Was talking about this with someone today. People, especially the right-winged, will associate the so-called far left wing with Communism/Marxism. But I find it weird that any scale would just happen to have that as the far end of the spectrum. If you were to go down the scale to the very, very end, what political statement/remark would be the closest thing to the very tip of the spectrum? Something like “the robots should take over” or something?

  • faxed@lemmy.ca
    52·
    6 days ago

    I am confused by the question.

    The Left is defined by an understanding that

    1. the interests of capital and workers are opposed
    2. this an irreconcilable difference
    3. The working class can and should organize itself to eliminate the capital class, instituting democrat democratic control

    The whos, hows, whens, wheres and whatsafters are the details that divide the Left.

    The left has been substantially defined by Marxist and other communist ideas. The only other other broad tradition are anarchists. And most left anarchists are influenced by communism if not communist also themselves.

    “the robots should take over”

    Which one do you mean?

    • robots should take over repetitive, boring, dangerous labor that nobody wants to do so everyone’s time can be freed up for work and other activities we prefer to do = luxury space communism
    • robots should take over control or decision making power = right wing technocrat
    • SomeoneSomewhere@lemmy.nz
      2·
      6 days ago

      robots should take over repetitive, boring, dangerous labor that nobody wants to do so everyone’s time can be freed up for work and other activities we prefer to do = luxury space communism

      “Iain M Banks’ The Culture is the best possible civilisation”.

      • faxed@lemmy.ca
        1·
        6 days ago

        If #2 isn’t true, how can #1 be true?

        As to #3 not being true… that’s just a Negative Nancy.

        A person with any beliefs can describe themselves with almost any label. I can call myself a Brony even though I’ve never watched My Little Pony, don’t know anything about it, I’m no Bro, and don’t intend to change. But would I be accepted by the other Bronies?

        In other words, those people are wrong. They might be proto-leftists. :) Or just libs.

        • SomeoneSomewhere@lemmy.nz
          2·
          6 days ago

          Re 1 & 2, just because there are differences and conflicts does not mean they are unmanageable or irreconcilable.

          3 is just sounding no-true-Scotsman.

          • faxed@lemmy.ca
            1·
            6 days ago

            These conflicts are irreconcilable because it is the nature of the relationship. This is the concept of “class war”. It is inherently violent.

            People who are pro capitalist are not on the left.

            They might be liberals. Liberalism is not a left wing project.

            Far from being no-true leftists, there are many millions of leftists globally. Every one of them works in their way for the abolition of capital.

            Whether you agree with the ideas or not is no issue here. The question is where they are characteristics of the Left. If you disagree with the ideas, you are not on the left.