The Changing Goals of Communism
The original goals of communism, a perfect proletariat society, transformed
over time; from the revolutionary thinking of Karl Marx to the murderous
communist dictatorships of V.I. Lenin and Joseph Stalin. In the original
Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles, the orignal idea of
communism and socialism was to form a perfect proletariat society, where there
were no classes and all people lived as equals together. Over the years, the original
idea of peace and equality for all was transformed and molded to fit a certain
person or groups personal interests. The peaceful society idea never worked out at
all in a country like Russia. Rulers like Stalin and Lenin not only did not carry out
the original goal of peace and living in harmony, they carried out bloody purges of
people who did not fit “their plan” for a perfect communist society. They carried
out the liquidation of the Kulak class. Instead of having a gradual change from a
society with classes to a classless one.
Communists in Russia not only opposed people who shared different views
than their own, but they also opposed other groups of proletariats. This directly
contrasts the original idea of a united communism movement, as stated in the
Communist Manifesto: “The Communists do not from a separate party opposed to
other working-class parties. The have no interests separate and apart from those of
the proletariat as a whole. They do not set up any secterian principles of their own,
by which to shape and mold the proletarian movement.” (pg.152) The last idea is
almost the direct opposite of the path taken in the communist revolution and of the
ideas of Stalin and Lenin. There were not only many divisions between the
proletariat movement, but in some cases fighting broke up. This just driving a
greater wedge between two groups of proletariats, and creating larger and lasting
divisions in the movement. Marx said a united communist front would be
successful, there was no unity in the communist movement in Russia. Eventually
the idea that only one specific proletariat party could have power led to bloody
purges of opposition and uprisings throughout the country.
Early communist thinkers stressed that a proletariat takeover of a
government should be a peaceful one, not the overall blood bath of the takeover
and the purges in Russia. The process of a communist takeover involves that
formation of one single classless society, where everyone is a proletariat. To do
this, the party must “rid” the country of the bourgeoisie class and other non-worker
classes. I believe the original plan to accomplish this involved the gradual changes
from the upper class to worker. Not the quick, bloody liquidation of a class like
that of the Kulaks. Even though Stalin ideas of forming one united worker class
went along with original communist plans, his way of achieving this did not. He
asks the question in “The Collectivization and Liquidation of the Kulaks” (pg.271)
whether or not the Kulaks should be allowed join the collectivized farms:
“...whether the Kulaks should be permitted to join the collectivization farms. Of
course not, for they are sworn enemies of the collective-farm movement.” Saying
this shows not only how Stalin dislikes the Kulaks as a class, but how he dislikes
the Kulaks as a people. Not allowing them to join the proletariat after they have
been liquidated shows his cruelty, really living only two options left as to how to
deal with the Kulaks. Which is either extermination as a people or the movement
of them into camps. Both of which were carried out by the communist government
under Stalin.
The original goals of communism, a perfect proletariat society, transformed
over time; from the revolutionary thinking of Karl Marx to the murderous
communist dictatorships of V.I. Lenin and Joseph Stalin. In the original
Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles, the orignal idea of
communism and socialism was to form a perfect proletariat society, where there
were no classes and all people lived as equals together. Over the years, the original
idea of peace and equality for all was transformed and molded to fit a certain
person or groups personal interests. The peaceful society idea never worked out at
all in a country like Russia. Rulers like Stalin and Lenin not only did not carry out
the original goal of peace and living in harmony, they carried out bloody purges of
people who did not fit “their plan” for a perfect communist society. They carried
out the liquidation of the Kulak class. Instead of having a gradual change from a
society with classes to a classless one.
Communists in Russia not only opposed people who shared different views
than their own, but they also opposed other groups of proletariats. This directly
contrasts the original idea of a united communism movement, as stated in the
Communist Manifesto: “The Communists do not from a separate party opposed to
other working-class parties. The have no interests separate and apart from those of
the proletariat as a whole. They do not set up any secterian principles of their own,
by which to shape and mold the proletarian movement.” (pg.152) The last idea is
almost the direct opposite of the path taken in the communist revolution and of the
ideas of Stalin and Lenin. There were not only many divisions between the
proletariat movement, but in some cases fighting broke up. This just driving a
greater wedge between two groups of proletariats, and creating larger and lasting
divisions in the movement. Marx said a united communist front would be
successful, there was no unity in the communist movement in Russia. Eventually
the idea that only one specific proletariat party could have power led to bloody
purges of opposition and uprisings throughout the country.
Early communist thinkers stressed that a proletariat takeover of a
government should be a peaceful one, not the overall blood bath of the takeover
and the purges in Russia. The process of a communist takeover involves that
formation of one single classless society, where everyone is a proletariat. To do
this, the party must “rid” the country of the bourgeoisie class and other non-worker
classes. I believe the original plan to accomplish this involved the gradual changes
from the upper class to worker. Not the quick, bloody liquidation of a class like
that of the Kulaks. Even though Stalin ideas of forming one united worker class
went along with original communist plans, his way of achieving this did not. He
asks the question in “The Collectivization and Liquidation of the Kulaks” (pg.271)
whether or not the Kulaks should be allowed join the collectivized farms:
“...whether the Kulaks should be permitted to join the collectivization farms. Of
course not, for they are sworn enemies of the collective-farm movement.” Saying
this shows not only how Stalin dislikes the Kulaks as a class, but how he dislikes
the Kulaks as a people. Not allowing them to join the proletariat after they have
been liquidated shows his cruelty, really living only two options left as to how to
deal with the Kulaks. Which is either extermination as a people or the movement
of them into camps. Both of which were carried out by the communist government
under Stalin.