- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Lord Russell on Marx
Posted on 4/15/22 at 8:48 pm
Posted on 4/15/22 at 8:48 pm
Bertrand Russell was one of the premier philosophers of the 20th century. Born in England in 1872, he studied at Cambridge, and later went on to be a major figure in various topics in philosophy. Most of his published work was on very technical subjects such as the foundation of mathematics (i.e. how do we know math is true), but he also had an interest in social and political philosophy.
During World War I Russell was a pacifist and wanted Britain to stay out of the war. During this time he was harassed by Police a lot for his protesting. One day he gave a public speech criticizing Britain for asking America to come into the war - he wanted America to stay out. For this speech he was given a 6 month prison sentence and actually served all of it.
Russell was sent by the British government to Soviet Russia in the 20's where he met Lenin himself and had an hour long conversation with him. He left disappointed believing Lenin to have an "impish cruelty." Russell heard gunshots every night and believed the Soviets were carrying out executions (he was probably right).
Russell was often a champion for various progressive causes and was by no means some right-wing fascist. He was an avowed atheist and a strong supporter of Darwin. On free speech Russell once said:
Yep.
He analyzed Marx's "philosophy" and found a number of issues. (He once said "I don't know if I would dignify Marx with the title of philosopher").
On Communism in Russia:
Nothing has changed since that time. It's still the same old philosophy being pushed now.
During World War I Russell was a pacifist and wanted Britain to stay out of the war. During this time he was harassed by Police a lot for his protesting. One day he gave a public speech criticizing Britain for asking America to come into the war - he wanted America to stay out. For this speech he was given a 6 month prison sentence and actually served all of it.
Russell was sent by the British government to Soviet Russia in the 20's where he met Lenin himself and had an hour long conversation with him. He left disappointed believing Lenin to have an "impish cruelty." Russell heard gunshots every night and believed the Soviets were carrying out executions (he was probably right).
Russell was often a champion for various progressive causes and was by no means some right-wing fascist. He was an avowed atheist and a strong supporter of Darwin. On free speech Russell once said:
quote:
When the State intervenes to ensure the indoctrination of some doctrine, it does so because there is no conclusive evidence in favour of that doctrine.
Yep.
He analyzed Marx's "philosophy" and found a number of issues. (He once said "I don't know if I would dignify Marx with the title of philosopher").
quote:
Marx’s doctrine that all historical events have been motivated by class conflicts is a rash and untrue extension to world history of certain features prominent in England and France a hundred years ago. His belief that there is a cosmic force called Dialectical Materialism which governs human history independently of human volitions, is mere mythology. His theoretical errors, however, would not have mattered so much but for the fact that, like Tertullian and Carlyle, his chief desire was to see his enemies punished, and he cared little what happened to his friends in the process.
On Communism in Russia:
quote:
Marx’s doctrine was bad enough, but the developments which it underwent under Lenin and Stalin made it much worse. Marx had taught that there would be a revolutionary transitional period following the victory of the proletariat in a civil war and that during this period the proletariat, in accordance with the usual practice after a civil war, would deprive its vanquished enemies of political power. This period was to be that of the dictatorship of the proletariat. It should not be forgotten that in Marx’s prophetic vision the victory of the proletariat was to come after it had grown to be the vast majority of the population. The dictatorship of the proletariat therefore as conceived by Marx was not essentially anti-democratic.
In the Russia of 1917, however, the proletariat was a small percentage of the population, the great majority being peasants. It was decreed that the Bolshevik party was the class-conscious part of the proletariat, and that a small committee of its leaders was the class-conscious part of the Bolshevik party. The dictatorship of the proletariat thus came to be the dictatorship of a small committee, and ultimately of one man – Stalin.
Nothing has changed since that time. It's still the same old philosophy being pushed now.
Posted on 4/15/22 at 8:57 pm to AUstar
quote:
His theoretical errors, however, would not have mattered so much but for the fact that, like Tertullian and Carlyle, his chief desire was to see his enemies punished
This guy had leftism nailed down 100 years ago. 2022 leftism is the losers of society demanding punishment on those whom they think have it better than themselves.
Posted on 4/15/22 at 10:24 pm to AUstar
My fave Bertie quote is something I read many years ago but haven't been able to find since. It goes something like "Beware of self-protecting doctrines".
Meaning ideologies such as the dictatorship of the proletariat. Anyone who criticizes it is either a wealthy capitalist or, if they are working class, a traitor to the proletariat.
You see variations of that in many ideologies, such as critical race theory, etc.
Also the feminist doctrine of "false consciousness". False consciousness is possessed by women who value the traditional role of wife and mother in a nuclear family. To criticize the doctrine of false consciousness proves she is already a victim of false consciousness.
But my absolute favorite though is the idea thaat there is nothing wrong w/homosexuality, but if you dare criticize homosexuality you are really aa closeted homosexual. Thus there is nothing wrong with it, unless you criticize it, then it's all perverted and icky.
Brilliant.
Meaning ideologies such as the dictatorship of the proletariat. Anyone who criticizes it is either a wealthy capitalist or, if they are working class, a traitor to the proletariat.
You see variations of that in many ideologies, such as critical race theory, etc.
Also the feminist doctrine of "false consciousness". False consciousness is possessed by women who value the traditional role of wife and mother in a nuclear family. To criticize the doctrine of false consciousness proves she is already a victim of false consciousness.
But my absolute favorite though is the idea thaat there is nothing wrong w/homosexuality, but if you dare criticize homosexuality you are really aa closeted homosexual. Thus there is nothing wrong with it, unless you criticize it, then it's all perverted and icky.
Brilliant.
Posted on 4/15/22 at 11:38 pm to AUstar
quote:
Nothing has changed since that time. It's still the same old philosophy being pushed now.
Disagree. Marx and Engels spent most of their time talking about materialism, not culture. The neomarxists that came later really emphasized the need to destroy a society's existing culture so that something new could be built. That's the main thing going on today, not classical "workers of the world unite" labor oriented thinking.
Posted on 4/16/22 at 5:47 am to AUstar
quote:
When the State intervenes to ensure the indoctrination of some doctrine, it does so because there is no conclusive evidence in favour of that doctrine.
This is a nugget! This is why the state is intervening to brainwash children in schools. This is why the Florida law preventing it is on the mark.
Posted on 4/16/22 at 5:53 am to AUstar
quote:
to see his enemies punished, and he cared little what happened to his friends in the process.
Just like antifa and BLM.
They are all vengeance driven mobs, not builders of civilization.
Posted on 4/16/22 at 6:55 am to AUstar
quote:IE any idea that must be forced on people is almost always a terrible idea
When the State intervenes to ensure the indoctrination of some doctrine, it does so because there is no conclusive evidence in favour of that doctrine.
Posted on 4/16/22 at 10:02 am to AUstar
quote:
In the Russia of 1917, however, the proletariat was a small percentage of the population, the great majority being peasants. It was decreed that the Bolshevik party was the class-conscious part of the proletariat, and that a small committee of its leaders was the class-conscious part of the Bolshevik party. The dictatorship of the proletariat thus came to be the dictatorship of a small committee, and ultimately of one man – Stalin.
I would say that the action of Kerensky giving the land to the peasants, briefly made them a part of the proletariat. So when Lenin took control, and subsequently appropriated the land back from the former peasants, it could be considered the "dictatorship of the proletariat". What Marx didn't predict was that the dictator would never willingly give up power to transition to the ultimate classless, stateless workers' utopia. Hence why the Soviet Union never actually was communist in the Marxist sense, but simply remained a socialist dictatorship.
Posted on 4/16/22 at 11:48 am to AUstar
quote:
his chief desire was to see his enemies punished,
Is really the bottom line with commies.
Posted on 4/16/22 at 12:02 pm to AUstar
The only Russell book that I’ve read was “Why I’m not a Christian”. I found his arguments childish.
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News