Freedom of press only applies to the wealthy, how do I benefit from it as a worker when all media in my country perpetuates comprador propaganda and I’m too poor to make my own press?
For sure— I’m not saying freedom of press actually exists under capitalism.
My point is that socialism doesn’t have freedom of press either. Censorship and surveillance by the vanguard state (see China, Cuba, historical USSR) is routine.
“Dictatorship of the proletariat”.
Unfortunately, dictatorships do not have a tendency to allow for freedom of press.
The proletariat is the majority in most if not all societies, arguing the dictatorship of the proletariat is undemocratic merely because the word “dictatorship” doesn’t make sense. Democracy is [ideally, not what it is in practice] is a dictatorship of the majority, and the proletariat are the majority, surely you see how saying democracy is undemocratic makes no sense.
States are instruments of oppression weilded by classes, they are all “dictatorships” in the sense that a class oppresses the other; the question in state is, is it the capitalists oppressing the working class, or the other way around
Except in practice it’s not proletarians doing these things, it’s bureaucrats who end up forming their own class and class interests in the name of the proletariat. The average proletariat isn’t actually the one who makes these rules or checks or applies censorships. See China, USSR, Cuba.
There shouldn’t be classes to begin with. Eliminating hierarchies in lieu of anarchism deals with the issue without it being “another dictatorship”
forming their own class and class interests in the name of the proletariat.
That’s not how class works, it’s not like starting a new club. Class is defined by your relationship to production, not some nebulous title like “beauraucrats”
There shouldn’t be classes to begin with.
Genuinely, what is your suggested approach to rectifying this and what real world data is it based on? How do you expect to abolish class without a clear understanding of what creates it? How would a scientist expect to cure a disease without understanding what it is?
That’s the socialist definition of class, that is not how I understand class.
I can decide to understand gravity as a color if I want to, but it doesn’t make me right.
Calling bureaucracy “nebulous” doesn’t invalidate any of the reasoning I provided
I’m calling the term you’re using (beauraucrats) nebulous, because it is, because you haven’t defined it. You haven’t provided any “reasoning”, you’ve just said “I think this happens” with nothing at all to back it up.
Suggested approach: anarchism.
That’s cool, but some of us feel like living in a society that doesn’t get rolled over by a capitalist military whenever they feel like it. Some of us enjoy functional supply chains, too.
I didn’t disregard the importance of understanding class, merely that I disagreed with the reductive socialist definition of class.
Yeah I’m not saying you don’t think it’s important, I’m just saying you don’t understand it. Please tell me what you think is reductive about the definition of class used by the people who have radically transformed multiple feudal societies into world powers, because your own track record does not make a compelling case for abandoning it.
Those words don’t mean anything when they are used to censor. The introduction of censorship allows censors to censor anything, regardless of whether or not it is “capitalist” or not.
There is no way of knowing whether only “capitalist” content is censored or if criticisms that are staunchly and directly against the state (which absolutely deserves its place in any state that doesn’t want to be an echo chamber) are also being censored under the veneer of “capitalism”.
Every government and even every culture practices some degree of control over how we speak and how we exist. Language itself has an impact on this. Despite this fact, it’s possible to recognize proletarian control vs capitalist control.
“Everyone does it!” is literally a logical fallacy.
It’s not even just “some”, you’re minimizing the extent of control here. You cannot have a state held accountable if it systematically suppresses criticism against it.
I’m recognizing the class nature of the state and society. I’m not trying to morally justify anything, but instead point out why it exists, both necessarily and temporarily.
Class society can only be ended through socialism, which means we need the state and all that comes with it until we achieve communism. Even in communism, hierarchy will still exist, as administration plays a necessary role in production and distribution.
Classes can be destroyed and we can build class-less societies without hierarchy in lieu of anarchism.
The whole point of socialism is transitioning to that stage. To get there you need to supress the reactionary classes (bourgeoisie) just like how for them to stay in power they suppress the proletariat. Then they can with time be expropriated and proletarianised until their is only one class the proletariat and class antagonisms cease to be. Pressing the magic communism worldwide class destruction 9000 button isn’t an option no matter how much you wish for it.
Freedom of press only applies to the wealthy, how do I benefit from it as a worker when all media in my country perpetuates comprador propaganda and I’m too poor to make my own press?
For sure— I’m not saying freedom of press actually exists under capitalism.
My point is that socialism doesn’t have freedom of press either. Censorship and surveillance by the vanguard state (see China, Cuba, historical USSR) is routine.
“Dictatorship of the proletariat”. Unfortunately, dictatorships do not have a tendency to allow for freedom of press.
The proletariat is the majority in most if not all societies, arguing the dictatorship of the proletariat is undemocratic merely because the word “dictatorship” doesn’t make sense. Democracy is [ideally, not what it is in practice] is a dictatorship of the majority, and the proletariat are the majority, surely you see how saying democracy is undemocratic makes no sense.
States are instruments of oppression weilded by classes, they are all “dictatorships” in the sense that a class oppresses the other; the question in state is, is it the capitalists oppressing the working class, or the other way around
Except in practice it’s not proletarians doing these things, it’s bureaucrats who end up forming their own class and class interests in the name of the proletariat. The average proletariat isn’t actually the one who makes these rules or checks or applies censorships. See China, USSR, Cuba.
There shouldn’t be classes to begin with. Eliminating hierarchies in lieu of anarchism deals with the issue without it being “another dictatorship”
That’s not how class works, it’s not like starting a new club. Class is defined by your relationship to production, not some nebulous title like “beauraucrats”
Genuinely, what is your suggested approach to rectifying this and what real world data is it based on? How do you expect to abolish class without a clear understanding of what creates it? How would a scientist expect to cure a disease without understanding what it is?
That’s the socialist definition of class, that is not how I understand class.
I didn’t say it’s like “starting a new club”.
Calling bureaucracy “nebulous” doesn’t invalidate any of the reasoning I provided.
Suggested approach: anarchism.
I didn’t disregard the importance of understanding class, merely that I disagreed with the reductive socialist definition of class.
I can decide to understand gravity as a color if I want to, but it doesn’t make me right.
I’m calling the term you’re using (beauraucrats) nebulous, because it is, because you haven’t defined it. You haven’t provided any “reasoning”, you’ve just said “I think this happens” with nothing at all to back it up.
That’s cool, but some of us feel like living in a society that doesn’t get rolled over by a capitalist military whenever they feel like it. Some of us enjoy functional supply chains, too.
Yeah I’m not saying you don’t think it’s important, I’m just saying you don’t understand it. Please tell me what you think is reductive about the definition of class used by the people who have radically transformed multiple feudal societies into world powers, because your own track record does not make a compelling case for abandoning it.
Dictatorship of the proletariat means democracy for the proletariat, dictatorship against capitalists.
Those words don’t mean anything when they are used to censor. The introduction of censorship allows censors to censor anything, regardless of whether or not it is “capitalist” or not.
There is no way of knowing whether only “capitalist” content is censored or if criticisms that are staunchly and directly against the state (which absolutely deserves its place in any state that doesn’t want to be an echo chamber) are also being censored under the veneer of “capitalism”.
Every government and even every culture practices some degree of control over how we speak and how we exist. Language itself has an impact on this. Despite this fact, it’s possible to recognize proletarian control vs capitalist control.
“Everyone does it!” is literally a logical fallacy.
It’s not even just “some”, you’re minimizing the extent of control here. You cannot have a state held accountable if it systematically suppresses criticism against it.
No it’s an accurate representation of class society and what it necessitates
I’m recognizing the class nature of the state and society. I’m not trying to morally justify anything, but instead point out why it exists, both necessarily and temporarily.
It does come off as you defending it when you don’t consider it bad or criticize the idea, and instead assert for it.
We can do better. Just because everyone does it, doesn’t mean we can’t do better.
Classes can be destroyed and we can build class-less societies without hierarchy in lieu of anarchism.
Class society can only be ended through socialism, which means we need the state and all that comes with it until we achieve communism. Even in communism, hierarchy will still exist, as administration plays a necessary role in production and distribution.
The whole point of socialism is transitioning to that stage. To get there you need to supress the reactionary classes (bourgeoisie) just like how for them to stay in power they suppress the proletariat. Then they can with time be expropriated and proletarianised until their is only one class the proletariat and class antagonisms cease to be. Pressing the magic communism worldwide class destruction 9000 button isn’t an option no matter how much you wish for it.