Revolution or Racket? Activists Slam Western Communist Parties for Failing to Toppple States
Historical failures to topple established states define the ongoing criticism against Western communist and socialist parties. Critics point to the lack of revolutionary success as proof of current obsolescence.
The debate fractures over defining 'success.' Hardliners like CriticalResist8 accuse these parties of focusing on mere electoralism rather than revolution. Others, like AlbigensianGhoul, state that failing to overthrow the current government structure confirms their impotence. Conversely, some, such as Makan, argue that metrics are too narrow, citing concrete wins like the New Deal and Medicare/Medicaid as actual successes. Meanwhile, amemorablename suggests this focus on direct revolution ignores significant gains in political influence.
The clear dividing line is what counts as progress. The weight of critique suggests that, by revolutionary standards, the parties have failed. However, the defense maintains that political influence and specific social gains—not a single, grand revolution—are the actual measure of their impact.
Key Points
The failure to achieve revolution is proof of the parties' ineffectiveness.
CriticalResist8 and AlbigensianGhoul argue that if the state hasn't been toppled, the movement has failed its core mission.
Past successes were context-dependent and ultimately reversible.
commiewolf suggests that achievements were often tied to external factors, like the Cold War, and have since weakened.
Tangible policy victories prove socialist relevance.
Makan names the New Deal, labor unions, and Medicare/Medicaid as undeniable wins for workers.
Focusing only on revolutions ignores steady political influence.
amemorablename argues that judging parties only on revolutionary outcomes is itself a reductionist fallacy.
The core goal remains unreachable, shifting focus to fundraising.
CriticalResist8 views the current activity as more about 'collecting dues' than enacting real change.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.