Comrade:Egghead

Hello, I am Egghead (she/they). I joined ProleWiki to work towards improving the current selection of books, i.e., ensuring they are faithfully reproduced from their source, checking for errors in spelling and punctuation, and make certain that they are properly linked. I am currently working on the following pages/books:

1. V.I. Lenin: Karl Marx: A Brief Biographical Sketch with an Exposition of Marxism
2. V.I. Lenin: The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism

Vetting Answers A. First set of questions

Question A1: If you've already created an account on ProleWiki, leave your username here and you can ignore the other questions. If you haven't, just skip this question. Answer: N/A

Question A2: Where did you find this server? Answer: I first found out about ProleWiki through an acquaintance, subsequently I found the server through the link to Discord found on the ProleWiki main page.

Question A3: What current of Marxist thought do you uphold? Describe as thoroughly as needed your path towards your current political perspective. Answer: Marxism-Leninism. Previously I did not uphold any strand of political thought, identifying as vaguely left-leaning liberal. However growing doubts in the efficacy of liberal democracy and the truthfulness of news media eventually lead me to looking for an explanation for these ills. Why is it that the government acts in ways which diminish the living standards of the working class in favor of the upper class? Why is it that the news media regularly presents unfavorable (or worse: verifiably false) coverage on socialist countries (in particular the PRC and the DPRK)? I initially found satisfying answers in the debunking of those claims, yet despite nominally identifying as a communist, my philosophical basis remained poor. I had the fortune of meeting someone who was very knowledgeable, and with whom I had regular discussions on a spectrum of topics (always on a Marxist basis). I know that Marxism-Leninism is true due to its impressive consistency, ability to accurately analyze the material world, and its ability to change the world both through understanding the laws governing a process and human practical activity.

Question A4: Did you read and will you respect the server rules in order to participate in it? Answer: Yes, I have read them and I will respect them.

Question A5: What is your position on China? Do you believe China is a socialist country? Why so, or why not? Answer: China is one of the foremost socialist countries of our time. It has successfully safeguarded the revolution from reactionaries from within and encroachment from the West from without. Naturally I believe that the PRC is socialist, not despite the socialist market economy but because of it, as it is an example of the creative spirit of Marxism and has allowed China to rapidly develop the productive forces.

Question A6: What is your position on Joseph Stalin? How would you describe his historical role? Answer: In general, I hold a positive opinion of Joseph Stalin. Compared to previous Marxist theoreticians (Marx, Engels, Lenin) he does not present anything mind-blowing, nor can one speak of it negatively. After the passing of Lenin, he oversaw the continued development of the Soviet Union, which has raised the living standards of Soviet citizens tremendously, and eventually allowing for groundbreaking scientific achievements (particularly the Soviet space program).

Question A7: What is your understanding of gender? Should Marxists support the LGBT community? Answer: Gender comprises of the characteristics and roles which are (typically) ascribed to each sex, both are the product of development determined by the mode of production and particular conditions of a given society. It must be noted however that gender is distinct from sex, and that one does not necessarily imply the other. Marxists should most definitely support the LGBTQIA+ community, anything less would be a definite step back.

B. Second set of questions

Question B1: In your own words, how would you describe dialectical materialism? Answer: Dialectical materialism is the philosophical basis of Marxism-Leninism, and it serves as the guiding star and theoretical implement aiding the proletariat in their armed struggle against the bourgeoisie. It has developed from the objective idealist philosophy from Hegel, but Marx and Engels "turned dialectics on its head" and developed it along materialist lines. Dialectics provide the necessary means for the accurate study of change through the three laws; and the materialist doctrine has continually proven itself to be the correct view of the world, i.e., the world exists independently and outside of the consciousness of humans.

Question B2: What are your thoughts on national liberation or the concept of land back (either one)? Answer: The struggle for national liberation of imperialized countries is interlinked with the struggle for the liberation of proletariat around the globe. And as such casting off the yoke of exploitation at the hands of foreign capital and the comprador bourgeoisie can only serve to weaken the grasp of capitalist exploitation. Therefore my views on national liberation are positive in favor of the oppressed struggling against their oppressors.

Question B3: Have you read anything on Marxist feminism? What are your perspectives on it? Answer: Not enough, taking the meaning of "very little." But my current views of it are as follows: Marxists undoubtedly should pay special attention to the liberation of women before and after the revolution, as the subordinated position that women occupy will not disappear overnight and definitely not without understanding the basis on which the continued exploitation of women arises. It follows from this that we most definitely cannot ignore the plights of women and/or reduce this matter to a mere class issue. It must be noted that this analysis is contained within Marxism already, and it is my opinion that the term "Marxist feminism" is redundant. Whether the term "Marxism" or "Marxist feminism" suffices is merely a question of terminology.

Question B4: Do you think abolishing the nuclear family should be a goal of the communist movement? If so, how would it be abolished? Answer: The development of the nuclear family is intertwined with the development of capitalism, where it is another tool of the bourgeoisie for the continued existence of capitalism. It also follows that once economic base develops according to socialist lines that the nuclear family will gradually disappear as a result. Thus we must conclude that the abolishing of the nuclear family is a long-term goal for communists. And as the productive forces are developed to a high degree and the relations of production change in accordance with socialist development, the nuclear family will gradually wither away.

Question B5: What do you think is the most pressing issue for communists in your country? What is your opinion of communist parties there? Answer: I see two ways of answering the first question, to avoid any ambiguity I will answer both ways. My opinion of the Marxist-Leninist party here is reservedly positive, there are definitely points to criticize them on, and I am worried about the affiliation the party has with the KKE (which holds backward views on LGBTQIA+ topics). (1) On the issues regarding the communist movement within my country. I am not yet a member of the communist party within my country, as there are conditions which prevent me from joining for the time being. I am working towards overcoming those conditions such that I can engage in praxis and finally participate in class struggle. Because I am not (yet) a member of the party, whatever I say will have limited applicability since I am not "clued in." As far as I can tell the party consists of young people who readily engage in agitation and older folks who remain dedicated to the cause even after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. I get the impression that despite their enthusiasm, they are lacking in their theoretical development. This manifests itself in rather lukewarm propaganda and lack of action outside participating in protests. (2) On the issues the communist movement within my country should tackle. The current housing shortage is one of the issues which affects everyone of the working class, where affordable housing is nigh impossible to find and rent prices have reached a ridiculous high. This is an opportunity the party should seize upon, for example by educating people on the laws regarding renting, therefore building trust in the party among the general populace. This (alongside other issues) are opportunities which are left unrealized in my analysis.

Question B6: What do you believe is the main difference between Marxism and other anti-capitalist movements? Answer: Marxism is the only anti-capitalist movement which furnishes the proletariat with the correct theoretical implements to wage class struggle. It follows then that it is the only ideology which has successfully created and utilized the historical conditions for revolution (see currently existing socialist countries). All other anti-capitalist movements have major defects in their guiding philosophy, e.g., anarchists can only see the development of history as leaps and therefore neglect the gradual accumulation of revolutionary potential, whereas reformists believe the opposite, where socialism can be built by winning rights for the proletariat gradually through parlementary struggle; Lenin has shown that both of these are woefully inadequate.

Question B7: What is Imperialism and how do institutions and programs like the IMF, Belt and Road Initiative, and the World Bank relate to it? Answer: Imperialism is the doctrine by which monopoly capital is able to extract surplus value from the working class overexploited countries on the periphery. Both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank are institutions which perpetuate the exploitation of the Global South and the hand of finance capital. In contrast, the Belt and Road Initiative is the program which allows an alternative path of development enabling these countries to cast off the yoke of foreign investment and grants them their right of self-determination regarding internal affairs.

Question B8: Have you read works from Marxists, pertaining but not limited to those from historical or existing socialist states? Please note some that stood out to you and what contributions to Marxist thought that they added and why you liked them. Answer: Currently, I am aiming to comprehensively study Marxist philosophy before moving on to history, political economy, and current events. As of now, the only authors beyond Marx, Engels, and Lenin I have read are: August Thalheimer, Ovshy Yakhot, and Alexandra Kollontai. Each has delighted me with their works, and I wholeheartedly recommend reading them. I am looking towards reading Ilyenkov in the future when I believe my "level" of knowledge is sufficient for tackling his works, supposedly he is an example of the creative application of Marxism which contrasts the ossified thought around his era.

C. Optional questions

Question C1: Do you have any comments or feedback about this application process? We will use it to improve the process. Answer: I think some questions can be phrased in a more clear manner, particularly question five and eight, both from the second set. But other than that I have nothing to complain on the process.

Question C2: Do you have familiarity or skill with any programming languages or MediaWiki? Answer: I have some experience with Python from making simple scripts and simulations. But I have no real experience in other programming languages or MediaWiki (having only dabbled with the former). But I am eager to expand my horizons, especially when it comes to Python.