Morning Comrades.
Rather than getting sucked into the disastrous, but entertaining destruction of yet another social media platform at the hands of yet another entitled, incridebly silly billionaire - twitter and musk in case anyone was wondering - I wanted to touch upon the differences, or rather the difference between our existing world order and what we’re trying to do. Sure, I know, it is Monday and we all have work to do and it is entertaining to watch Musk be Musk I guess, but bear with me. The point of this excercise essentially is to not only differentiate between apples and oranges, as liberalism and marxism aren’t even in the same book, let alone library, but an attempt to clarify why we do do what we do, and on what grounds. Yup, philosophy inbound but I am hoping that is what we are here for.
Liberalism: Basis & Methodology - In this context
Liberalism is a political and philosophical ideology that emphasizes individual freedom, equality, and the rule of law. It is a highly moralized philosophy, ahistorical wherein ideas reign supreme over reality. For example, both sides of Western liberalism promote an ahistorical, moralized idea that a patriarchal, “Christian” structuring of society is not only “good” but “needed” when the historical reality is entirely different, and a moral discussion remains based on idea, perpetrated by a property owning class to ensure profits.
Marxism: Basis & Methodology - In this context
Marxism is the study and disciplined analysis of reality based on its material conditions and an understanding of an ongoing development and historical context, i.e. reality takes precedence and all abstraction comes from the concrete. The tool used is called Dialectical Materialism which is is a philosophical framework that combines the ideas of dialectics, which is the study of how opposing forces interact and develop, with materialism, which is the belief that material conditions, such as economic and social structures, shape ideas and consciousness.
The Irreconcilable Differences
Liberalism, as an ideology, has its roots in Enlightenment thinking and prioritizes individual freedoms and private property rights. Both left and right variants of liberalism uphold the idea that individuals should have the freedom to pursue their own self-interest, and that this pursuit will ultimately lead to the best outcomes for society as a whole. However, from a Marxist perspective, liberalism is a flawed ideology that is rooted in idealism and a false sense of morality based on ownership.
One of the central criticisms of liberalism from a Marxist perspective is that it is rooted in idealism. According to Marx, idealism is the belief that ideas, thoughts, and consciousness shape the material world. In contrast, Marx believed in materialism, which holds that material conditions, such as economic and social structures, shape ideas and consciousness. Marxist theorists argue that liberalism, in its emphasis on individual freedom and private property, ignores the role of material conditions in shaping individuals and society.
In the words of Louis Althusser:
"The dominant ideology in a society is the ideology of the ruling class."
Althusser's argument is that the ruling class, through its control of the means of production, is able to shape the ideology of society to serve its own interests. Liberalism, as an ideology that prioritizes individual freedom and private property, serves the interests of the ruling class by justifying their ownership of the means of production and the exploitation of the working class.
Furthermore, Marxist theorists argue that liberalism's concept of morality is rooted in ownership. Liberalism upholds the idea that individuals have the right to private property, and that this right is a fundamental part of their freedom. However, Marxist theorists argue that the right to private property is a false concept that serves to justify the exploitation of the working class.
As Friedrich Engels wrote,
"The abolition of private property is, therefore, the complete emancipation of all members of society from servitude and oppression."
Engels argued that private property is the root of all oppression and that the only way to achieve true freedom and equality is to abolish private property and establish a system of collective ownership.
In conclusion, liberalism is a flawed ideology that is rooted in idealism and a false sense of morality based on ownership. Marxist theorists argue that liberalism's emphasis on individual freedom and private property ignores the role of material conditions in shaping individuals and society, and that the right to private property is a false concept that serves to justify the exploitation of the working class. From a Marxist perspective, the only way to achieve true freedom and equality is through the establishment of a system of collective ownership and the abolition of private property.
The Short Version
Liberalism, the current shit show of an ideology that fucks up your life is a man-made idea, based on pseudo Christian morals and that is enforced, brutally, through the violence of ownership, fascist groups of thugs ( cops, if you need it spelling out ) to veil and obscure the deprived and non-existing morality of capitalism.
Marxism, in this context, and its tool, dialectical Materialism is a tool based on material realities that helps you and me see through this moralized bullshit, gets you pissed off and then hopefully motivate you to burn this fucker to the ground.
They are not competing ideologies, they are not even in the same book. The first is the lie they use to get you to work, vote, consume and die, the other helps you tun their castles into homes.
Yours, angry and without compromise as always,
V.