Easy target for the ignorant

*Just had an exhausting conversation with someone who does not have a single brain cell of perspective, hence, the need to vent*

If you blame Marx for the twenimilyen people who died beacuse of socialism, then might as well blame …

Muhammad for Islamic Fundamentalism
Jesus for Christian Fundamentalism
Nietzsche for the Holocaust
John Locke for our EDSA System
Adam Smith for the dying people in Ethiopia
Mother Earth for militant environmentalism
Natalie Portman for the world’s insecurity

Contrary to common notions, the break-up of the Eastern bloc did not discredit Marxist theory but made it possible to argue of Marx’s ideas without having to justify the actions of the government. A lot of Marxists were openly critical of the Soviet Union and believe that it does not represent what Marx stood for.

Clearly, there’s room for more substantive debates about the validity of Marxist theory such as the value of class analysis, the soundness of economic determinism, the schizophrenia of the young versus old Marx et al. Don’t discredit this rich theory altogether just because some “vanguards” instrumentalised Marx’s work to suit their own agenda.

Besides, we don’t discredit the value of democracy even if there’s no functioning democracy in the world today. Democracy is supposed to be an effective and peaceful means to achieve distributive justice and reconcile class interests. This is the rationale of one man, one vote, equality under the law, taxation and welfare. In as much as no socialist country was able to live up to its promise, no democracy has done so either. In Britain, 1% of the population controls 49% of personal wealth and welfare benefits are dwindling. US free media is as liberal as the conservatives that run it.

So please, lady. Think harder. And next time, don’t match your Uggs with charcoal grey trousers. I think that's what ticked me off.

Still worth defending, even with our love-hate relationship.

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For more nerdness, see: The Last Vehicle