed that the theory of dialectical materialism was developed in order to support Socialism, I simply meant that the Dialectical Materialism is such an important factor when reviewing History and whilst predicting the Proletariat revolution, The Dialectical Materialism is an extremely important property of Marxism.

[The Jay]

That's why I knew I needed to learn. I have a good understanding on communism in general, but I knew eventually I should get around the economics and materialism.

For historical materialism read The German Ideology and for economics try Capital both by Marx. No, I'm not being a sarcastic ass. If you want to discuss Capital I'm giving it my first read-through so we can get through it together if you like. Also, dialectics is made into a lot more than it really is. Do not get swept up in those that use it as a veil for faulty logic. If it doesn't make sense then it doesn't make sense. Trust yourself. :D

[Rafiq]

I never claimed that the theory of dialectical materialism was developed in order to support Socialism, I simply meant that the Dialectical Materialism is such an important factor when reviewing History and whilst predicting the Proletariat revolution, The Dialectical Materialism is an extremely important property of Marxism.

No, you may not consciously declare that now, but clearly, from reading your post, it is something you implied. "Dialectical imperialism is important as it shows us how socialism will triumph" signifies that dialectical materialism is an ideological substantiation of socialism, which it is not.

[cynicles]

You should also check out this (http://anti-dialectics.co.uk/index.htm). The person who made it used to be a revleft user named Rosa Lichtenstein.
Ew Max Eastman.

[Caj]

Ew Max Eastman.

It's just a quote. The site doesn't have anything to do with him.

And what do you have against Eastman? He was a cool guy before his shift to the right.

[cynicles]

It's just a quote. The site doesn't have anything to do with him.

And what do you have against Eastman? He was a cool guy before his shift to the right.
People say the same thing about Horowitz and Hitchens.

[Caj]

People say the same thing about Horowitz and Hitchens.

And?

[cynicles]

And?
What I'm trying to say is that I'm skeptical that they we're ever leftists or leftists for political reasons. Hitchens was an opportunist and Horowitz was emotionally attached. I share the same suspicions about Eastman.

[Caj]

What I'm trying to say is that I'm skeptical that they we're ever leftists or leftists for political reasons. Hitchens was an opportunist and Horowitz was emotionally attached. I share the same suspicions about Eastman.

I find it hard to believe Eastman would, for example, have been the editor of The Masses for so many years in the face of such severe repression of American leftists at the time (e.g. the Espionage and Sedition Acts, Palmer Raids, Red Scare, etc.) if he was just faking being a leftist the whole time.