Marx's biggest mistake was to promote his ideas as a means of power. They only work on a family/organizational level
On a practical level mostly terrible destructive and deeply detrimental to individuals, nations and organisations.
Particularly when forcibly implemented by the sinister assortment of characters from contemporary history: revolutionaries, criminals or totalitarian regimes.
Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro, Allende.
Repressive dictators with personality cults, totalitarian regimes, human rights abuses, show trials, mass murder, food shortages, economic crisis, starvation, rising crime rates, political instability.
USSR, China and Cambodia for much of the 20th century.
Venezuela for the last decade.
On an academic level, Karl Marx had some interesting ideas and formulated a groundbreaking critique ideology in relation to capitalism and various other socio-political/economic/historical phenomena.
Fascinating literature for book reviews and brief scholarly talks.
But for the most part- destructive, counter productive and impractical.
If capitalism, hierarchy and social traditions are the disease that marxism seeks to remedy- then the cure is worse than the disease, for the most part.
I would say that on an historical basis the practical implementations of Marxism have been far less successful than ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, and the Golden Age of Islam followed by the Ottoman Empire, despite them being theocratic regimes. Also classical India and China.
It is possible that Marxism was a tool that was misused as it was originally intended for 19th century Britain with its economy and social organisation rather than in Russia and underdeveloped countries.
Marxism has had a huge impact on our current society. Our governance today is vastly different to pre-WWI, and changes like the welfare state, the NHS, universal suffrage (not just landowners), came about only through fear of the proletariat.
Its also been used as a tool for brutal dictators to take control yes. Just like how various capitalist governments have also become dictatorships.
Last edited by nexttime; 4 months ago
I guess it will be a good thing in the long term. Marx gave plenty of insight into then functions of capitalism, and as all of his predictions manefist one after the after I think people will be more comfortable embracing socialism.
Marx was so right in what he said. The UK is a prime example of the worst form of capitalism. We need more Marxists in power! And the soviet union - Marx didn't create it, he just created a theory
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