• @Lemmy_Mouse@lemmygrad.ml
    link
    fedilink
    20
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I believe this is a reflection of the insincerity of the Russian bourgeois in their proclaimed pride for Russia’s history as the Soviet Union equally as well as Russia’s history as Imperial Russia. In reality, they only hold value for the Russian Empire and accost their history as communists.

    The geopolitical position Russia remains in after the now Russian bourgeois’ illegal coup with the help of the CIA and the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations has forced Russia to behave as it used to, and so we see flaunting of this altruistic philosophy as it is convenient for their immediate needs. Flaunting, however no true implementation of it’s ideas. And so it remains hollow.

    Let us not forget who the Russian bourgeoisie and state are; In the Soviet Union, these were labor aristocratic (loyal to the world bourgeois class) elements of reaction the Khrushchev regime legalized and legitimized. Most of the late Soviet government would have been excluded from party membership under the socialist leadership found in the Lenin and Stalin eras, disqualified due to their opportunistic and liberal ways…not to mention their fragrant abuse of Marxist theory. Under our class’ rule, the current Russian bourgeoisie and their state would be considered criminals, and so they are nothing but criminals. Not class allies, not confused or mislead comrades, they are criminals. And so, is the widespread manipulation of the working class in Russia today beyond a criminal? No, of course not, it is well within his nature.

    The working class of Russia however, are no simpletons. They may not be radical, however they cling to their class’ roots within the decayed nation. I believe they go along with this as it is within the interests of Russia. It is no secret that internationalism and solidarity have largely been blurred by the conditions which instigate Marcyist concepts to emerge within the Russian economy, and so, within the Russian classes as well. However, interacting with the Russian working class one can see this clinging I referenced. They reject reaction. They hold a similar immediate situation as us in the US - being aware of what’s happening but not being in a position to do anything about it. Their additional benefit is their history of success, a roadmap one can dust off and modernize.

    Digressing, I believe the Russian bourgeoisie are the same criminals they have always been, simply chained by their conditions of which they go to bed every night and dream of escaping to resurrect the Russian Empire. And the Russian workers similarly go to sleep, and dream of escaping from the nightmare they live in and resurrecting the great Soviet Union.

    • @cfgaussian@lemmygrad.ml
      link
      fedilink
      12
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Absolutely agree with all of this. Russia is very much in a sort of in-between state, a frozen limbo where it can’t quite move in either direction at the moment due to the external conditions that have been imposed on them and their own internal political paralysis that has persisted since the late 90s. But this state is extremely unstable and can’t last forever. And since Russia is not and will not be allowed for the foreseeable future to integrate into the western dominated neoliberal world system without being completely subjugated or balkanized (since the West’s own capitalist system is in deep crisis and desperately needs access to Russia’s resources), and because such a scenario is antithetical to most of the Russian bourgeoisie’s own interests the only way that this stalemate can really be broken is in the direction of a resurgence of socialist ideas.

      • @Lemmy_Mouse@lemmygrad.ml
        link
        fedilink
        71 year ago

        I’ve contemplated this outcome, however revolutions are built and I’m not sure Russia’s internal conditions are such which predicate a resurgence of socialist ideas. Russia is (fortunately and unfortunately) proving capable of fighting off all of NATO in it’s current state. And if it wins I’ve no doubt the question would be resolved the other way, in the unquestionability of the new Russian bourgeois state…until crisis of course.

        But then raises the concern. Because a revolution must be built, and is not in preparation now, in the unlikely outcome of Russia falling to NATO, where would this revolution come from to re-resolve the situation into a favorable one? They would be balkanized, and as efficient as the Russian bourgeois have been at keeping our class down there, the US are masters of oppression. And so lies the situation at hand…fucked if they do, fucked if they don’t.

        • @cfgaussian@lemmygrad.ml
          link
          fedilink
          131 year ago

          On the contrary, i think a victory over NATO in Ukraine will strengthen the socialist forces in Russia. It was the KPRF who pushed most strongly for intervention ever since 2014. Yes it is true that the popularity and stability of the present government will temporarily see a boost as well, but this government won’t last forever, Putin will eventually retire or die. In the meantime the kinds of policies that they have been forced to adopt in order to be more successful at defending against the sanctions war and at rebuilding the military are just legitimizing the socialist argument and delegitimizing the liberals’. Russia still has one of the biggest communist parties in the world and it is one which still follows Leninist principles of organizing. For the time being they have to bide their time, but i believe their social base is stronger than most people think. It may not be another revolution that Russia needs, instead the return of socialism may happen via a political coup, but i suppose time will tell. In any case i believe there is reason to be optimistic, though it will be a hard struggle.

            • Muad'Dibber
              link
              fedilink
              10
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              The KPRF are one of the best communist parties in the world right now… I had no idea there was such opposition to them even among young communists in Russia. That’s disheartening.

                • SovereignState
                  link
                  fedilink
                  7
                  edit-2
                  1 year ago

                  KKE and KPRF are correct like 99% of the time. That’s why it absolutely pisses me off when they’re wrong - maybe just the western Purity Tester within me, and if they were dispassionately wrong about these issues it wouldn’t bug me as much, but shit. Gay ppl are not a bourgeois imperialist influence you fools, you’re playing right into imperial NGO hands by supporting crackdowns on social progress. 🙄

                  They don’t need my support, caveat caveat western communist etc. etc. Just venting frustrations I guess.

                  @muad_dibber@lemmygrad.ml

                  • @cfgaussian@lemmygrad.ml
                    link
                    fedilink
                    41 year ago

                    I agree. On the one hand i understand why they are making these errors. The imperialists use culture war issues as a weapon and it is not surprising that that would provoke a defensive and hostile reaction in so many parts of the world. On the other hand communists really should know better and should see the game that the imperialists are playing and recognize that it is detrimental to the interests of the revolution to cling to reactionary positions on these issues. By reflexively adopting the contrarian position you are allowing the enemy to determine where you stand, and they can push you into a disadvantageous stance. To win we will have to build a mass movement with a disciplined core consisting of the most advanced and most class conscious section of the proletariat. We can’t do that if we turn against some of the most marginalized people in our societies. This is not something we can afford to be on the wrong side of history on, it will cost us the support of precisely those people with the most revolutionary potential.

                  • @cfgaussian@lemmygrad.ml
                    link
                    fedilink
                    41 year ago

                    Well they probably mean the Chinese model. And there is nothing wrong with looking to China as a model of success and taking inspiration from it. But the CPC itself always emphasizes that there is no one size fits all solution and every country will have to develop a model of socialism that is adapted to fit their own specific conditions. That is why the CPC succeeded, not because it blindly copied the Soviet model but because it creatively applied the principles of Marxism-Leninism in a way that works for China. Russian communists are going to need to do something similar, taking inspiration from their Soviet past and from China’s success but adapting their policies, strategy and overall approach to the conditions of modern day Russia, not to those of the Russia of 100 or even 50 years ago. It is important to not remain stuck in the past if we want to win the future.

    • @Beat_da_Rich@lemmygrad.ml
      link
      fedilink
      0
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      The current Russian oligarch state celebrate Soviet era traditions for the same reason the Amerikkkan government celebrates MLK and the 60s Civil rights movement. It’s pandering, and no comrade should be mislead by it.

        • @Beat_da_Rich@lemmygrad.ml
          link
          fedilink
          1
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          I didn’t say anything about the legacy of Russia’s victory in WW2 and never challenged how Russian’s deserved pride in the victory over fascism. And apologies if my comment rubbed you the wrong way. I could have added more thought to my comment obviously. It wasn’t a perfect comparison and wasn’t meant to be one.

          My point was that Russian oligarchs disdain communism but they’ll still appeal to Soviet symbology and integrate that symbology into their own nationalism. In the same vein that America has integrated radical anticapitalist figures into its own nationalist myth. Every American liberal will speak highly of the legacy of the American Civil rights movement and its figures, but no liberal is going to seriously consider tearing down the American prison-industrial slave empire. At the end of the day, the managers of these states are opportunistic about the left symbology they use.