this post was submitted on 05 May 2025
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Lefty Memes

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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of the "ML" influence of instances like lemmy.ml and lemmygrad. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.

Serious posts, news, and discussion go in c/Socialism.

If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.

Please don't forget to help keep this community clean by reporting rule violations, updooting good contributions and downdooting those of low-quality!

Rules

Version without spoilers

0. Only post socialist memes


That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme)


0.5 [Provisional Rule] Use alt text or image descriptions to allow greater accessibility


We require alternative text (from now referred to as "alt text") to be added to all posts/comments containing media, such as images, animated GIFs, videos, audio files, and custom emojis.
EDIT: For files you share in the comments, a simple summary should be enough if they’re too complex.

We are committed to social equity and to reducing barriers of entry, including (digital) communication and culture. It takes each of us only a few moments to make a whole world of content (more) accessible to a bunch of folks.

When alt text is absent, a reminder will be issued. If you don't add the missing alt text within 48 hours, the post will be removed. No hard feelings.


1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here


Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.


2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such


That means condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.


3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries.


That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" seen on lemmygrad and more specifically GenZedong (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).


4. No Bigotry.


The only dangerous minority is the rich.


5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.

(if you are reading the rules to apply for modding this community, mention "Mantic Minotaur" when answering question 2)


6. Don't idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.



  1. Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:

founded 2 years ago
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/29626672

On May 5th, 1818, Karl Marx, hero of the international proletatiat, was born. His revolution of Socialist theory reverberates throughout the world carries on to this day, in increasing magnitude. Every passing day, he is vindicated. His analysis of Capitalism, development of the theory of Scientific Socialism, and advancements on dialectics to become Dialectical Materialism, have all played a key role in the past century, and have remained ever-more relevant throughout.

He didn't always rock his famous beard, when he was younger he was clean shaven!

Some significant works:

Economic & Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844

The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte

The Civil War in France

Wage Labor & Capital

Wages, Price, and Profit

Critique of the Gotha Programme

Manifesto of the Communist Party (along with Engels)

The Poverty of Philosophy

And, of course, Capital Vol I-III

Interested in Marxism-Leninism, but don't know where to start? Check out my "Read Theory, Darn it!" introductory reading list!

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[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 0 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You couldn't buy land in feudal times.

In the medieval book, The Aristocracy in the County of Champagne, 1100-1300 (2007), Theodore Evergates dedicates an entire section to 'The Market in Fiefs'

Land was bought and sold all the time by lords.

The industrial revolution lead to a stark, tangible decrease in living conditions for the proletariat/former serfs. That's just a historical fact.

The serfs left the farm because for all its hardships, it was better. They could have gone back but didn't. The bigger factor reducing quality of life was population growth.

[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In the medieval book, The Aristocracy in the County of Champagne, 1100-1300 (2007), Theodore Evergates dedicates an entire section to 'The Market in Fiefs'

So... where were the medieval capitalists? O.o

The serfs left the farm because for all its hardships, it was better. They could have gone back but didn't.

Nope, the enclosure of the commons prohibited the serfs to come back. If living conditions were so much better in the proletariat, the conditions wouldn't have led to several revolutions.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

So... where were the medieval capitalists?

??? You said there was no land sale. I proved that wrong with a cited source. The end.

Nope, the enclosure of the commons prohibited the serfs to come back.

Farmers ceased to exist? Enclosure riots started in 1530, 200 years before the industrial revolution.

If living conditions were so much better

The desire for progress today doesn't mean the past was better. Did the civil rights riots of the 1960's mean that slavery was better?

[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I can admit that I'm not enough of a history nerd to disprove you. I'm pretty sure Karl Marx uas, though.

But yeah, if you say so: Capitalism is as old as humanity. From way back when people invented money to make barter easier, which never happend. Sure thing, bra. /s

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

But yeah, if you say so: Capitalism is as old as humanity

Come on man, I only said I saw a Lord owning the means of production as the same as a businessman owning the means of production.