The 3 Main Stages of Marxism

(NOTE: I know this Community tends to be meme-y at times, I’m a subreddit refugee after we got quarantined, but I’d like to share my interpretations of Marxism)

Stage 1: Capitalism

The stage where the means of production are owned by the bourgeoisie, aka, the capitalist class, a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, if you will. The rights of the proletariat, aka the working class, can depend on the capitalist society but the workers tend to have not a lot of rights (like democratically running a workplace), sure they have some rights here and there but in the grand scheme of things, the capitalists (the minority) who own the means of production are the ones running the show, not the workers (the majority), liberal democracies, tend to be sham democracies at best, and the free market libturds (I’m not ableist) spout about is not really free, it’s more like, a market guarded by a state to preserve the interests of the bourgeoisie. One economic crisis later (which tends to happen often, not just “once in a lifetime”), and capitalist societies can go three ways, recover from the crisis (sometimes, at the expense of lessening the rights of the proletariat) and remain a capitalist society, submit to the far-right and become a fascist state, or the workers with Marxist and/or collectivist ideas will revolt and/or would use violent means if it means they’d get less shitty lives, if successful, it leads to…

Stage 2: Socialism

…the stage where the workers now run the show, aka the dictatorship of the proletariat. The workers are the ones who now own the means of production and run the show. The capitalists aren’t “gone” per se (along with whatever problems that plagued capitalist society), they’re just there, with very diminished power. The DotP state will serve and protect the interests and rights of the workers (the majority), while the capitalists (the minority) while they now have fewer rights (like probably the rights to exploit free labor from backwater countries, underpay their own workers, own slaves or use politicians as puppets for their own interests) and less good lives (as in they now have fewer mansions to purchase with their “hard-earned” immense wealth, OH NO! /scathing sarcasm), at least socialism is a “good lives for all” kinda system while capitalism is a “great lives for a small few, while everyone else has (at best), semi-ok lives.” kind of society, since even the bourgeoise, in a socialist society, get at least semi-decent lives, just heavily regulated, restricted and monitored by the DotP.

Stage 3: Communism

The most interpretive stage of Marxism. Basically, the state is no longer needed (mostly because of outside aggressors being either outright eliminated, usually from the inside, or just too weak to give a shit about) and the state will wither away, the idea of two classes of capitalists and workers, will be kapooted, gone, no longer needed, and the concept of “money” will no longer be used (or some other form of currency or wealth expense will be used). Organization will still probably exist in communist society since a state no longer needed doesn’t equal ppl are no longer organized, but hey, at least it’s better than what the anarchists are doing (why are you skipping stage 2 of marxism, anar-children? if you even read Karl Marx and other books from Marxist authors). Post-socialist, communist society will probably not be “utopian”, but hey, better lives for all is a plus.

Other Stages of Marxism I interpret would exist

Stage 0: Feudalism

Basically, the stage before capitalism, Fun fact: capitalism (or at least liberal capitalism) was the left (wants society’s current system to change into a new system) to feudalism’s right (wants to preserve the current system in place) before capitalism becoming the right to socialism’s left. A social system that existed in medieval Europe in which a lower class called “peasants” worked and fought for a higher class called “nobles” who gave them protection and land in return, feudalism often goes hand-in-hand with monarchy (basically a system where “MuH roiYaL bLOodLiNes” say who leads). If peasants with Marxist and/or collectivist ideas decide to revolt and depose the monarchist and feudalist system, they can, it just often leads to…

Stage 1.5 Establishing a DotP-run Market Economy

Established from a post-feudalist society or an underdeveloped capitalist society, this is the stage between feudalism/capitalism and socialism. Usually happens due to a lack of industry and means of production. The proletariat (if there are any in post-feudal society) and peasants (if post-feudal) would probably work together with their local society’s bourgeoisie in order to establish at least a bit of industry and also possibly some societal and economic progress, despite markets having the capability to make workers’ lives be god-awful it does wonders for societal and economic growth, just look at China.

Stage 2.5: Protect the Society of Outside Aggressors

The in-between stage of socialism and communism. This is why the Dictatorship of the Proletariat exists dudes, to not let outside forces undo all of your work to establish a state that serves the workers just bcuz oF “mUh PrOfIts!” -the bourgeois cucks. The outside forces range from liberal-capitalist and/or conservative-capitalist, to fascist, and even “centrist” (just neoliberal probably), and “social democratic” (just liberalism with welfare under a different name). Protect yourselves my socialist nations from these aggressors with at least a decently good military and defense department.

  • lemmygrabber
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    102 years ago

    What you are describing are stages of the development of the mode of production. Marxism is the use of dialectical and materialism to study the world. Especially understanding class struggle as a major driver of history.

      • Soviet Snake
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        62 years ago

        Although the term you used is wrong I feel like the rest of your understanding is correct, feudalism was needed to achieve capitalism, and capitalism to achieve socialism and so on.

  • Muad'DibberA
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    2 years ago

    There are considerable jumps between modes of production, its not a strictly linear process. These are ripped from Paul Cockshott’s lectures and book, How the World Works:

    Start MoP -> End Examples
    Clan Socialist Mongolia
    Clan Feudal Germany
    Clan Slave West Africa
    Slave Capitalist US
    Feudal Capitalist Western Europe
    Feudal Socialist USSR, China, DPRK, Vietnam, Cuba
    Capitalist Socialist East Germany
    Socialist Capitalist USSR
    Feudal Slave Roman Republic
    Slave Feudal Late Roman Empire (Colonate)

    Note:

    • Marx and Engels wrong abt birthplaces transition.
    • Almost every one of these transitions came through war.
    • The most common socialist transition is not from capitalist -> socialist, but feudal -> socialist