O que é o Comunismo?

Summary

This video provides an in-depth exploration of communism, tracing its ideological origins and the contributions of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It discusses the evolution from feudalism to capitalism and the class struggle, explaining how Marx envisioned a revolution by the working class to abolish private property and create an egalitarian society. The video also touches on the criticisms of communism, such as human nature, corruption, and the failure of communist states to achieve true equality. Ultimately, it argues that no country has fully implemented communism, with most claiming to be on a path toward it.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, had a significant impact on shaping societies, revolts, and even wars, nearly two centuries ago.
• 😀 Communism, in theory, aims to abolish private property, social classes, and even the state itself, with the ultimate goal of creating a classless, stateless society.
• 😀 Karl Marx's theory of class struggle explains how human history is driven by conflict between dominant, oppressive classes (e.g., bourgeoisie) and oppressed classes (e.g., proletariat).
• 😀 According to Marx, the capitalist system exploits workers, who produce everything, but own nothing, while the bourgeoisie accumulate capital from workers' labor without contributing to production.
• 😀 Marx believed that the workers (proletariat) would eventually revolt and take control of the means of production, leading to the establishment of a communist society through revolution, not gradual reform.
• 😀 In the theoretical communist society, all means of production would be collectively owned, and resources would be distributed equally based on individuals' needs.
• 😀 Marx envisioned that after the revolution, a temporary 'dictatorship of the proletariat' would be established, and once classless society is achieved, the state would wither away.
• 😀 The communist symbol of a hammer and sickle represents workers in both agriculture (sickle) and industry (hammer), first used on Chilean currency before becoming iconic with the Soviet Union.
• 😀 Communism is distinct from socialism in that communism aims for the total abolition of the state, private property, and social classes, while socialism seeks a more moderated approach with a larger, influential state.
• 😀 While many countries claim to be communist (e.g., Soviet Union, China, North Korea, Cuba), none have fully implemented a communist society as described by Marx, with most still maintaining inequality, private property, and state control.
• 😀 Key criticisms of communism include the inherent inequality of humans, potential for corruption in those in power, the risk of 'equality of misery' rather than wealth, and the historical failure of communist attempts to create a classless society.

Q & A

What is the significance of the original draft of the Communist Manifesto in the context of the video?

The original draft of the Communist Manifesto, handwritten by Karl Marx in 1847, is presented as a symbol of the profound impact that Marx's ideas had on shaping political movements, revolutions, and global events, including nearly triggering a third world war.

What historical shift does the video highlight between feudalism and capitalism?

The video explains how feudalism evolved into capitalism with the rise of the bourgeoisie, who gained power through wealth from factories during the Industrial Revolution, ultimately replacing the feudal nobility as the dominant class.

What does Marx mean by 'class struggle' and how does it shape his view of history?

Marx's theory of class struggle posits that history is driven by the conflict between oppressed and oppressor classes. This includes examples like the patricians versus slaves in Roman times, the nobles versus serfs in feudalism, and the bourgeoisie versus the proletariat in capitalism.

How does Marx's concept of surplus value relate to the exploitation of workers?

Marx's concept of surplus value highlights the exploitation of workers in capitalism. Workers create value through their labor, but the bourgeoisie retains most of the profits, resulting in workers being paid less than the value of what they produce.

What role does revolution play in Marxist theory of communism?

In Marxist theory, revolution is necessary to overthrow the bourgeoisie. The workers would seize control of the means of production, abolish private property and social classes, and establish a socialist state, which would eventually evolve into communism.

What is the difference between communism and socialism according to the video?

Communism is more radical, aiming for the complete abolition of the state, private property, social classes, and borders, while socialism seeks a more gradual and moderate transformation of society, with the state playing a larger role in managing resources.

Why do many countries that claim to be communist fail to meet Marx's definition of communism?

Countries that claim to be communist, such as the Soviet Union or China, still have private property, social classes, inequality, and a state apparatus. These contradictions mean they have not achieved the classless, stateless society Marx envisioned.

What is the role of the Communist Party in countries that claim to be communist?

In many so-called communist countries, the Communist Party holds absolute power, claiming to represent the interests of the working class, but in practice, these countries often maintain inequality, political control, and centralized authority.

What are the main criticisms of communism outlined in the video?

The main criticisms include the inherent inequality in human nature, the potential for corruption among those in power, the lack of economic incentives, the failure to achieve true communism in any country, and the suppression of individual freedoms.

How do critics argue that communism leads to the 'equality of misery'?

Critics argue that in many countries that claim to be communist, instead of creating wealth for everyone, they create equal poverty. The ruling class often remains in power, leading to a system that fails to provide prosperity for the majority.