Note: This is the Socialist Only section.
I'm curious whether any of the socialists on RF identify with Marxism or incorporate elements from it into their worldview.
Personally, I've encountered some Marxist ideas that I find highly reasonable and useful, but I'm not deeply familiar with Marxism and consequently don't identify as a Marxist. I definitely think Marxism in general has too often been misrepresented in different media as a bogeyman and as synonymous with Stalinism and other oppressive ideologies, though.
I don't really identify as "Marxist" either, although I would concede that many of my political and economic views would put me in the same general vicinity on the political spectrum.
Historically, Marx may have had an influence on multiple countries, although different political factions seemed to have different reactions to the overall problems which Marx outlined. In the Western democracies, the growth of labor movements led to more reform-minded governments which brought about incremental changes. However, in the less democratic countries characterized by aristocratic rule by the wealthy, they used more draconian measures against liberal reformers, labor leaders, and others who advocated more peaceful changes. Thus, the only remaining voices of dissent came from underground and more revolutionary factions ensued.
Revolutionary movements may have nudged the effete Western aristocracies to move towards more liberal reforms, and that may have made the bourgeois capitalists appear more benign and benevolent, making many of Marx's ideas somewhat irrelevant in the West (at least in many people's eyes). They may have figured that sharing
some of the wealth was a better plan than stubbornly digging in and risk losing all of it (as what happened to the Russian aristocracy after 1917).
Of course, a lot has happened in the intervening years, with two world wars, cold war, end of European colonialism, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union - all of this puts a different perspective on Marxism and socialism in general. China and Russia seem to be heading in a more nationalistic direction these days, while America's direction seems unclear or in a state of flux. We could go either way at this point. The countries of Europe also seem unsure of which direction to go, although there are a few which also appear to be embracing nationalism more readily.
However, I think Marxists and other socialists of today might be concerned about the direction global capitalism is taking and might look at it more on a global level. There are also valid concerns about the weakening of the labor movement and the decline of labor unions. Strong resistance from big business prevents any kind of reform in the sectors of healthcare or housing.
There appears to be strong indication that the capitalists of today are far less cooperative and amenable to economic reforms than they might have been 50-75 years ago. By going against unions, pushing for deregulation, and removal of trade barriers to allow outsourcing, there was a certain tone of bitterness and scorn towards the common people. In the past several decades, we've seen mostly economic stagnation, along with a slow squeeze on the middle class as the ruling class continues to tighten the screws.
This may be why there could be a resurgence in socialism, along with perhaps an updated version of Marxism looking at the world as it is today, both in the developed and the developing world.
If the capitalists had merely gone along with the Keynesian system which led to the greatest period of economic boom in history, then none of them would have to worry about all those pesky socialists today. America had a good thing going, but for whatever reason, Reagan and his ilk didn't like Keynes and instead became enamored with the "trickle down theory." It wasn't for any particular
practical reason, as we were still a capitalist society with a free market. They were just upset that the rich weren't rich enough and that the poor weren't poor enough. It somehow offended their sensibilities, so that's why they shifted America's economic system to the **** show we have now.
