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I Love History

One hundred years ago today, the most audacious revolution in history took place in Russia. Vladimir Lenin and his Bolsheviks imagined a world completely remade, on the principles of justice, equality, and solidarity. They imagined a world where everyone works together for the common good, free from the class divisions that tore Russia apart, and continue to tear the world apart. The workers would no longer have to obey their bosses, women would not have to obey their husbands, and everyone would live in true freedom and equality.

They imagined a state that was controlled by the common workers, not the powerful property owning elite.

Regardless of what happened next, and why, we can say that largely in the hundred years since, the dream itself has been destroyed. [i]Today we are taught that we cannot imagine a new form of society, only make minor, superficial changes to what we have[/i]. But what is life without a dream? When we awake from a beautiful dream, to the harsh reality of the world, do we vow to never dream again?

Oh, and also, let's not put Stalin in charge next time.
Abstraction · 61-69, M
I think social democracies moved in the right direction, but most couldn't compete with the unfettered capitalism of the last 30-40 years in the global environment. 9 of the top ten countries on the human development index are social democracies. Most have gone a little backwards I think more recently.
But to your point, I like the recent discussions about moving away from our consumerism-based society that requires constant growth and now has global proportion impact on the light blue dot in space that is simply teeming with life in a fragile balance.
firefall · 61-69, M
@Abstraction I don't think the problem with social democracies is they cant compete with unfettered capitalism, as much as they can't compete with an overarching superpower which is controlled by rampant capitalists determined to crush dissent everywhere.
Abstraction · 61-69, M
But they do compete. They do much better than rampant capitalist countries. Evidence is now clear that economies that neglect their own poor, suffer.
Peaches · F
Yes!😌As Martin Luther King once said...."I had a dream." Great post. ⭐
hunkalove · 61-69, M
Mostly what they imagined was what every politician imagines, a world where they can tell everyone else what to do and they can live the easy life. Communism is a great ideal, but it could never work.
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firefall · 61-69, M
@hunkalove I agree, Communism has been pretty comprehensively shown not to work. But because their attempted solution didnt work, doesn't make the problem they were trying to address less real, or less in need of a solution.
firefall · 61-69, M
@Longpatrol90 and are no longer remotely Communist, except as a figleaf
greenmountaingal · 70-79, F
I like your last suggestion. My mother's hero was Joe Stalin. For the ugly details, you can read my Featured story under my profile. The dedicated Stalinists of the old US Communist Party ruined my life.
Abstraction · 61-69, M
@greenmountaingal Was she ever disillusioned when she discovered the truth of what he had done?
greenmountaingal · 70-79, F
@Abstraction I don't think so. My mother defended Joseph Stalin decades after the Khrushchev speech. And I think she admired all the things about Stalin that most of us hate. Lenin said that after a socialist revolution, a strong leader must terrorize the people for at least one generation. Otherwise, counter revoltionary forces will defeat the new socialist regime. That's what Stalin was doing. My mother, a dedicated Marxist-Leninist, agreed with his leadership and policies.
NewKidInTown · 51-55, M
Unfortunately, human nature steps in and ruin everything.
Velvety · F
So nice to read about someone really taking History seriously...

 
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