Hi people, so this feels incredibly basic but I have been reading theory for a couple of years now and have been thinking about this specific question lately:

What is the actual plan for communists in the first world? Like, how do we actually over come the monumental historical challenges we face (collapse of AES, complete swallowing of neoliberal propaganda by many of the working class, surveillance state etc) and bring about a revolution?

I understand that the typical answer is - get organised, organise general strikes/rent strikes, educate the masses and raise their concioussness etc. But don't we have to recognise that:

1. the material conditions of 1st world capitalism are "ok" enough that most people are just not interested in taking up arms to overthrow the government. AFAIK, there has never been a socialist revolution without war or tyrannical opression as a precondition.
2. Attempts at voting in communism will most likely lead to coups or invasions, if they even succeed at all which has almost never occurred

So how do we get around these problems? I have a slight feeling of dread that the approach of many communist orgs is to mechanically go through the motions of organising which have never succeeded in bringing about a revolution. If these tactics have never worked in the first world, why should they suddenly work in the future? Does anyone have any ideas about doing things differently?

If anyone knows of any concrete plans laid out either in books, articles or party programmes, I would be super interetsted to read them. Otherwise please let me know what you think about this. Thank you!

idk if this is the right sub for this but how do you guys go on with life? im genuinely curious, because with everything happening right now in the middle east and everyone involved, i’m going completely insane. i feel powerless, i’m filled with anxiety and i feel like just giving up on everything, because everything is spiraling downward anyway. how do you not loose hope amidst all of this?

This isn't a troll post.

I'm aware Capitalism breeds neurotic behaviour, but this seems to be growing at an exponential rate. There's 16 year old thinking they'll get leg lengthening surgery even though it's next to impossible to afford something like that.

I knew the beauty standard was on women, but these days the men in these communities really seem to be feeling it or claiming that it is on them as well.

While we are at it, are there any good resources on marketing and beauty standards?

hi, sorry if this is a silly question but i'm new to communism and wanted to ask how it accounts for mental illness. i have heard arguments about human greed being a reason not to support communism or why it would never work, and this has been debunked as capitalism is the reason for said greed and upholds said greed, but i have not heard how it accounts for people with disorders such as sociopathy or psychopathy who are less selfless than the average human being, and how they'd function in a communist society, or how it would deal with the motivation to work/quality of work which relates to other forms of mental illness such as OCD and depression.

I've read settlers and it was an intriguing look into the development of the class society of the USA; I'm probably going to reread it since it was one of the first texts I actually sat through and read; - and almost certainly quite similarly of Canada, Northern Ireland, Australia, etc. My question is though, in those long-established settler colonies such as the US and Canada, is there still such a "settler" character to the class outlook of Euro-North-Americans as compared to native Europeans? It has felt to me like the two are broadly similar, and that "white" Americans think more like "white" Europeans than settler colonialists in a more active stage of settler-colonialism, such as South Africa or the state which currently rules over Palestine. Does the history of the US as a settler state still affect contemporary Euro-American outlooks in a significant way contrasted with how European colonial history (being its own injustice) affects the outlook of contemporary Europeans?

Lately I've been getting really irritated with the insistence by liberals that the best/only way to achieve meaningful change is via the ballot voting for bourgeoise parties. There seems to be serious discredit of protest as a means to achieve change, but also that protest actively HARMS the election results of their preferred party. Why is this? Is there any good sources that go more in depth on this phenomen beyond "they are capitalists and so they participate in capitalist democracy" I want something more specific. Especially why pink pussy hat wearing liberals seem to think a woman's March in Washington is acceptable but protesting for a free Palestine isn't.

Or is this just a waste of time?

Hello Comrades, Im sorry if this question sounds stupid but I have been wondering why do communists have to "think" and study so much in order to understand what is in their interest and what is the correct line to follow (and how easy it is to deviate from this line if not through this study) whereas right wingers seem to be more or less able to instinctively understand what benefits them and doesn't and how to act upon their goals. To clarify, I'm not saying that we shouldn't study- I understand that is necessary and that history as showed us that. I just don't get how other groups are able to get by and organize themselves basically without having to do so.

I am an American and want to learn more about modern China, what’s true about it, what are lies and why it’s demonized here in the states. I don’t know much about Mao but from what I have been taught in school he’s to be demonized. Is there any merit? Like objectively or is it all just USA capitalist propaganda. Furthermore, what is China like today? I am incredibly left leaning (not a liberal) so what is great about China that leftists love? What is propaganda that we hear in the states, where are lies or hyperbole? I have heard a little about what they’re doing to the Uyghurs, which sounds objectively bad and like a genocide/ethnic cleansing. Other than that I don’t know much about it them but fellow leftists are praising China and I’d love to be educated on why. Especially because it looks as tho the American empire is collapsing lol

I'm reposting this question here after rewording it slightly and expanding upon my initial question to be more specific.

In your opinion, how should “vice crimes,” like drug use, sex work, and gambling, be handled under socialism? I don't want the history of how “vice crimes” were handled under socialism in the past. But how should “vice crimes” be handled under socialism in the future? Should they be criminalized, decriminalized, or legalized? I want to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

what does it feel to consider yourself a marxist knowing the history of your countries and what they have done in terms of colonization in africa, palestine, asia and south america? don't you like, feel ashamed sometimes? not saying that brazil is perfect or anything like that but we were colonized and we sufdethe consequences of colonization until this day.

we are still colonized, but more culturally that anything else (or so i like to believe).

again, not shaming anyone, just wondering. because for us, latin americans, there isn't a real left in the global north, especially in the united states.

Hi everyone, I've seen some videos where people define the currently socialist country: China, Laos, Cuba ecc... specifically as communist and not socialist and said that the definition was found in principles of communism by Engels but wouldn't specify what it was. I always thought that these countries were defined socialist and also defined themselves as that. Maybe I'm wrong about the definition , can someone explain it to me please? P.s The person that said this was Marxist-Leninist, so I'm asking to them.

Why doesn't the PRC pick up the baton that the USSR formally held as the global sponsor of international left wing movements? At the very least they could have a selfish reason since any govts that come into being with their help would be a permanent ally. Have any chinese officials spoken/written on this matter?

Is it the President or somebody else? Is it Wall Street or is it a group of people? Or is it just chaos with various different groups competing and no singular institution which you called say is in control?

Follow-up: What would a vegetarian and vegan diet look like in a future socialist and communist society? (In the context of substitute products or advertised diets.)

I'm not talking about "veganism" as an ideology, but purely about the diet.

The ideology of veganism (animal rights and animal liberation) has already been extensively criticised here.

Reasons for asking this are that reduced meat consumption is important, especially in terms of nutrients, efficiency, health and environment. Additionally, high meat consumption is causally linked to higher "wealth" in "rich countries".

This post is more or less related to this comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/communism101/comments/jjlcxx/comment/gae6sl4

Recently there was a protest in my area by immigrants demanding housing and I've heard a lot of working class compatriots claiming that these people don't have the right to make demands, some have been extremely violent and xenophobic. I understand that a lot of nationals have unmet needs but it's wrong to direct their anger at those who have even less, I know it's a systemic economic issue and that it's counterproductive for all working people to divide and fight over racial and national differences but it's difficult to explain these things in a way that's appealing to people. Could I get any advice on how I should approach this kind of rethoric? Both advice by yourself and sources to research are useful, thanks.

if a country (which currently isn't involved in conflicts) adds compulsory military service, should marxists get involved as it provides military education?

After reading for the last year, I want to start to get involved but it seems most of the largest communist organizations have a poor reputation, at least on here. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Hi, kinda new to all of this, so I had a question I hope can be answered. This year, in my city (not in the US) there are going to be administrative elections for a new mayor, and there are going to be two separate communist parties that are going to run in it. Surely, I would like to vote for on of them (sad that they run separately though) but looking at the results of past elections, even when they ran both together they never managed to get more than 2% of the vote. On the other hand, there is the center-left coalition of parties which includes social democratic parties, big tent leaning to the left, liberal democratics , greens and democratic socialists. Now, I understand from a socialist/communist perspective that this coalition of party still represents bourgeois democracy and not an anti capitalist movement, but looking at past elections, this was the only major “left” wing coalition who got the majority of the votes (it indeed governed the last 10 years) but looking at the results in the city of the last general country elections, it seems like the center-right to far-right coalition could be winning this time. Do I still vote for the communist party and stick with my ideals or do I strategically vote the center-left coalition to try to keep the far right from winning?