Democracy and the Theory of Permanent Revolution

Discussion at speaker's corner London. Marxist speaker is asked what he can say to those who fear that Socialism will bring a new regime of dictatorial control. The speaker goes on to answer questions concerning the theory of Permanent Revolution.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Permanent revolution
• Hyde park.
• Socialism
• Marxism
• democracy
• Karl Marx
• Lenin
• Trotsky
• economics
• Marxist economics
• communism
• stalinism

[acerb45666555]

the misuse of power can affect any idealistic endevour. theres always a Jean Paul Marat in the shadows!

[heikokhoo]

Yes it can and I have to do a wiki to find Jean, so he must be in the shadows.

[heikokhoo]

Jean Paul Marat! In the bathtub you mean?

[heikokhoo]

1. As far as I know you are right the origin of this theory is Lenin, it was however widely accepted within the Marxist movement.

2. I think there are elements of the theory of Deng Xiao ping which are similar to the methods and ideas developed by the Lenin the the Bolshevisk in the New Economic policy, however Deng's posiiton is probably closer to that of the Right wing of Bolschevism.

[acerb45666555]

yup! thats the one!

[samsonlovesyou]

I'm certainly one of the people who congratulates the achievements, but with a healthy side of criticism.

I think the reason for the lack of acknowledgement for the USSR's achievements and subsequent soviet-bashing stems from an attempt to distance oneself from the *legitimate* failings. It's fashionable not just to criticise the failures, but to completely deny *any* successes, or acknowledge the scale of the task.

[samsonlovesyou]

But I'm not laying the blame on Stalin. I just said: "it 'was' the international circumstances which lead to it."

Nevertheless, there were unnecessary excesses in Stalin's regime which can't be ignored, either. Because his hand was forced on some accounts doesn't mean that we should excuse all of his actions - that's following a leader blindly. It's important for communists to acknowledge this and learn from it.

[samsonlovesyou]

of 'Stalinism', as opposed to social policies like the democratic process, which, in Cuba is still far from being 'fully' democratic (only 50% of the assembly is voted for, I think and made up of union leaders etc. which generally includes party members. There are restrictions on who can run [not sure if you have to be a member of the PCC or not]).

[samsonlovesyou]

Oh indeed. I'm not supposing for one minute that; in fact, it's my contention there that it 'was' the international circumstances which lead to it. Both Stalin and Bukharin were too intelligent to believe that the Socialism In One Country policy was idea - it was a consolation for the failure of European revolution to manifest.

I think China does have some form of democracy at national assembly level. I'm not sure of the details.

But as I say, semantics. I'm referring to the economic base