Greetings Comrades
This thread is for the discussion of any and all left-wing political ideology, including, but not limited to, Marxism/Socialism/Communism/Anarchism/Syndicalism/etc.
>Socialism is an economic and social system defined by social ownership of the means of production. (Workers democratically own and operate the places in which they work, as opposed to private power aka capitalism)
>The means of production are non-human inputs the create economic value, such as factories, workplaces, industrial machinery, etc. Socialists refer to the means of production as capital, or private property. Private property in the socialist context shouldn't be confused with personal property, such as your home, car, computer, and other possessions.
>In a capitalist society the means of production are owned and controlled privately, by those that can afford them (the capitalist aka those with capital). Production is carried out to benefit the capitalist (production for profit). Workers are paid a wage, and receive that amount regardless of how much value they produce.
>Communism is the highest developed stage of socialism wherein there is no state, no money, no class system. The means of production are owned by all and provide for everyone's needs.
Resources:
ABC's of Socialism: s3.jacobinmag.com
Introduction to Marxism by Professor Richard D. Wolff: [YouTube] Crisis and Openings: Introduction to Marxism - Richard D Wolff (embed)
Selections of Left-wing Literature:
Anarchist:
theanarchistlibrary.org
Libertarian:
Mikhail Bakunin - God and the State (short read)
Thomas Paine - Agrarian Justice
Noam Chomsky - Notes on Anarchism
Anton Pannekoek - Worker's Councils
Marxist-Leninist:
marxists.org
marxists.org
