Karl Marx, who WAS a Russian
Umm . . . Emily? . . . He was PRussian.
Oh. Nevermind.
Posted on 04/25/2007 12:43:39 PM PDT by pabianice
In response to Mr. Cadorette in the "No More Marxists" section of the Winter 2007 publication, I cannot help but to disagree. The first thing that Mr. Cadorette has to understand is the his personal definition of Marxism is very far from the actual meaning. First of all, Marxism is NOT the same as the Socialism exhibited by the USSR. The economic system attempted by the Soviets after the Bolchevik Revolution of 1914 was not so much Marxism (although it was Karl Marx, who WAS a Russian who is the father of Marxism) as it was Socialism. Furthermore, what the Soviets paraded around as socialism, was really just a form of frustrated capitalism, or in other words, a state capitalism. Joseph Stalin and his actions against his people in the USSR were a result of Stalin's own thirst for power and control, not the "leftist" school of thought called Marxism, or the much more accurate title of State Capitalism for that matter.
"The only places Marxism is relevant is in the rarefied air of academia and the dictatorships where human rights don't matter." Mr. Cadorette, this statement is as ignorant as your analogies. Marxism is a form of Socialism, which stresses that the work performed by people is to be equally compensated back to the worker. For instance, a worker produces 10 dollars worth of a particular commodity; that same worker receives 10 dollars for his work. This is to say that Marxism preaches the equality between all members of a society (which cannot be said for capitalism). How many people in our own capitalist society just sit around in a boardroom making millions of dollars, while workers are continually getting laid off in efforts to cut costs, and subsequently, increase profits. This system is unfair to the worker.
Furthermore, your remark of Marxism and dictatorships is an oxymoron. The very first idea that Marxism teaches is that there is only one class of person in a Marxist society, the worker. It is the worker who produces the commodity, it is the worker who determines how much to produce, it is the worker who dictates what its value is. There is no dictator or prime minister in a Marxist society. At worst (as in Stalin's state capitalism), it is a worker vanguard who takes the place of the dictator or prime minister. This means one of two things: either your definition of Marxism is wrong or that whatever dictatorship your referring to was wrongly labeled Marxism.. both choices seem very plausible.
Furthermore, exposure to different ideas and beliefs is certainly what makes college fun and interesting, but more importantly, different ideas and beliefs are what broadens our knowledge, and makes college what it is. Your assumption that Marxism is harmful is harmful in and of itself. I feel the only reason you feel Marxism is harmful is because you know only as much as the mass media is willing to tell you.
Again, I want to stress that Marxism is not a murderer, it is not the failed ideology of some Soviet madman. It is not a dictatorship with no regard to human rights, it is NOT like hiring a gardener to work at a parking garage. Marxism is an alternative perspective when trying to understand how modern societies work. Not to mention, your darling Capitalism has even adopted certain Socialist systems to make up for it's own shortcomings. Therefore, I think it is more important than ever before that more schools and more people study and understand the different schools of thought, whether it be the age old debate between capitalism and socialism, or the debate between evolution and creationism.
I applaud the UMass Amherst economics department for supporting the expansion of knowledge rather than trying to eliminate it. College is about being open- minded and experiencing things you've never experienced before. It's about learning new ideas that you would have never known about otherwise, as well as meeting people from around the world who may and will change your outlook on life and the world in general. Richard Lee ’07 Easton, MA
I’d wager that Dick Lee, ‘07, couldn’t find his ass with both hands.
Just more “the soviets just didn’t do it right” blather.
Why would his secret police have gone through the trouble of killing all those Menshevik Socialists if the Bolsheviks were Socialist?
Karl Marx, who WAS a Russian
Umm . . . Emily? . . . He was PRussian.
Oh. Nevermind.
What a hoot!
[And he thinks Karl Marx was a Russian!]
I’d also be willing to bet Mr Marxist has never lived among Marxists.
The Soviets were capitalists!! LOL! That’s ok, Dickie, we all know UM-Amherst is in a mind of its own.
Bingo
Marx WAS German, not Russian, and Marxism WAS installed in Russia after the Revolution...but was quickly modified because Marxism turned out to be idiodic. The lesson to be learned is that Marxism will ALWAYS become Stalinism, just by human nature alone.
I don’t know which is worse...his knowledge of history or his grammar.
Ping for later.
ROFLMAO!! There are so many howlers in that rant...... where to begin. This clown is so completely ignorant of history, economics, philosophy, human nature..... most laughably, he knows nothing of actual Marxist texts and movements, just a few worthless catch-phrases. Pitiful.
Karl Marx, who WAS a Russian
I would expect a Marxist to at least get the facts of his own ideology straight. LOL.
jack Bauer would just whack him!
“The only places Marxism is relevant is in the rarefied air of academia and the dictatorships where human rights don’t matter.” Mr. Cadorette, this statement is as ignorant as your analogies
Huh. Guess I must be as ignorant as “Mr. Cadorette” because I agree with his quote above completely.
College senior who can’t spell “Bolshevik”, even though he is one. Great publicity for the school. I’ll bet this guy has been in college for at least 8 years.
Richard Lee ‘07: please go back to school. Karl Marx was a German. If you can’t get that fact right, everything you say is suspect.
It's only the first maxim of Marxism.
FROM EACH ACCORDING TO HIS ABILITY, TO EACH ACCORDING TO HIS NEED.
I don't see anything about this "need" compensation coming from effort or ability. So you produce 10 dollars in widgets because you can, and you will be doled out $8 because that is enough to buy single sheet toilet paper squares to last awhile. Those $2 will go to those who are unable to produce at the same level. You need to learn to do more with less.
Got to admit they're both pretty bad.
I think George Orwell said: Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals can believe them. Marxism is a great example of that.
Marx was not a Russian, he was a German living in England, and he predicted revolution was impossible in Russia.
Marx does not renounce dictatorship, in fact, he endorses it.
Mr. Lee needs a refund.
Again, I want to stress that Marxism is not a murderer, it is not the failed ideology of some Soviet madman. It is not a dictatorship with no regard to human rights, it is NOT like hiring a gardener to work at a parking garage. Marxism is an alternative perspective when trying to understand how modern societies work...
I don't care what Marxism "isn't". Here is why Marxism is a bad idea to teach as economic policy in college. It is seditious. It is incompatible with our constitutional form of goverment which limits the powers of government, and protects the rights of the individual.
What human rights are there when you cannot stand as an individual? The State does not control the wealth.
Richard Lee,
Your desire to stand alone as a “worker” is admirable. Go make something and get your fair wage for your widget.
P.S. Do not ask us capitalists for any capital or a subsidy from the “oppressive capitalist government.” Dig the ore, make the iron, and use your big Red Hammer to make your big Red Sickle so that you can then go cut down some oats (planted by you) that you can grind for your gruel dinner. When you are done whining about having to work like a bednyak you can come beg us mean old capitalists for a job with a realistic wage.
Damn, I hate a commie fag college boy!
Hopefully the poor grammar will prevent him from spreading his bad history to others.
I hope we have an Amherst grad that wants our input in a response. I don’t imagine general letters will be published in reply, but a alumni letter with copies to the alumni association would have a good chance.
Karl Marx was the dull and unfunny Marx brother who was dumped from the comedy troupe—leading the rest of the brothers (Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Zeppo & Gummo) to a long and successful career in the movies.
Bitter and spiteful, Karl turned to politics and prescribed mass murder as a guiding tool for creating a communist utopia.
Bolchevik Revolution of 1914
I just love Jack. He sets it all to rights. No more BS, or you die!
What would I do without you mainepatsfan?
LOL
what a bunch of garbage; poo poo; fiddlesticks; rot; blather; nonsense; bugaboo; prairie pancakes; pseudo-intellectual claptrap; rotgut; not to mention bullsh%t.
tke your darling marxism to the bank of history and find the account closed. you would have to find out the names of all those murdered by marxist “lovers of the human race”
to make any withdrawals. since “compassionate” marxists have always committed thier murders in secret you’ll have to find witnesses, of which there are none. bugger off.
The Soviets are to the right of where this loon wants to live politically.
God, I remember being young and knowing everything. It felt so damn comfortable.
Of course he considers them capitalists.
The Soviet Union was riddled with corruption. Corruption caused by people in positions of power abusing those positions to serve their own self interests to the detriment of others.
That is a Marxist's definition of capitalism.
The hold the concept of Marxism as something pure that others have corrupted, and blame it's failure not on their version of Marxism being unattainable, but on people corrupting it with what they call capitalism.
While they ignore human nature when considering the viability of Marxism, they do not give the same considerations to capitalism, but instead attribute all the undesirable parts of human nature to capitalism.
They don't use the same criteria when considering if capitalism is fair as they do with Marxism. They assume that the worker will set a fair price for what they produce. However, they somehow feel it is impossible for a producer and consumer to determine a fair price between them. The worker must be allowed to dictate the price or it is somehow unfair.
These academic Marxists are hypocritical and intellectually dishonest. The are delusional fanatics, and Marxism is their religion.
Reminds me of the global warming nutcases....
There is no defense of Marxism. It’s indefensible. Any attempt to do so is intellectual masturbation.
David Horowitz, please pick up the nearest white courtesy phone.
Duh! Karl was the one taking the picture. ;)
Why are you so down on this brilliant young academic mind?
Whats Mr. Lee’s name again?
Oh,its Richard.But he prefers Dick!
Oh, this is just too funny.
This guy wanted to publish an “intellectual” diatribe and ended-up with an argument on why one shouldn’t attend UM-Amherst.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.