Since I don’t defend capitalists how am I a liberal?
You don’t have to defend capitalism to be a liberal.
I want a world where the people own the businesses they work for and have a say in how they are run
I think you mean, “own the means of production.”
Just that they are a useful tool.
Oh, it’s useful for many things… colonialism, for one. Just ask Bill Gates!
kill all the other socialists like the anarchists.
I think you mean Marxist-Leninists. Very different from just plain old Marxists. Marxist-Leninism is “Marxist” in the same way that Social Darwinism is “Darwinist.”
Do you support some non-Leninist version of Marxism? Leninists are the most common form of Marxist. It’s therefore difficult to say they aren’t real Marxists. I am actually not against some ideas like libertarian marxism as it’s Leninists I fell out with.
You don’t have to defend capitalism to be a liberal.
Also weren’t you saying that liberals are all about capitalism earlier? How can you be a liberal and not support capitalism? I swear liberal is an American term anyway hardly anyone uses it where I live. Shouldn’t you just say capitalist?
No, they’re not. There are plenty of Marxists that doesn’t even self-describe as Marxists - in the same way that physicists who study and use Einstein’s theories don’t self-describe as “Einsteinists.” It would be silly. Even anarchists accept Marx’s critique of capitalism - does that make them “Marxists?” Generally, Marxist-Leninists use Marx’s image in the same way the Catholic Church uses images of Christ - ie, they care more about “owning” Marx for political capital than anything Marx actually wrote or meant.
Also weren’t you saying that liberals are all about capitalism earlier?
Capitalism is a feature of liberalism.
How can you be a liberal and not support capitalism?
Lots of liberals purport to criticize capitalism - you simply have to look at politicians like Bernie Sanders to see that. However, their criticism is purely constructive - their purpose is to protect the liberal status quo by reigning in the most overt excesses of capitalism. Their purpose is most definitely not to dismantle it. Dismantling capitalism (whether through peaceful means or otherwise) is where the left starts - it doesn’t matter what CNN or France24 decides to call “leftist.”
You don’t have to defend capitalism to be a liberal.
I think you mean, “own the means of production.”
Oh, it’s useful for many things… colonialism, for one. Just ask Bill Gates!
I think you mean Marxist-Leninists. Very different from just plain old Marxists. Marxist-Leninism is “Marxist” in the same way that Social Darwinism is “Darwinist.”
Do you support some non-Leninist version of Marxism? Leninists are the most common form of Marxist. It’s therefore difficult to say they aren’t real Marxists. I am actually not against some ideas like libertarian marxism as it’s Leninists I fell out with.
Also weren’t you saying that liberals are all about capitalism earlier? How can you be a liberal and not support capitalism? I swear liberal is an American term anyway hardly anyone uses it where I live. Shouldn’t you just say capitalist?
No, they’re not. There are plenty of Marxists that doesn’t even self-describe as Marxists - in the same way that physicists who study and use Einstein’s theories don’t self-describe as “Einsteinists.” It would be silly. Even anarchists accept Marx’s critique of capitalism - does that make them “Marxists?” Generally, Marxist-Leninists use Marx’s image in the same way the Catholic Church uses images of Christ - ie, they care more about “owning” Marx for political capital than anything Marx actually wrote or meant.
Capitalism is a feature of liberalism.
Lots of liberals purport to criticize capitalism - you simply have to look at politicians like Bernie Sanders to see that. However, their criticism is purely constructive - their purpose is to protect the liberal status quo by reigning in the most overt excesses of capitalism. Their purpose is most definitely not to dismantle it. Dismantling capitalism (whether through peaceful means or otherwise) is where the left starts - it doesn’t matter what CNN or France24 decides to call “leftist.”