this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2026
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As far as i know, consumption, distribution, and production of it is prohibited. Is the prohibition based on a new proletarian morality/ethic or is there a materialist basis for the complete ban?

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[–] bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml 9 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Above all, prostitution harms the national economy and hinders the further development of the productive forces. We know that we can only overcome chaos and improve industry if we harness the efforts and energies of the workers and if we organise the available labour power of both men and women in the most rational way. Down with the unproductive labour of housework and child-minding! Make way for work that is organised and productive and serves the work collective! These are the slogans we must take up.

And what, after all, is the professional prostitute? She is a person whose energy is not used for the collective; a person who lives off others, by taking from the rations of others. Can this sort of thing be allowed in a workers’ republic? No, it cannot. It cannot be allowed, because it reduces the reserves of energy and the number of working hands that are creating the national wealth and the general welfare, from the point of view of the national economy the professional prostitute is a labour deserter. For this reason we must ruthlessly oppose prostitution. In the interests of the economy we must start an immediate fight to reduce the number of prostitutes and eliminate prostitution in all its forms. - Alexandra Kollontai

[–] ikilledtheradiostar@hexbear.net 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I don't like this line of logic since it could be used to ban any frivolous activity including non reproductive sex lol

[–] BeautifulSoul34765@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Very interesting.

Prostitution is not compatible with the Soviet workers’ republic for a third reason: it does not contribute to the development and strengthening of the basic class character and of the proletariat and its new morality. What is the fundamental quality of the working class? What is its strongest moral weapon in the struggle? Solidarity and comradeship is the basis of communism. Unless this sense is strongly developed amongst working people, the building of a truly communist society is inconceivable.

The word moral/morality is used 19 times in her essay: https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1921/prostitution.htm

However, from the specific sample you have picked, one wouldn't have known Kollontai's emphasis on a need for "a new morality."

[–] ikilledtheradiostar@hexbear.net 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

People do what they "feel' is "right" all the time and will continue to do so even under Communism. Can't expect every one to do a material analysis every time they're presented with a choice, shaping these feelings of "right" with a materialist education is to instill a type of morality no?

[–] bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 2 days ago

Well i find the materialist point of view of focusing on productive work far more important than her thoughts on a new morality.

[–] opiumfree@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

im happy to see you guys waking up

[–] bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 2 days ago

wym, lemmygrad never been a place to advocate for sex workers lol