This is the first time I’ve heard of it, 60000-200000 Communists and communist sympathisers killed in South Korea.

What do you think about this?

Before I began studying Marxism I would be best described with the term "hotep." A sort of eclectic mixture of comprador pro-blackness, nebulous anti-capitalism, liberal common sense and panafricanism. Since studying Marxism I've been able to interrogate the first three but I've avoided applying a Marxist analysis to Panafricanism. It's a bit too near and dear to me.

My immediate observations are that a shared sense of identity and solidarity between black peoples played a progressive role in anticolonial national struggles in the mid 20th century but in the modern day it could be considered an equivalent of Bundism. Additionally at present despite having some shared struggles, class interests of large swaths of the New African population more closely resemblr those of euroamericans than of Africans.

At the moment Panafricanism seems to be dead and its only relevance is when members of the black comprador (Dr Umars and and Cornell Wests of the world) try to claim heirship to it.

What is the Marxist analysis of Panafricanism? Is it past it's progressive phase? Can and should it be salvaged?

This is something I've been thinking about a lot with regard to the pandemic. Does anyone have any recommendations of texts on how things like disability benefits and disease prevention worked or work in actually existing socialist states? I'd be especially interested in books on Cuba's public health system.

Thanks in advance.

Hello, everyone! I'm looking for a leftist perspective on the history of oppression towards jews and the reasons why they were expelled from different countries throughout history, as this is such a common talking point within the alt-right.

I came across a paragraph while reading "Open Veins of Latin America" where Galeano said that the crusades against the Jews in Spain was ultimately a reaction of the monarchy against the inevitable development of the economic system into capitalism, as jewish practices allowed for things that were compatible with capitalism, while Christianity did not.

I would like to know more about other instances when this happened without the usual antisemitic tropes.

Ta!

I don’t understand it when some people on the left say that communism will not happen in their lifetime or say it will happen some in far off distance into the future.

Regardless of if their prediction turns out accurate, to me, this is unnecessary to say, not useful to say, and even counterproductive.

Maybe the reason is because they don’t want to get people’s hopes up or something. But still, it’s like, you really have no idea when it will occur and perpetuating that idea could potentially subconsciously delete some of the urgency in someone’s mind and stifle any momentum. Something could happen tomorrow to spark a substantial global revolution for all we know.

This is just a pet peeve. I’ve heard it many times.

(Edit: I changed revolution to substantial global revolution because I’m aware there are smaller revolutions going on currently in certain parts of the world.)

Dear friends,

Turkey is going through an extremely important phase. After 23 years of gradual erosion of our democracy and obstruction of our fundamental rights, we are on the verge of transforming from a competitive autocracy to a full dictatorship.

In response, the people of Turkey has risen against tyranny. We will either be enslaved, or we will be free.

During this trying times, we hope that those who hold freedom, equality and justice dear to their hearts will stand with us in solidarity against tyranny in any way possible - protests to support our resistance, donations to activists in need of tools, or simply sharing through social media the evils we have been facing and our righteous fury - any kind of support will be another blow against slavery and death.

We salute you all, brothers and sisters.

Turkey Resists!

Apparently, there is a war between the two countries. Can anyone provide a Marxist analysis of the situation?

Hello, comrades! I wanted to ask if anyone has recommendations for good reading resources (books prefferably) on the history of the Soviet Union. Appreciate the help!

As part of my 2 year history course, we are now studying the emergence of Mao as an authoritarian dictator. We have already seen Hitler from this approach.

How do I deal with classroom bias? My teacher, who is pretty progressive but clearly not very communist (or has to teach it this way due to potentially facing backlash), is essentially teaching a very unilateral perspective of Mao's policies. Any advice on what I can do? It's not like I can stand up and be like, the Great Leap Forward didn't actually cause 50 million deaths. They literally think that. I've been reading the Joseph Ball essay listed on the anti communist debunking section of this sub, and it's pretty clear that the misconception about the GLF is due to inflationary statistics by Deng Xiaoping.

There is no evidence provided in class to suggest what policies (implemented by Mao) actually caused famine whatsoever??

How bad was the famine, actually?

Taken from the Resistance News Network Telegram Channel

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine:

Enough silence. Enough complicity. The Palestinian people are being slaughtered as the world watches and is complicit in these crimes.

The genocide against our people in Gaza continues, and global complicity has reached its peak of depravity.

Amid the escalating crimes of genocide against children, women, and the elderly in Gaza—crimes that represent the most horrific atrocities of the modern era—the global imperialist powers, led by the United States, continue their absolute support for these crimes, whether through military aid or political cover.

The U.S. administration, led by war criminal Donald Trump, bears full responsibility for these massacres. It openly and shamelessly declares its direct participation in the killing and destruction, making it a primary partner in these crimes against humanity.

We call upon university students, unions, and communities in the United States and Europe to immediately take to the streets, to besiege the White House and the Pentagon—centers of decision-making supporting the occupation—and to deliver a clear message to the murderers that the world will not remain silent in the face of these crimes.

Intensifying popular pressure on these complicit governments is the responsibility of every free and honorable person who rejects oppression and genocide.

We also call on the Arab and Islamic masses to take immediate action and not leave Gaza to face the zionist killing machine alone. The situation has reached its breaking point; there is no room for further silence and inaction. Supporting Gaza today is a national and moral duty, and abandoning it is a betrayal of the blood of the martyrs, the wounded, and the oppressed.

People must mobilize by all means—through demonstrations, sit-ins, civil disobedience, and a comprehensive boycott of the zionist entity and its supporters.

Gaza and its resistance will not be broken, despite all attempts by the occupation and its allies to eliminate it. Resistance continues, the Palestinian people will never surrender, and Netanyahu and his fascist government will inevitably fall, just as all tyrants and criminals throughout history have fallen.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Central Media Department

March 18, 2025

*******************************************************************************************************\*

Hamas

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

A call to our nation and the free people of the world to renew and escalate the solidarity movement with Gaza in condemnation of the occupation's resumption of aggression and genocide war against the Palestinian people.

In light of the fascist occupation government's resumption of its barbaric aggression and genocide war against our people in the Gaza Strip, its reversal of the ceasefire agreement, its disregard for international positions rejecting the continuation of its crimes, and its violation of all human norms, values, and divine laws during the holy month of Ramadan, we, in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), call upon the masses of our Arab and Islamic nation and the free people of the world to continue and escalate all forms of solidarity movements and activities denouncing the resumption of the criminal Netanyahu and his extremist government's aggression against the Gaza Strip. We call for pressure to be exerted on the occupation and the American administration that supports it to halt this aggression. This can be achieved through the following:

First: Solidarity marches and activities in cities and capitals around the world, and to raise our voices loudly to reject this zionist aggression and condemning the crimes of the occupation and American support for this aggressive war.

Second: Mass participation in the siege of the occupation embassies and American embassies around the world, and pressure by all means to halt the aggression and the ongoing genocide war against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Third: Raising the Palestinian flags and mobilizing all energies and means in support of the legitimate rights of our Palestinian people to a dignified life on their land, ending the unjust siege, and achieving freedom and independence.

Let us unite all efforts at the Arab, Islamic, and international levels, and be one voice against the aggression of the zionist occupation and the genocide war it is waging against more than two million Palestinians. Let us put an end to the criminal Netanyahu and his fascist government's disregard for international humanitarian law, international conventions, and humanitarian norms, and let us stop the zionist aggression and genocide war against the Gaza Strip.

Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)

Tuesday: 18 Ramadan 1446 AH

Corresponding to: March 18, 2025 CE

Currently I am in Cuba, visiting Havana and Varadero (just for the beach) and I am very confused by the non-politicalness. Since over a week here and I barely saw any political messages, criticisms of embargo etc. on the streets (graffiti, posters..). Matanzas was an exception, but felt very artificial / government driven with its messages on the houses.

Additionally, the Revolution Museum is closed, the Bacardi building is closed - so we have basically no insight into the results of the revolution and how people perceive it. The Capitolio tour was useless and very neutral and the guide could only recommend the Revolution Museum to get other insights.

Am I doing something wrong? Is the government suppressing such messages to avoid US anger and keep tourist influx? Any tips of experienced ones would be very welcome.

Also, it is really hard as a tourist to understand what this society does differently compared to a purely capitalist one. Sure, I heard it is safer but the buildings look partially really bad. What does the solidarity look like? What are achievements of this society, still present and visible today? (Aside from Libretas which I could see)

Just few more days left and I would be very disappointed if I cannot find a way to get some insights and have to leave like this.

Posted the same question in r/Cuba which was definitely a mistake...

Recently the International Committee to Support the People's War in India (ICSPWI) has called for an intensification of solidarity action against Operation Kagaar. My question is, how can we do this? How do we carry out this struggle. Obviously the details are up to local condition, but what can be some general strategies, and what specific actions might be applicable. Are their weapons factories known to supply the Indian Army? Have certain companies been targeted for boycott, or are there companies that are particularly involved that should be boycotted? Is there a value to protest, and how best do we do that if so? How best can we assist the Indian Masses from outside India? Obviously the defeat of the genocidal operation Kagaar in the final analysis it is up to the Indian masses, partially the Adivasis, and the political line of the CPI (Maoist), but we should still stand in solidarity and provide effective support to the Indian masses.

Hi, I've been trying to find good books about the history of the Japanese occupation of Korea.

Most books I have found talk quite a bit about the Japanese crimes against the Korean people, but few seem to mention much at all about the resistance movements against the occupation within Korea.

Any recommendations?

Basically the title, somebody told me communism worked in Russia and Eastern Europe, but it would not work in a Latin American nation like my motherland (Mexico). This person put many reason many of which I no longer remember, but one was that a system like that would exclude native people and force them to give up lands and to subject to Criollo (white Hispanic) descendants.

Does anyone have any secondary sources (reliable, not CIA-washed of course) on socialist Albania? Literally all i know about it is the split from the USSR and the alliance with the PRC in the 1960s.

Thanks in advance

Been reading a little theory and engaging with politics for the first time over the last few years. However, in discussion and 'debate' with other people my historical knowledge of UK politics and how things have come to be the way they are is lacking completely, so I'm looking for recommendations for books on UK politics amd history, introductory or otherwise.

Thanks

This question comes after a massive twitter fight started by anarchists who argue that teachers are cops because they exist in and have to operate within a system that has a carceral aspect to it. I will admit I am an educator and have a particular bias. I see some of their points and recognize the historic and ongoing systemic inequalities built into our education system. The ableism, the racism, the queer phobia, the prison to school pipeline. All of that. I also understand that education within a capitalist society reigned capitalist imperialism and serves to indoctrinate the masses so as to legitimize settler colonialism. As an educator I can say my actual power begins and ends in the classroom. Teachers generally do not shape the curriculum, we have say in how we teach, not what we teach. From what I know the vast majority of teachers try in vain to advocate for their students and it is a minority that actively seek to inflict violence or call campus security on students. In many cases we buy our own supplies for our students who cannot afford it out of our own paycheck. There is something to be said about the dual edged nature of being a mandated reporter. Key word being mandated. I ask all of this because i have seen anarchists calling teachers "indoctrinates" "groomers" and "Nazis" I have even seen anarchisrs argue that parents are cops, that society is a cop. I apologize if this seems like a sob story but what they have said does leave me perplexed and pausing for thought. If any comrades can help me answer this question, it would be much appreciated.

If so, is it worth a watch? From the impression I was getting it looks very much like a shoujo anime biopic but a review I read said it's more children's TV level theory education and that story and character development were minimal at best, but I'd like other opinions before I devote an afternoon to what might be just a cartoon telling me what I already know

Any marxist fiction authors or something kinda light, i like to read in the mornings and at night but nothing too dense.

We made this because Reddit's algorithm prioritises headlines and current events and doesn't allow for deeper, extended discussion - depending on how it goes for the first four or five times it'll be dropped or continued.

Suggestions for things you might want to comment here (this is a work in progress and we'll change this over time):

• Articles and quotes you want to see discussed
• 'Slow' events - long-term trends, org updates, things that didn't happen recently
• 'Fluff' posts that we usually discourage elsewhere - e.g "How are you feeling today?"
• Discussions continued from other posts once the original post gets buried
• Questions that are too advanced, complicated or obscure for r/communism101

Mods will sometimes sticky things they think are particularly important.

Normal subreddit rules apply!

[ Previous Bi-Weekly Discussion Threads may be found here https://old.reddit.com/r/communism/search?sort=new&restrict_sr=on&q=flair%3AWDT ]

The first upsurge of historical nihilism within the CPSU

The first upsurge of historical nihilism in the CPSU began at the end of the 20th Congress of the CPSU, when Khrushchev gave a four-hour-long “secret speech” entitled “On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences,” which subjected Joseph Stalin to a great “trial,” ruthlessly criticizing his character and cooking up charges against him to obliterate his achievements. Khrushchev’s “secret speech” set a precedent of repudiating the CPSU’s history and rang up the curtain on the first wave of historical nihilism within the CPSU. “In the late 1950s, after Khrushchev consolidated his position as the chief leader of the Party and the government, this fighter against the cult of personality turned around and started his own personality cult.”1 After taking power, Khrushchev became increasingly self-aggrandizing while criticizing Stalin, and a nihilistic campaign against Stalin was launched in the CPSU, with the sacred image of Stalin in people’s hearts completely torn apart. As Chairman Mao commented, “Khrushchev’s secret speech against Stalin not only lifted the lid, which was good, but also stirred the pot, which shocked the whole world.”2 The 20th Congress of the CPSU shook the entire communist movement to its foundations. Anti-communist and anti-socialist political activities emerged at some universities and research institutes, and there were even slogans of “Down with the Communist Party” and “Down with the Soviets” shouted at marches.3 Historical nihilism did not analyze the Stalin model in a dialectical manner and simply equated him with the cult of personality, repression, and concentration camps, even seeing him as a tyrant. In fact, “Soviet people who had firsthand experience of the Stalin era emphatically affirmed Stalin’s great contributions, but they also personally suffered the bitter consequences of his errors in the Great Purge and his insufficiently democratic, even overbearing leadership style.”4

When Leonid Brezhnev came to power, however, he selectively ignored Stalin’s errors and stressed only his achievements, going from one extreme to another. Brezhnev mounted a full defense of Stalin and of the CPSU’s history and did not treat them dialectically. This kind of one-sided assessment of history had exactly the opposite effect, which exacerbated the spread of “de-Stalinization” in theoretical circles. In the later years of the Brezhnev era, the caliber of CPSU members declined, and they became increasingly divorced from the masses. Gripped by unfounded optimism, they announced only good news to the people and withheld negative information. The CPSU grew complacent and became stuck in a rut, its way of thinking gradually hardening. Bureaucracy and dogmatism were the order of the day, and problems such as cadre corruption and the degeneration of the privileged class threatened to spiral out of control.

https://interpret.csis. org/translations/the-symptoms-damages-and-lessons-of-historical-nihilism-in-the-communist-party-of-the-soviet-union/