I have been challenged in my critical support of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine by Lenin who during the First World War said it was foolish to support Germany against Russia or vice versa, and that the people should seek revolution regardless.
This is written in The Defeat of One’s Own Government in the Imperialist War
The phrase-bandying Trotsky has completely lost his bearings on a simple issue. It seems to him that to desire Russia’s defeat means desiring the victory of Germany.
In all imperialist countries the proletariat must now desire the defeat of its own government. Bukvoyed and Trotsky preferred to avoid this truth
The main source of surplus value in the 21st century, is global south workers creating consumer products for imperial-core countries, being paid wages from the 18th century, while working with tools and factories from the 21st century. These superprofits feed not only the capitalists of the imperial-core countries, but their welfare states, and general populations too (possible because there are many more global south workers for every imperial-core citizen).
Russia is not an imperial core nation: it is not in the OECD, it is not involved in wealth extraction based on monopsonist buying power, its not protected by the US military and its dollar hegemony, and its wages are nowwhere even close to imperial-core ones. The question should be asked: who is Russia imperializing / stealing from?
Many here are committing the childish error of equating all capitalist nations as being equal. No: there are a small number of imperial-core capitalist nations, looting and stealing from a much larger number of poorer nations.
The “defeat of one’s own government” applies to the imperial core, not to nations struggling to survive against neoliberal globalization.
Ppl here need to read John Smith - Imperialism in the 21st century, which is essentially the update to Lenin’s Imperialism.
Thanks for suggesting the reading.
Here’s a free copy of the book for you comrades! Keep informed.
Yeah comrade, the stuff they don’t tell you about JS Mill in uni. Give me that pure, uncut shit!
russia would be exploiting its own people obviously, especially the ethnic minority areas that vote heavily communist to this day because of that exploitation
obviously a country that exploits its own people and not other countries is still better™️ but there are better things to aspire to