this post was submitted on 31 Aug 2024
229 points (87.5% liked)

Memes

45734 readers
495 users here now

Rules:

  1. Be civil and nice.
  2. Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Advertising can be controlled, and the US is more the exception rather than the rule.

Not in a Capitalist dictatorship. You can't vibe beneficial policies into place.

Because of first past the post. Ranked choice would help greatly.

You cannot vibe policies into place.

I think the average opinion is between the two parties. So a socialist revolution would be against a democratic consensus. That means you wouldn't be able to set up a democracy post revolution, because it would be unpopular.

There can be no revolution without the support of the masses, are you talking about a coup? Who suggested that?

Plus getting rid of the checks and balances is really dangerous in letting people like Stallin, Mau, or Kim Il weasel their way into power and consolidate it to stay there.

Nobody argued against checks and balances, but against a Capitalist state designed to not fulfill the will of the masses.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works -1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Most democracies around the world have ranked choice or similar voting systems. Similarly, most have strict regulations on what campaign contributions can be used for. Those did come about by 'vibing' (as you call it) rather than revolution.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Those systems were put in place after revolutionary pressure as concessions.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works -1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Really? What revolutionary pressure was it Papua New Guinea under in 2008? What revolutionary pressures were on the UK in the 2000s to further regulate campaign finances?

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Concessions were made in the context of struggle.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Concessions were made in the context of struggle, ie without concessions there would be more pressure.

Please, read theory.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Could you point me to secularly resources I should read on these revolutions?

But if you're taking about the pressure voters put on elected officials, I'm all for it. But I'd hardly call that a revolution. That's just how the system is designed to work.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I didn't call them revolutions. Please read theory, history books, and my replies.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Sure then, give scholarly reading advice for revolutionary pressure in those events

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

In the example of Papua New Guinea, there were major dissatisfactions with money's role in politics, and LPV was granted as a concession. Had it not been conceded, the system stood risk of destabilization.

Major beneficial changes do not occur because people agree they are good. Major changes do not occur because the public asks nicely. Major changes occur when the ruling class recognizes the risk to their power if they do not bend, lest they break.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works -1 points 2 months ago

But was that risk to their power from a armed revolution, or from their proponents getting voted out?

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works -2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Do you think a socialist system is the will of the masses?

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works -2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

But until then, a revolution would necessarily be undemocratic.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Please read theory, you're speaking nonsense. No one is advocating for 3 random Communists to overthrow the state by themselves. There can be no revolutionary movement without the support of the masses.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You can absolutely have a revolution without majority support, you just need support of the majority of the power.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Not exactly a revolution then.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works -1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

What'd you call a overthrow of the government with say 30% popular support? A coup?

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Depends. You're very interested in avoiding reading books, so I don't really care to play semantical games with you when you don't know what we are talking about to begin with.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You have suggestions for books? I'm not going to be able to read more than a couple of pages in the middle of this conversation, but maybe after we're done?

My point is I don't think you should be advocating starting revolution till that opinion is close to a majority.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The book I linked in the beginning, Reform or Revolution, goes over the futility of Reform and the necessity of Revolution.

My point is I don't think you should be advocating starting revolution till that opinion is close to a majority.

Nobody is advocating for prematurely trying to force a revolution, that is Adventurism and is looked down upon by Communists. Instead, build up dual power along democratic lines, so that when the contradictions within Capitalism and Imperialism weaken the State, there exists a ready-made organization that can integrate with the working masses. Read The State and Revolution for the strategy for Revolution, specifically.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It seemed like you were suggesting in your original comment that voting was futile and that we needed a revolution instead.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Voting is futile when it comes to enacting positive change, and we do need a revolution to actually enact change, but that doesn't mean we can will a revolution into existence out of thin-air. Revolution is inevitable in Capitalist systems as Capitalism declines out of its necessary contradictions.

It would be great if you would read some of what I have linked.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months ago

So do you think people should vote or not?

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works -3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

A revolution inherently gets rid of the checks and balances. The problem is the time period before new ones are set up.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (25 children)

That's why you set up the org that carries out the revolution in a democratic manner with checks and balances to begin with.

Please read theory.

load more comments (25 replies)