On Maoism

From my Facebook post on Advocates of Communism, discussion on China: Admittedly, I have studied China's incursion into "socialism" little, but I have been trying to learn more lately. The first thing that is notable is how un-Marxist Mao was. According to James Gregor in "Marxism, China and Development" Mao discouraged reading and as a result had read very little Marx. "In his candor, he admitted that at the time of joining the Communist party he had read only parts of the Communist Manifesto, a book by Karl Kautsky, and another by Thomas Kirkup on the history of socialism" (Gregor 2000). Gergor continues to say that he improved on the basis of EXTREMELY limited knowledge of Marx only slightly, having passed over the Thesis on Fuerbach by the late 30s (ibid.) Richard Pfeffer (1977) appears to argue the same (I can't access the entire article on J-Store from my comp) it is Vol. 3, No. 4, 379-386. In regards to Deng Xiapeng, he should be seen not solely as a deviation from Maoism but also from Marxism. The central problem with Deng Xiapeng was not that he abandoned Maoism, which was certainly replete with serious problems, serious violations of human rights and Marxist principles. The problem with Deng Xiapeng is that he sought to glorify capitalism and sided with the most reactionary forces of the time, leading China to go so far as invade Vietnam and call for the US to invade Cuba. I think we can and must learn from both the good and bad of all of the socialist experiences.

An awakening

It is long past the time for us to recognize both the urgency and importance of Marx's words.  It is more than the fact that his writings are relevant today.  It is that Marx had put the emancipation of the working class center stage and all of the worlds exploited.  It is not only analysis that is necessary, but action.  What good to the world do we accomplish, if we do not advocate and fight to not only end a system which leads to the impoverishment of the majority of the world's population, the enslavement of the productive forces to feed an insatiable war machine, and glorifies selfishness- but also work to understand the methods to develop a true and profound socialism.  

This socialism must be supported by a profound awakening in the working classes around the globe, and to those who are firmly allied to this cause.  Capitalism's decadence is self-evident.  The myth of the worthy rich has been exposed as baseless and its time is expiring.  

We have a choice to stand with those who are downtrodden the world over- in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the un-liberated places remaining in Latin America.  We have the duty to deepen our knowledge and to transform the tools of society from servants of commodity fetichism to servants of all mankind.