A Few Minor Revisions of the ABC's of Communism, Thoroughly Up-dated New and Improved by Joe Sims and Joel Wendland, Andy Taylor, April 06, 2010

SEE also: "Growing Discomfort", Written by Anthony Collingwood, Marxism-Leninism Today, 04 April, 2010


1. In an article by Joe Sims, publisher of the CPUSA's theoretical journal "Political Affairs," entitled "Ten Worst and Best Ideas of Marxism" on the PA editor's blog (http://paeditorsblog.blogspot.com/) Joe wrote:

D is for "'Dictatorship of the proletariat".' Joe Sims says "Probably the worst phrase uttered by a political theorist ever. Who wants to live in a dictatorship?" Even if I agreed with it conceptually, (which I don't), the Machiavellian in me has enough sense not to repeat it. Indefensible.


Comment: Joe does not understand the basic Marxist idea that ALL class-rule -- by Capitalist Corporations or by the Working-class Majority is a dictatorship,,,

H is for Hegemony. Joe Sims says "And by the way, working-class "hegemony" (whatever the hell that means, sorry Gramscians), ain't much better." [#1 "worst" from first article]


Comment: So Joe Sims leaves no room for Working Class power and Socialist Revolution? What is the name of the Party Joe belongs to ?


S is for Socialism and the Comintern pledge to defend the USSR. Joe Sims says The idea of "Defending Socialism" by detachments outside of those countries attempting to build it led to some of the biggest quagmires and mistakes of the 20th century." [#5 "worst" from first article]

Comment: Hell yeah! How boorish and ULTRA-LEFT in the first years of Soviet Power for Communists to defend the first Socialist state!


M is for Marxism. Joe Sims says "Marxism, Marxism-Leninism." "Very bad idea to name a scientific world-view after individuals. Way too subjective and besides too many bad stories and nightmares associated with it. And, not very working-class sounding: too many syllables and hyphens. Replace it with "scientific socialism" or the "socialist and communist idea." [#7 "worst" from first article]


M is for Marxism-Leninism. Joe says...O crap! See the above...


COMMENT: Yes, very astute,so "scientific socialism" and the "socialist and communist idea" are novel terms coined by Joe? But if the names Marx and Lenin are thrown overboard how will The Communist Party USA trust people like Joe to stay rooted to the specific ideas and Movement of Marx and Lenin "

O is for " all for one, one for all. Joe Sims says of democratic centralism "How about substituting, all for one, one for all!" "That's the spirit!" Joe cheers! Whoopee! [#1 "worst" from third article]


Comment: Democratic Centralism is so effectually signified by The Motto of the Three Musketeers!

L is for Leading Role of the Communist Party. Joe Sims says of the concept that Marxist theory is brought into the working-class movement from outside: "Lenin's dictum, while perhaps historically true has been made obsolete by public education and emergence of Communist parties and working class intellectuals." Response.....Drum-roll! [#9 "worst" from third article]


2. In another post on the same PA Editor's blog, Joel Wendland, the managing editor of Political Affairs, writes the following in an article "Confessions of a post-Cold War communist." He writes:

D is for "'Dictatorship of the proletariat""... Joel Wendland whines, "concepts like 'dictatorship of the proletariat,'
'socialism in one country,'
'art as a weapon,'
single-party states,
vanguard party,
and the naming of ideas and political movements after men
HAVE ALL SEEMED OUTRAGEOUS AND MORE OR LESS IRRELEVANT TO ME – indeed a LITTLE ANTI-COMMUNIST".
Joel continues as vexed as a wet hen: For crying out loud, who would spread this silly nonsense as serious communist ideas unless they wanted the rest of the world to view us as out of date, ridiculous, and obsessed with ideas only about 12 people are trying to prove as correct based on their religious reading of something Karl Marx or V.I. Lenin once said."

COMMENT: This is theoretical liquidation of the Communist Party pure and unadorned.

P is for post-Communist. Joel Wendland says "I have to profess that I am happy that I am a post-Cold War communist. I missed the little Lenin readers, the ABC's of whatever, inculcations in the mistaken and irresponsible claims about vanguardism, religious references to famous Marxists as evidence of righteousness and correctness, and indoctrinations in Stalinism..."

COMMENT: You are irreproachably a post-Cold War creature, but you have silly, biased and uninformed ideas about what the Communist Movement was like before 1990. Who gave you these misconceptions?

C is for Conspiratorial . Joel Wendland says "I am also glad I missed the conspiratorial style of political action based in ill-advised and silly ideas about a revolutionary core of really radical revolutionaries who hold secret meetings and who really know what's going on, etc....really."

COMMENTARY
1. Do you smell Rotten Elements?
2."Now we know our ABC's/ Next time, won't you sing with me?"
3. Draw the Curtains, the farce is played out!