Ideas and Practical
This part is about how Marxism ideology formed and continues to be recognized to this day, from both historical and ethical views. Discussion in practical work is necessary since expectations seldom match reality. Therefore, were there any adjustments in the system compared to the social behavior of humanity standards started to become more advanced?
Vladimir Lenin
Leninism existed at the same time as Trotsky, but his ideology is different despite both having the aspiration of Marxist ideology. Like Trotsky, Lenin also sought to improve the lives of the peasants, the working class, and the poor of Russia. This was due to the Russian Empire causing suffering under the aristocratic ways of treating people. However, Lenin created a revolution for Russia it is a huge cause. Lenin himself was more for the revolutionary class. So as compared to Trotsky, Lenin’s tactics were brutal, resulting in the deaths of millions of people What Lenin tried to pursue did not accomplish due to much suffering after the Russian aristocracy was destroyed. Therefore, Lenin only achieved the revolutionary uprising to destroy the Russian aristocracy but was unable to end the suffering of his people.
Leon Trotsky
Known as Trotskyism, which follows Marxist ideology based on the theory of permanent revolution in Russia. In Trotsky’s view, he believed that the Russian Revolution would have to depend on revolutions from other countries. He emphasized the hegemony of the working class over the revolutionary class, which is due to their strategic position in industry and other advanced sectors of the economy. Additionally, Trotsky opposed the concept of a monolithic party and would choose freedom for his people and various trends of thought, and they adhered generally to the party program. With Trotskyism, his ideology is much closer to Marx’s concept of democracy residing with the proletariat.
Joseph Stalin
Stalinism has been quite a controversy since the act of revolution was complicated as it was not justified to be the right way to form Communism. A socialist society is about having liberation and freedom for people from suffering and class conflict. Different from socialism, Stalinism focuses on depending on an authoritarian state, which would independently control all the wealth and property while people can still share the benefits of labor. Despite Stalin also following the principle of Marxism, he did not orient toward socialism. Instead, he followed the dictatorship’s footsteps by pushing Russia out of its economic recession and creating surveillance and regulation to prevent political opponents from hindering the state. This later leads to Stalin’s opposition to Leon Trotsky after Lenin’s death, and even to ordering the assassination of Trotsky in Mexico.
Mao Zedong
Maoism was also a revolutionary figure representing the Republic of China. In similar situations to Russia, Mao followed the authoritarian revolutionary ideology by enforcing the sacrifice of almost everything for the path to communism. The brutality that he caused was like what Lenin enforced in Russia. Despite the sacrifice and suffering that Mao caused for communism, he was able to achieve was to establish a republic for China, rapid industrialization, and a trade relationship with Russia. Despite the plan Mao want to rife with ideological zeal and propaganda, it was lacking in any sort of practical sense. Various issues came up with the peasant classes’ lacks the experience in cooperative farming or manufacturing, and it was a disaster with more than 30 million people dying due to poverty and starvation when enforced collectivization.
Che Guevara
People called him Che, as he is known for being a military strategist from Argentina, making the Cuban revolution history by following not just Marxism, but also Leninism and anti–imperialism. Guevara believed that achieving socialism for Cuba was the best time in the transition period before socialism, and he also believed that applying socialism to “Third Word” countries would create liberation and emancipation of humanity. Guevara believed that the only way to achieve emancipation was by educating a new man that would fight every type of authority.
As we understand briefly about all these political figures in the past, they were all inspired by Marxist ideology, but the executions of their ideas were different. Depending on the countries’ political state, time, and the conflict that would inflict the revolution movement. All in all, these historical figures’ ideas and goals were to end the suffering of class structure. What’s important to realize is that each element of achieving the ideal society would make huge progress as humanity must take a long time to adapt to the right path.