Thank you so much, Professor Wolff, I am so very grateful for the education you are giving me and so many others. I'm 62 years of age and I never attended university but the education I am receiving here with you is absolutely phenomenal! Your lectures are wonderful, so interesting and thought provoking. I am certainly going to learn all I can about Marxism. For most of my life I have been a non political person, though I have always voted in elections no matter what, out of respect of those who fought and died to get me that vote but I have been diabolically negligent in learning about the real effect (or lack of, in some cases) of that system on our lives, our every interaction and the whole world. I relish listening to your podcast lectures and revel in the depth of the subjects you are teaching. Not only are your lectures informative, they are so relevant and crucial to understand the bigger picture. You have stimulated my mind to look out for and soak up masses of new learning. ☺️🙏🏽 I left school with only "O" Levels and not even "A" Levels but I feel I am becoming enlightened and confident to hold my own with educated people. Thank you so much 😍😍😍
Ideologues at college campuses have been trying to stuff this Marx garbage down the throats of students for generations. Each generation must find the intellectual strength to not swallow. Class warfare is a contrivance. Read Smith, Hume, Menger, Hazlett, Ricardo, Hayek, Mises before drawing conclusions.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
Professor Wolf, thank you for all the communication you have been doing, including joining streams of popular youtubers with younger audiences. Not the most academic settings, but in my view they have a much greater impact in instilling class consciousness in the masses. Thank you so much.
Leftist values have been becoming more popular, its slow but it is there. Bernie might not have been a true socialist but he took a lot of the taboo from the term, hopefully the trend continues, and professor Wolff has absolutely been a major contributor to that end.
Me too. The Professor teaches and I've learned a lot. But I still have questions, not about Marxist thought and theory, but about his acceptance and delight in China and Russia's aggression, capitalist economies and the expressed hope that their models will supplant ours. I don't like those choices. I just don't like capitalism, aggression, expansionism, economic imperialism or corruption here, there or anywhere. I want a Marxist socialist economy where the people own and manage the enterprises where they work cooperatively and democratically. I want a bottom up society, not a top down one. I want peace and democracy with the kind of freedoms delineated in the First Ammendment to our Constitution.
Protecting your capital is much more important than making money. Basically because if you lose your capital, making money is much harder. ''Missing the train'' vs. ''losing your money''. There are a lot of trains, but if your money is gone, it's over.
Best time to invest? thats funny though because in the last four months I have lost more than $47,900 in stock market which is the biggest I have loss since I ventured into stock investment.
@@jessicasquire you could be right or wrong . i once had similar problem but now its a different ball game for me because I was lucky to have met *KATRINA VANRENSUM*
I am a blue collar guy without a university education, and I just want to say, without people like Professor Wolff it would have taken me a long time to build confidence to speak about Marxism. Now I feel like I have a purpose, or reason to toil and struggle.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
1) Soviet workers councils were created 1st in earlier 1905 Russian Revolution- they were multi party coalition. 2) Multi party coalition continues 1917 21 3) Bolshevik (“Majority”)!Party then promoted pro Bolshevik siviets 4)!1918 to 1929s across Europe some workers etc. also set up Soviet workers councils Gremany Italy Hungary Ireland etc. More generally, workers in industrial societies from crisis to crisis set up similar groups 1871 Commune of Paris 1918-21 Europe 1936 Spanish Republuc anarchists & rebel socialist uprising 1968!France mass left uprising committees were set up in many places.(workers committees & student committees’?) 1974 Portuguese Revolution many more councils & committees Mondragon co. Spain workers co opvonglonerate. All these have web sites &/or videos!!
I am a high school teacher and I often use your lectures to give greater clarity to my students' studies regarding Marxism. I appreciate the clarity with which you deliver your lectures. Thank you!
As part of the American working class finding Marxism was one of the best things to happen to me..gives the poor/working class hope and a way out of this corrupt system
I agree! I think one of the reasons young people today are so depressed and spiritless is their horrible lack of an animating philosophy of hope. It's just one long, bleak, featureless tunnel for them, only relieved by psychotropic drugs and cheap technology.
I have discovered not only has Marxism been suppressed in the culture and we have all been lied to about it, we have also been lied to about liberalism the very system we base our nation on. And this is even a greater crime. For example, how many so-called libertarians do you know believe that libertarianism is about zero taxes and celebration of capitalism? Many. But lo and behold Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine were very critical of capitalism as we know it today. Jefferson was so against monopolies he wanted to tax them out of existence. He also advocated quite shockingly for a 100% inheritance tax specifically because he was afraid of Plutocracy. The fact that the right believes that Jefferson was a capitalist and anti-tax etc. is ahistorical. And the fact the left now completely condemns Jefferson because he own slaves, even though he tried to abolish slavery multiple times in his life, is also based on ignorance. He was born into that system in the same way Friedrich Engels was born into a capitalist family and dedicated his life to find a way out of capitalism. So here we are in a completely politically brainwashed culture. May we all overcome it.
My favourite Marxist tradition is Marxmas. I’m trying to get my family to celebrate it every year instead of Christmas. When people say “merry Christmas”, I usually reply with “Merry Marxmas”. 😎
what's Marxmas? Is there a tradition of handmade gifts made with nationalized tools? sounds fun, but if I had to vote for a new santa, Kropotkin comes to mind first,tbh
Hey Prof. Wolff: Belated Happy Birthday wishes for a couple of days ago. Keep going; I'm gaining on you. 😊😊 Thank you for your contributions for a better civilization.
I would challenge anyone to read Marx seriously and after reading it try to argue that it isn't relevant to today's world. The mere idea that anyone would say this is baffling. Thank you once again for another banger of a video Prof Wolff
Social justice in contrast with injustices of bully elites is an ancient desire, coming and going under different circumstances. China now practicing a type of socialism that gives lessons to moderate social extremes. Hope it will evolve to provide a better freedom without allowing growth of covert corruption.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
I love you Prof. Found your Marxism 101 lectures on TH-cam in 2014/2015. Set me up nicely for the Bernie run and holding at least a seed of perspective.
My favourite most often cited quote from Marx is ”Workers of the world unite!”, but I like the part preceding it much more: ”The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.”
Just one correction: Los humanos prehistóricos no estaban "todo el día" buscando alimento. Esa es una idea ya obsoleta, refutada por la arqueología y la antropología. Destinaban unas 5 hs diarias en total a la tarea de alimento/abrigo, y no diferenciaban "trabajo" de "ocio". En cierto modo, vivían mucho mejor que nosotros. Gracias, profesor Wolf! 🧡
The famous economist Heilbroner observed-rough paraphrase -that Marx's analysis of history etc ,his vast body of work,cannot be ignored,whether one agrees with his conclusions or not,let alone whether or not he was "right" on every point he makes.Often,Marx's critics use that reality to reject the work outright,and direct their followers back to Neo-classical interpretations of econ-Ironically, students of philosophy learn that the same criticisms can be applied to the works of Plato and Aristotle,but we still treat their work with great reverence-for their fruitfulness ,and probity,with the understanding that we stand upon their shoulders.Thank you as always,Prof Wolff.
Marx was the Greatest Capitalist Economist that ever lived..! His analysis and description of Capitalism The Very Foundation of Capitalism And all the working parts that comprise Capitalism.. And no One has surpassed his Analysis In 170 Yrs. Remarkable.. Moreover for the Sake of Brevity.. Besides understanding Labor Theory of Value The Creation of Surplus Value And Socialized Property Relationship Are the Economic Attributes of Marx But a Whole separate Universe that Marx explores & introduces Are the Social Implications and Results from the Economic System.. And How we got there. " Origins of Family, State and Private Property..!" Marx and Engels That little Brilliant Treatment has never been Surpassed Either In Fact.. Marx and Engels are more relevant today Then Ever.
God Bless Professor Richard Wolff, the World today needs honest & Dedicated Human Being like him. We, all must share this video & we all must. Support, Subscribe & Standby this Channel. Thank You.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
It's going to take a lot of struggle and suffering to change the world, but doing nothing is going to be harder and it is going to eventually kill all of us. Solidarity! Workers strike back!
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
13:25 Professor is putting the cart in front of the horse here. The correct way to say it is: What happened in China is built on theories developed by Marx and Marxists at home and abroad throughout the years.
The issue, more and more, is less about getting some people to adopt Marxian Analysis, rather, it is the adopting of Political Marxism (Marxism-Leninism); that seems to be the major hurdle.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
@@user_-_vse_kak_u_ludey_0011 All true, the USSR also had it's House of Nationalities coequal branch of government alongside the Supreme Soviet, so as to address the difference peoples grievances within the Working Class within the Union.
I think and FEEL the Best system for humanity has YET to be discovered. What we know has been good tries but far from perfect or effective in practice. The search is far from being over.
I think we have to watch the current systems, from capitalism to communism, crash and fall apart, which they are, and in baring witness to this a huge shift in the way we perceive ourselves and the world. We can't conceive of a better, original system in our current state but we will on the other side of the madness that grips this world now.
I've heard that the few existing hunters/gathers work about 3 hours a day. And that is on the unproductive land they have been left to exist on. I work about 10 hours a day and most of that is to pay for shelter, water, food and energy to cook, wash, heat. What progress!?
The most important concept of Marxism isn't the surplus, but in fact value and the immaterial form in which the surplus is generated (ie surplus-value) compared to past societies where the surplus was produced and appropriated in the form of material wealth. The value-form arises out of the separation of independent produces from the means of production. It is the existence of generalised commodity relations though which individuals need to participate in order to survive. It is the relations between commodities in the world market that gives rise to value. This is markedly different from pre-capitalist societies where commodity relations were not generalised and this is Marx's most important contribution. More Marxists need to emphasis this instead of just talking about the surplus without mentioning the specific form it takes.
Stalin is by far my favourite marxist. Think what you want of the man or his decisions but the man was incredibly well versed in Marxism. I didn't fully understand Marxism till reading stalins work. He had such a concise and easily understandable way of describing marxist ideas. Anyway as Xi jinping said at the last national congress. "Marxism works".
Stalin was a mass murderer and hypocrite. Yes, he talked a good game about Marxism. However, in practice he was a bloodthirsty totalitarian with whom Marx would never have approved.
As a Vietnamese, I will give you an outlook from the inside of stuff called Communist-like. I guess it is also a long way to reach the real Communist of Marxism. In Vietnam, especially after the evolution of private sectors, we have a wider and wider gap of inequality between the minority and the majority - leisure and wealth for the former, and bitterness for the latter. The minority is the sovereignty of politic-related power - as the Big Boss, followed by the capitalists - or the Board of Management who are allowed to invest in our society (by the Big Boss, of course). The majority is the rest. This fact leads to a terrible trend of immigration, temporary or permanent, of desperate civilians, to other countries with a better-masked form of exploitation. Here and there, the Vietnamese economy is called a miracle, a sort of smaller version of the Chinese one, and you can see, it has been involved in the same conflict as capitalism, or somehow worse as you count the minority playing a role as double-layer exploitation. It is more dangerous when you succeed than fail because it is easier to credit that the reason for success is only from our subjective effort, rather than other objective factors like foreign investment or free trade. This misunderstanding can be applied to both the Chinese economy and the Vietnamese economy. At the end of the day, it turns out to be dangerous if a dictator claims this success as their turbo to change the world, which is actually happening to Xi Jinping.
This country seems to be in trouble economically speaking and we can easily find a way out of it instead we just our denial and continue down the path of self-destruction.
Professor The USSR, after its formation in 1923, too achieved the same tremendous growth from nothing to sufficiency in a decade when in the same period western world was gripped by the Great economic depression of 1929 and drifted into Ww2
I ones visited St.Francisco, many years ago, really had a possitive feeling. I have seen video's on youtube, recognising places and I'm horrified because off that. What a decline of that city 😈😈 Terrible.
It's so annoying how ideologues on the right will always fall on the shoulders of small entrepreneurs and small shops trying to be their own boss and give some good jobs in their community to justify their enormous wealth accumulation. Running a small business by yourself can be quite complicated, and even if you are the only employee, you are technically not giving yourself the full worth of your labour as some of it needs to go to bills, some has to be set asside for emergencies, keep some for getting better equipment later and so on and so on. As an adult that has had a lot of different work experience in various fields, I got mixed feelings on this subject, mostly from all the misunderstanding occuring from people talking at each other instead of together. There really are lazy incapable workers that will sabotage you or make a toxic work environment and so on, and if they start going about how they are exploited by a guy who makes enough to live a little above the poverty line to provide as best he can for his familly and community...
Perhaps the French working class realise this surplus issue. After producing increasing amounts of surplus product and value for capital for decades, the ruling class in France want the workers to keep on doin' it for another two years until they can finally retire at the age of 64 instead of 62. The working class in France ain't havin' it!
Hello Professor Wolff, ihave been following you for years. Talking about you with a revolutionary marxist she told me the following: "My understanding of reformism is any political strategy that falls short of ending the rule of profit and the wage system that sustains that rule. Capitalism can accommodate co-ops, and has done so for centuries, so a co-op strategy is a reformist strategy. " She is arguing you are not a revolutionary marxist because you argue for worker coops and they are and have been part of capitalism since its inception practically. Can you respond to this? I told her that your work is against capitalism and for workplace democracy. thank you.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
I wish the part about Freud were true. Unfortunately, that is EXACTLY what happens in psychology today. That is the universal attitude towards Freud not only among the students, but most of the faculty of most research psychology programs. Freud is the punchline of jokes, and they just assume that there is nothing of worth to learn there at all. They speak extremely proudly of the fact that they've never "wasted their time" reading Freud, they roll their eyes if you mention Freud, and they are very socially committed to this extremely reductive dismissal of Freud. That dismissal is taken as a sign that you are familiar with the modern state of the field, it's what distinguishes you from the plebeian rabble of philistines that still think Freud is important. In about ten years in academia in modern, high-end psychology research departments, I met exactly one person who would admit to having read anything more than a few pages of Freud they were assigned as an undergrad. It might be different in clinical psychology, but most research psychology right now behaves towards Freud almost identically to how economics behave towards Marx. This is also not at all restricted to psychology and Freud. My work was in psycholinguistics, and you see the exact same attitude towards Chomsky - and as time goes on, it gets stronger and stronger. We're nearing the point where the majority opinion is that he's merely "historically important", and I bet in one or two generations reading Chomsky will be a fringe activity. I've already met people who are proud that they don't have much familiarity with his "obviously outdated" work. Marx faces a special category of dismissals, to be sure, but this pattern is unfortunately also present for many historical intellectuals: the field moves past them, and the old guard recognizes the importance and even teaches it, but new students overeager to seem like they're "in the know" play-act these dismissals hoping that they come across as knowledgeable about the state of the field, and then those students become the old guard and the next generation amplifies the effect.
Thanks as always Richard. A question I have is how might Marxism help us see our real position in nature, as a part of and as subject to the laws of physics, Earth Systems Science and so on; bearing in mind we are on the cusp of 'Hot House Earth'. I have a view of this, but time constraints are now so tight that approaches through existing systems, and there's the clue, mean that only revolution might succeed, and at that peaceful revolution. Thanks as always.
I think Marx would suggest harmony with nature. There is potentially an abundance of resources on the planet to take care of all our needs. The trick is to work in co-operation with the earth and with ourselves. For mutual benefit. The Indigenous Americans for example, were not the savages, they were made out to be , by European colonists. The opposite was true. The Indigenous peoples lived harmoniously off the Land. There was no rampant pollution, and destruction. They had natural clean drinking water and food supply was gathered and shared. No selfishness or greed. I was on another platform recently and someone pointed me in the direction of something I had not heard about called the Venus Project or under the heading Zeitgeist. It is about using modern technology to benefit every living person on the planet in a sustainable economic and ecological way. Look it up I found it amazing and inspiring.
I agree with you that the economic strides China has made us just amazing. I have a Chinese wife and in-laws and worked in Beijing in 2000 and 2001 for a large international computer manufacturer and service provider. I have travelled there frequently since 1994. Can you explain how China accomplished this amazing growth? My view is that at the major corporate level down to small enterprises the chinese government just stole technologies and used them to create manufacturing monopolies. Even if a foreign company starts a business in China, China will quickly learn the technology from that company copy it and then drop prices for the products and force out all others not only in China but around the world. China signed the WTO rules but never had follows those rules or any other international rules. They are also test their manufacturing employees terribly. There are nets around some building floor so workers in these terrible dorms (where employees live very long distances away from their families in the country side) try to commit suicide. The people in China are wonderful but the one party communist system is terrible. Can you please tell me what led to Chinas success. I think it was greed by western corporations looking to make it rich in the China market and at the same time getting effectively slave labor rates for production. Plus, China has never let it’s currency float in the market so they could always control international rates in their favor. Marxism in my view has had little if anything to do with it. Basic cheating and stealing has accomplished most of it. Now western companies see what has been done to them by the cheating and are moving production out of China and chinese communist party blames the USA.
Enslavement legally exists today for those incarcerated by the state...and corporate contractors such as GEO group...this is meant to grow...in scale and profits...the capitalist corporate approach devoid of actual "human" need or concern...They own us...we are enslaved also until we own them.
I was once told that in an average 40 hour work week many employees are only productive for 20 hours at most. Can we live on 20 hours of pay? Only, if you earned the same amount or more for 20 hours that you would receive in a 40 hour work week. I like the idea of a 4-day work week only if pay and benefits aren't reduced. But, I'm guessing it will be 10-hour work days and not 8 hours with one less work day.
We can watch current hunter gatherer societies and figure out how much time they spend each day meeting their basic needs. Comes to about 3 hours a day. 21 hours a week. Almost everyone in our society at least doubles that number. That pretty harsh.
What you should add to this is fact that many people tend to prefer power over wealth. This is the biggest mistake in classic economy. Entire Soviet Union was based on this principle: instead of money you can pay people by giving them a bits of power over other. This is cheaper to do than paying in cash. Especially in society where people on the bottom of piramid are treated like crap. It's lesson forgot in US. I'm adding to that feminism which in recent times changed it aims from liberating women to ruling over "evil" men. Now is fashionable to have women as capo. It's the only difference for average working class man.
If TH-cam gave me a Like button that was worth 100 Likes that I were allowed to use say- every quarter- I'd be using it right here. Clear, concise, and cutting. "Say something back to this man trying to refute any of that. I dare you. I _dare_ you."
My economics faculty glossed over and discouraged students from studying Marx. This is academic dishonesty, it took me much longer to discover Marx because it had been demonized in my mind for so long.
How can anyone deny the growth of China's economy and the vast improvement in quality of life of Chinese people? China, after the revolution under Mao was indubitably Marxist inspired, but of late, especially under Xi, but not only because of him, the Chinese worker has been subjected to Capitalism and especially rigid working conditions. With Capitalism comes instability inequality and the absolute death of cooperatives. Also, as is inevitable under Capitalism, the privately owned sector relies on the government for its privileged status in society. Once Capitalism has taken root it is almost impossible to dislodge or control it because of the miltary, industrial and political alliance that forms wherever private ownershp of the means of production is thriving. A privileged class can and will corrupt for its own purposes. Hard on the heels of that military, industrial and political complex comes a whittling away of democracy. It happens under State Socialism too. The only way to prevent it is to enshrine the principles of voting, protest, a free press with free access to mass media, and the ability to speak freely and to organize for change. It seems that everywhere Capitalism thrives there grow monopolies, oligarchies, and eventually a strongman and true fascism, all to protect private wealth and power. It's happening all over the world right this minute. I cannot disagree with anything Professor Wolff says about Marxist theory, about its practical application or about the early years of modern China after the revolution under Mao. Now, let me briefly say that while Mao made serious mistakes and China wasn't altogether democratic in those early years, I also do not doubt that Mao struggled to find ways that would modernize his country, industrialized it and bring relief to both workers and peasants in the countryside. He wasn't godlike or perfect but I believe Mao's motives were humane but he delivered inhumane directives. Now that I've gotten that out if the way, I also need to say that currently China as a mostly Capitalist nation wraps itself in Marxist and Communist trappings but they are only a facade. The rhetoric is the patriotic flag that covers the Capitalist ass imperfectly. Xi has a very imperialistic streak. He looks back to Imperial China over the ages and then looks at the nearby geography and claims it all as Chinese regardless of the desires of the inhabitants, the neighbors or other international use or interests. He is kleptocratic about expanding into every corner ever ruled or influenced by ancient China. That's going to put him into conflict with other political and economic interests. Internally, China is repressive and punitive with dissenters. China's human rights record is wretched. Everything from demanding abortions and birth control to trying to increase births now are none of the business of government, especially with punishments for disobedience attached. Point systems for disobeying rules with banishment from public transportation, is another example of undemocratic and repressive Chinese policy that Xi has adopted. The imprisonment, reported sterilization and '"forced reeducation" of Uyghurs is yet another undemocratic solution to a social problem. How China handled pandemic lockdown and then reopening of the economy after great unrest and protest is still another way that China deals with uncooperative citizens extremely harshly and undemocratically. Modern China is restrictive, heavily propagandized, undemocratic, economically stratified and aggressive. This is a model of a society I do not wish to live in. A really Socialist society, much less a Communist one, would promote a system where communalism and cooperatives abound. Such a Marxist based economy would not encoursge Capitalist enterprises (private ownership of the means of production and private accumulation of profit from the enterprise. ) such a system would be discouraged. A really Marxist, Socialist country, in the way Professor Wolff explains, would encourage cooperatives in which the workers own and control the enterprises where they work. That's not China today. China is making every political, undemocratic, imperialist, regressive and Capitalist mistake the United States ever made. I disliked it when my own country acted that way and I feel exactly the same disapproval of China. AND RUSSIA TOO, FOR THAT MATTER.
@@kevinschmidt2210 Someone read it. I hope more people read it. Nobody explains how a true Marxist can condone such a capitalist driven economy that has reintroduced classism, privileged wealth, corruption, manipulation and constant propagandizing of its citizens. When Wolff extols China's economic success he is denying the very thesis he eloquently explains in his book Democracy At Work. You just said, "no" now why you said it.
Professor I always thank you for your lectures. Would you have a book of Marxism to recommend to read for his core ideology in general? I would appreciated it.
Bravo! This very fundamental analysis and description will go a long way to understanding. I just wonder, as someone who always worked for non-profits ((with one brief exception in my early years), how the idea of surplus applies there. We seem to have more and more nonprofits. And then there are the LLCs sprouting up everywhere. How do these fit in with the notion of surplus?
you do hear about the non tax thing but its not whole story. partly it seems distribution of surplus production already existing or potentially existing in the world, tacitly admitting that the haves have far too much, more than can use, and the have nots need it, the surplus needs to be got to them in some way that is at least cost effective or even profitable to subsidize further transport of surplus - systems, food, grain, materials. There are cynics of the far right, brutes who see no point in this, who think whoever cant look after themself or be useful to producers can die. Its best. They'd call it realism. A more sophisticated approach sees improving the situation of the 'less well off' as a self serving thing (which is all the idiot brutes respect) because it will make them and their countries more useful to the surplus suppliers, there's always some new, better, more advanced gizmo that can be tried out in production in other places than the home of the philanthropists. There seems no end to it once this system of relations is entered into. Ancient prohibitions against usury I think were a dim prognostication of this fate.
The reason for China's success is not Marxism, it's simply because they have a significant positive trade balance. Having a positive trade balance was the driving force for the USA success after WWII, the Japanese success and every other country. A country begins to fall when they run significant trade deficits. However, don't lose hope, because I know how to make any system work, Although, i require that the government I assist is fair and just and gives their people copious amounts of personal freedom.
Thank you very much Prof. Wolff , wow ! the moment you mentioned S . Freud my neurons went , wait a minute I heard that name before even when I haven’t read any about his psychological points of view . But then I googled and bingo : Freud , born in Austria like A . Hitler so far but then related with this other important character Edward Bernays ( Propaganda Book ) nephew of S. Freud mind you , very interesting . Anyway thank you again , every single time I learn more from all the information you give us . 👍🏻🙏✌🏻👋🏻👏😁❤️.
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Thank you so much, Professor Wolff, I am so very grateful for the education you are giving me and so many others. I'm 62 years of age and I never attended university but the education I am receiving here with you is absolutely phenomenal! Your lectures are wonderful, so interesting and thought provoking. I am certainly going to learn all I can about Marxism. For most of my life I have been a non political person, though I have always voted in elections no matter what, out of respect of those who fought and died to get me that vote but I have been diabolically negligent in learning about the real effect (or lack of, in some cases) of that system on our lives, our every interaction and the whole world. I relish listening to your podcast lectures and revel in the depth of the subjects you are teaching. Not only are your lectures informative, they are so relevant and crucial to understand the bigger picture. You have stimulated my mind to look out for and soak up masses of new learning. ☺️🙏🏽 I left school with only "O" Levels and not even "A" Levels but I feel I am becoming enlightened and confident to hold my own with educated people. Thank you so much 😍😍😍
Thank you professor. I'm 21 so hoping my generation can bring a change
I'm twice your age and I'm standing right next to you, with arms and intent.
I'm 40 and I hope your generation can too! At least economically, culture war...that depends. Best of luck!
Ideologues at college campuses have been trying to stuff this Marx garbage down the throats of students for generations. Each generation must find the intellectual strength to not swallow. Class warfare is a contrivance. Read Smith, Hume, Menger, Hazlett, Ricardo, Hayek, Mises before drawing conclusions.
so am I ,young man-
I’m 42 and it bothers me to no end when people my age and older complain about the younger generations. I have a lot of faith in you and yours.
You are the best and cheapest college education around. Thank you for your commitment to change for the betterment of all.
Workers of the world, UNITE!
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
As always, a highly stimulating presentation!
Thank you very much for sharing your insights, Prof. Wolff!
Thank you very much for this. Red salute from Serbia!
Professor Wolf, thank you for all the communication you have been doing, including joining streams of popular youtubers with younger audiences. Not the most academic settings, but in my view they have a much greater impact in instilling class consciousness in the masses. Thank you so much.
Leftist values have been becoming more popular, its slow but it is there. Bernie might not have been a true socialist but he took a lot of the taboo from the term, hopefully the trend continues, and professor Wolff has absolutely been a major contributor to that end.
Richard Wolff is a great resource. I’ve extracted much value from him. Thank you.
nice
And he extracts value from the workers who have to sell their labor at the printing house where his books are printed, right?😂
@@juniorgod321 And you think you are calling him a hypocrite, when all you are doing is being a useful idiot to the oligarchy.
Yes, indeed, Professor Wolff "is a great resource". He has taught us a lot.
Me too. The Professor teaches and I've learned a lot. But I still have questions, not about Marxist thought and theory, but about his acceptance and delight in China and Russia's aggression, capitalist economies and the expressed hope that their models will supplant ours. I don't like those choices. I just don't like capitalism, aggression, expansionism, economic imperialism or corruption here, there or anywhere. I want a Marxist socialist economy where the people own and manage the enterprises where they work cooperatively and democratically. I want a bottom up society, not a top down one. I want peace and democracy with the kind of freedoms delineated in the First Ammendment to our Constitution.
“Catch a man a fish, and you can sell it to him. Teach a man to fish, and you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.”~ Karl Marx
You’re a good man, Richard. Thank you, we need Marx more than ever.
Protecting your capital is much more important than making money. Basically because if you lose your capital, making money is much harder. ''Missing the train'' vs. ''losing your money''. There are a lot of trains, but if your money is gone, it's over.
There might be an economical turmoil but there is no doubt that this is still the best time to invest.
Best time to invest? thats funny though because in the last four months I have lost more than $47,900 in stock market which is the biggest I have loss since I ventured into stock investment.
@@jessicasquire you could be right or wrong . i once had similar problem but now its a different ball game for me because I was lucky to have met *KATRINA VANRENSUM*
I just added $240,000 to my portfolio
@Patrick Brussels Search her name on the web you will see all you need to know about her.
I am a blue collar guy without a university education, and I just want to say, without people like Professor Wolff it would have taken me a long time to build confidence to speak about Marxism. Now I feel like I have a purpose, or reason to toil and struggle.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
@@user_-_vse_kak_u_ludey_0011 wonderfully stated comrade
1) Soviet workers councils were created 1st in earlier 1905 Russian
Revolution- they were multi party
coalition.
2) Multi party coalition continues
1917 21
3) Bolshevik (“Majority”)!Party then promoted pro Bolshevik siviets
4)!1918 to 1929s across Europe
some workers etc. also set up Soviet workers councils
Gremany
Italy
Hungary
Ireland
etc.
More generally, workers in industrial societies from crisis to crisis set up similar groups
1871 Commune of Paris
1918-21 Europe
1936 Spanish Republuc anarchists & rebel socialist uprising
1968!France mass left uprising
committees were set up in many places.(workers committees &
student committees’?)
1974 Portuguese Revolution
many more councils & committees
Mondragon co. Spain workers co opvonglonerate.
All these have web sites &/or videos!!
Excellent, passionate analysis. People, open your eyes👀, quit the rat race🐭🏃😢
I am a high school teacher and I often use your lectures to give greater clarity to my students' studies regarding Marxism. I appreciate the clarity with which you deliver your lectures. Thank you!
As part of the American working class finding Marxism was one of the best things to happen to me..gives the poor/working class hope and a way out of this corrupt system
I agree! I think one of the reasons young people today are so depressed and spiritless is their horrible lack of an animating philosophy of hope. It's just one long, bleak, featureless tunnel for them, only relieved by psychotropic drugs and cheap technology.
It’s incomprehensible the ‘bootstraps’ ‘callused hands’ conservatives support and defend capitalism while living paycheck to paycheck.
I have discovered not only has Marxism been suppressed in the culture and we have all been lied to about it, we have also been lied to about liberalism the very system we base our nation on.
And this is even a greater crime. For example, how many so-called libertarians do you know believe that libertarianism is about zero taxes and celebration of capitalism? Many. But lo and behold Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine were very critical of capitalism as we know it today. Jefferson was so against monopolies he wanted to tax them out of existence. He also advocated quite shockingly for a 100% inheritance tax specifically because he was afraid of Plutocracy.
The fact that the right believes that Jefferson was a capitalist and anti-tax etc. is ahistorical. And the fact the left now completely condemns Jefferson because he own slaves, even though he tried to abolish slavery multiple times in his life, is also based on ignorance. He was born into that system in the same way Friedrich Engels was born into a capitalist family and dedicated his life to find a way out of capitalism.
So here we are in a completely politically brainwashed culture. May we all overcome it.
Are you joking??
I hope you're being sarcastic.
My favourite Marxist tradition is Marxmas. I’m trying to get my family to celebrate it every year instead of Christmas. When people say “merry Christmas”, I usually reply with “Merry Marxmas”. 😎
When I found out Mao Tse Tungs birthday was 26th December I tried that but no one seemed to like it, shouldn't put my own foto on the cards I guess.
@jillfryer6699 Chairman Mao was born on August 6th.
What calander are you using ?
和不移的权利的承
what's Marxmas? Is there a tradition of handmade gifts made with nationalized tools? sounds fun, but if I had to vote for a new santa, Kropotkin comes to mind first,tbh
Thank you professor as usual, I anticipate your lectures.
It's always a reward watching Dr. Wollf video.
“Despair is characteristic of those who do not understand the causes of evil, see no way out, and are unable to fight.” - Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Or you've run out of nachos.
Prof Wolff makes so much sense out of voluminous annals of Marxist thought.... Thx Prof Wolff....
Hey Prof. Wolff: Belated Happy Birthday wishes for a couple of days ago. Keep going; I'm gaining on you. 😊😊 Thank you for your contributions for a better civilization.
I would challenge anyone to read Marx seriously and after reading it try to argue that it isn't relevant to today's world. The mere idea that anyone would say this is baffling. Thank you once again for another banger of a video Prof Wolff
I belief in Marxism, and china is the best model to proof its concept.
Another great lesson! Thank you Prof. Wolff
Excellent as always Prof Wolff.
Thank you for your work.
Social justice in contrast with injustices of bully elites is an ancient desire, coming and going under different circumstances. China now practicing a type of socialism that gives lessons to moderate social extremes. Hope it will evolve to provide a better freedom without allowing growth of covert corruption.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
Excellent talk. Thanks a million,
I love you Prof. Found your Marxism 101 lectures on TH-cam in 2014/2015. Set me up nicely for the Bernie run and holding at least a seed of perspective.
Awesome talk Prof. One of your best. You know, you cheer me up after a hard battle with the capitalists I encounter. Keep going my friend.
My favourite most often cited quote from Marx is ”Workers of the world unite!”, but I like the part preceding it much more: ”The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.”
Thanks!
Excellent and necessary video!
Another banger! Thank you Professor Wolff! 🐺🦾
Just one correction: Los humanos prehistóricos no estaban "todo el día" buscando alimento. Esa es una idea ya obsoleta, refutada por la arqueología y la antropología. Destinaban unas 5 hs diarias en total a la tarea de alimento/abrigo, y no diferenciaban "trabajo" de "ocio".
En cierto modo, vivían mucho mejor que nosotros.
Gracias, profesor Wolf! 🧡
Thank you Professor Wolff. Best wishes.
The famous economist Heilbroner observed-rough paraphrase -that Marx's analysis of history etc ,his vast body of work,cannot be ignored,whether one agrees with his conclusions or not,let alone whether or not he was "right" on every point he makes.Often,Marx's critics use that reality to reject the work outright,and direct their followers back to Neo-classical interpretations of econ-Ironically, students of philosophy learn that the same criticisms can be applied to the works of Plato and Aristotle,but we still treat their work with great reverence-for their fruitfulness ,and probity,with the understanding that we stand upon their shoulders.Thank you as always,Prof Wolff.
Thanks 🙏🏾
thank you prof Wolf don't whant to see you sad!. i wish all the best!.
Marx was the Greatest Capitalist Economist that ever lived..!
His analysis and description of Capitalism
The Very Foundation of Capitalism
And all the working parts that comprise Capitalism..
And no One has surpassed his Analysis
In 170 Yrs.
Remarkable..
Moreover for the Sake of Brevity..
Besides understanding
Labor Theory of Value
The Creation of Surplus Value
And Socialized Property Relationship
Are the Economic Attributes of Marx
But a Whole separate Universe that Marx explores & introduces
Are the
Social Implications and Results
from the Economic System..
And How we got there.
" Origins of Family,
State and Private Property..!"
Marx and Engels
That little Brilliant Treatment has never been Surpassed Either
In Fact..
Marx and Engels are more relevant today
Then Ever.
There are literally many psychologists who say they wish they had never encountered Freud. Not endorsing it but its a thing.
Great show
God Bless Professor Richard Wolff, the World today needs honest & Dedicated Human Being like him. We, all must share this video & we all must. Support, Subscribe & Standby this Channel. Thank You.
Thanks, Prof. Wolff.
Thx for sharing
Its important to share knowledge
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
I swear when I listen to this, I start to think this country is still young and I’m dealing with it. As long as I’m in the right side of history.
It's going to take a lot of struggle and suffering to change the world, but doing nothing is going to be harder and it is going to eventually kill all of us. Solidarity! Workers strike back!
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
13:25 Professor is putting the cart in front of the horse here. The correct way to say it is: What happened in China is built on theories developed by Marx and Marxists at home and abroad throughout the years.
❤ Always great content.
The issue, more and more, is less about getting some people to adopt Marxian Analysis, rather, it is the adopting of Political Marxism (Marxism-Leninism); that seems to be the major hurdle.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
@@user_-_vse_kak_u_ludey_0011 All true, the USSR also had it's House of Nationalities coequal branch of government alongside the Supreme Soviet, so as to address the difference peoples grievances within the Working Class within the Union.
Thank you 🌎✊🗽🌹
I think and FEEL the Best system for humanity has YET to be discovered. What we know has been good tries but far from perfect or effective in practice. The search is far from being over.
I think we have to watch the current systems, from capitalism to communism, crash and fall apart, which they are, and in baring witness to this a huge shift in the way we perceive ourselves and the world. We can't conceive of a better, original system in our current state but we will on the other side of the madness that grips this world now.
@@adeptus333777 indeed we will
The search we never end and shouldn't ever end
Another awesome analysis, thanks Richard, by the way reading your book DEMOCACRCY AT WORK it is awesome too.
I've heard that the few existing hunters/gathers work about 3 hours a day. And that is on the unproductive land they have been left to exist on. I work about 10 hours a day and most of that is to pay for shelter, water, food and energy to cook, wash, heat. What progress!?
The most important concept of Marxism isn't the surplus, but in fact value and the immaterial form in which the surplus is generated (ie surplus-value) compared to past societies where the surplus was produced and appropriated in the form of material wealth. The value-form arises out of the separation of independent produces from the means of production. It is the existence of generalised commodity relations though which individuals need to participate in order to survive. It is the relations between commodities in the world market that gives rise to value. This is markedly different from pre-capitalist societies where commodity relations were not generalised and this is Marx's most important contribution. More Marxists need to emphasis this instead of just talking about the surplus without mentioning the specific form it takes.
Any C Wright Mills fans here?
AAA+++Bedford, Texas=========Thanks for the Education=======
Dear Prof Wolf, Do you have any ideas about the effects and purposes (overt and covert) of Daylight Saving Time? All the best. JF.
Stalin is by far my favourite marxist. Think what you want of the man or his decisions but the man was incredibly well versed in Marxism. I didn't fully understand Marxism till reading stalins work. He had such a concise and easily understandable way of describing marxist ideas. Anyway as Xi jinping said at the last national congress. "Marxism works".
What specifically did Stalin write that helped you understand Marxism?
Stalin was a mass murderer and hypocrite. Yes, he talked a good game about Marxism. However, in practice he was a bloodthirsty totalitarian with whom Marx would never have approved.
his writings are some of the most sober reading one can find on political discourse.
You do realize Stalin killed millions if people. Who is your favorite dictator, Hitler?
He killed millions of people!
Is it possible for you to evaluate history on the "stage" of numbers of people killed under the several various forms of government? Thank you Sir.
I just think….what I learnt from this video?
Nothing, everything what this gentleman said I already knew it….
Очень хорошее объяснение почему марксизм ценен.
A very good explanation of why Marxism is valuable.
As a Vietnamese, I will give you an outlook from the inside of stuff called Communist-like. I guess it is also a long way to reach the real Communist of Marxism.
In Vietnam, especially after the evolution of private sectors, we have a wider and wider gap of inequality between the minority and the majority - leisure and wealth for the former, and bitterness for the latter. The minority is the sovereignty of politic-related power - as the Big Boss, followed by the capitalists - or the Board of Management who are allowed to invest in our society (by the Big Boss, of course). The majority is the rest. This fact leads to a terrible trend of immigration, temporary or permanent, of desperate civilians, to other countries with a better-masked form of exploitation. Here and there, the Vietnamese economy is called a miracle, a sort of smaller version of the Chinese one, and you can see, it has been involved in the same conflict as capitalism, or somehow worse as you count the minority playing a role as double-layer exploitation.
It is more dangerous when you succeed than fail because it is easier to credit that the reason for success is only from our subjective effort, rather than other objective factors like foreign investment or free trade. This misunderstanding can be applied to both the Chinese economy and the Vietnamese economy. At the end of the day, it turns out to be dangerous if a dictator claims this success as their turbo to change the world, which is actually happening to Xi Jinping.
Anti work on reddit is exactly this! I am tired of being a slave…
👍👍👍
This country seems to be in trouble economically speaking and we can easily find a way out of it instead we just our denial and continue down the path of self-destruction.
Denial. Projection. those other things. they are not going to see the light and turn around.
I love REAL educators. Wolff is a role model.
Vietnam vets were fighting for socialism against the communist ... How could people not have noticed that ?
Democracy has proven incompatible with government in general and ideological government in particular. How do I find out? History.
Professor
The USSR, after its formation in 1923, too achieved the same tremendous growth from nothing to sufficiency in a decade when in the same period western world was gripped by the Great economic depression of 1929 and drifted into Ww2
I ones visited St.Francisco, many years ago, really had a possitive feeling.
I have seen video's on youtube, recognising places and I'm horrified because off that.
What a decline of that city 😈😈
Terrible.
The problem is not that you can’t sell it…….there are so many gifted people……all for naught…….it’s because they aren’t buying it………😂😂😂
It's so annoying how ideologues on the right will always fall on the shoulders of small entrepreneurs and small shops trying to be their own boss and give some good jobs in their community to justify their enormous wealth accumulation.
Running a small business by yourself can be quite complicated, and even if you are the only employee, you are technically not giving yourself the full worth of your labour as some of it needs to go to bills, some has to be set asside for emergencies, keep some for getting better equipment later and so on and so on.
As an adult that has had a lot of different work experience in various fields, I got mixed feelings on this subject, mostly from all the misunderstanding occuring from people talking at each other instead of together.
There really are lazy incapable workers that will sabotage you or make a toxic work environment and so on, and if they start going about how they are exploited by a guy who makes enough to live a little above the poverty line to provide as best he can for his familly and community...
Perhaps the French working class realise this surplus issue. After producing increasing amounts of surplus product and value for capital for decades, the ruling class in France want the workers to keep on doin' it for another two years until they can finally retire at the age of 64 instead of 62. The working class in France ain't havin' it!
Me, studying psychology, trying to avoid any contact with Freud :/
Very articulate
Hello Professor Wolff, ihave been following you for years. Talking about you with a revolutionary marxist she told me the following: "My understanding of reformism is any political strategy that falls short of ending the rule of profit and the wage system that sustains that rule. Capitalism can accommodate co-ops, and has done so for centuries, so a co-op strategy is a reformist strategy. "
She is arguing you are not a revolutionary marxist because you argue for worker coops and they are and have been part of capitalism since its inception practically. Can you respond to this? I told her that your work is against capitalism and for workplace democracy. thank you.
There is only so much that can be said on a western platform like youtube.
No one (practically) in America knows what "Soviet" means. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that after the revolution, Lenin's nationwide decree announced the creation of ELECTIONS of PEOPLE's DELEGATES. Represented by workers, employees, employees and the peasantry in any commercial, public, state-owned enterprises and collective farms (joint farms), were represented in the management bodies of the enterprise. By choosing (voting) delegates representing these collectives and artels (that is, workers and employees of this enterprise). These delegates were chosen for representation in the management bodies of enterprises (board of directors), administration (management) and other management bodies of this enterprise - they were chosen by COUNCILS, that is, meetings of these collectives ("councils of workers' collectives and peasant artels", that is, collective meetings of any enterprise, representatives of employees of this enterprise). And these councils of employees of all departments and cells of the enterprise elected delegates, and these delegates had exactly the same rights as representatives of the management of the organization, the same as the owners of the enterprise (this was, for example, during the NEP and cooperative farms and enterprises, when this form of ownership was in the USSR). And without the consent or "rational proposal" of the workers' and peasants' "Soviet" delegates elected by the soviets/assemblies/ NO OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF these enterprises COULD DECIDE ANYTHING/PASS LAWS/. No administrative, commercial, industrial, organizational or any other decisions could be taken without the consent of these delegates. At the same time, if the delegates were suspected of collusion with the leadership and refusal - sabotage, distortion of the meaning, the opinion of the working collective - this delegate was instantly re-elected! In addition, the delegate, before making a decision agreed with the management, had to approve this decision by all (majority) employees at the collective "council" by a simple direct vote. And also at a meeting with the management and owners of the company - a direct vote of all representatives was a legitimate legal practice! And now tell me - isn't this a direct and fair DEMOCRACY, that is, democracy of the people! So there is nothing in the word and the concept of "Soviet" that capitalists, oligarchs and other gentlemen who oppress the American people would put into it. And they did it not in the interests of the majority, but in order to distort the socialist meaning of this concept (i.e. equality, national and representative right of working people). The meaning of "socialist" is the observance of the common people and the unity of the rule of law, justice, electability, openness and universal equality - as well as equal justice for all. And the richest power elite did it in their own fraudulent dirty interests, contrary to the democratic values of the American people. This is such a huge large-scale deception and falsification, dear comrades! 👉☺️🧐😎🤝
I wish the part about Freud were true.
Unfortunately, that is EXACTLY what happens in psychology today. That is the universal attitude towards Freud not only among the students, but most of the faculty of most research psychology programs. Freud is the punchline of jokes, and they just assume that there is nothing of worth to learn there at all. They speak extremely proudly of the fact that they've never "wasted their time" reading Freud, they roll their eyes if you mention Freud, and they are very socially committed to this extremely reductive dismissal of Freud. That dismissal is taken as a sign that you are familiar with the modern state of the field, it's what distinguishes you from the plebeian rabble of philistines that still think Freud is important.
In about ten years in academia in modern, high-end psychology research departments, I met exactly one person who would admit to having read anything more than a few pages of Freud they were assigned as an undergrad. It might be different in clinical psychology, but most research psychology right now behaves towards Freud almost identically to how economics behave towards Marx.
This is also not at all restricted to psychology and Freud. My work was in psycholinguistics, and you see the exact same attitude towards Chomsky - and as time goes on, it gets stronger and stronger. We're nearing the point where the majority opinion is that he's merely "historically important", and I bet in one or two generations reading Chomsky will be a fringe activity. I've already met people who are proud that they don't have much familiarity with his "obviously outdated" work.
Marx faces a special category of dismissals, to be sure, but this pattern is unfortunately also present for many historical intellectuals: the field moves past them, and the old guard recognizes the importance and even teaches it, but new students overeager to seem like they're "in the know" play-act these dismissals hoping that they come across as knowledgeable about the state of the field, and then those students become the old guard and the next generation amplifies the effect.
Awesome summary of the common sense approach, thanks professor.
My favorite monument to the genius of Marx is the Berlin Wall.
oh and i subscribed great video thnx
Thanks as always Richard. A question I have is how might Marxism help us see our real position in nature, as a part of and as subject to the laws of physics, Earth Systems Science and so on; bearing in mind we are on the cusp of 'Hot House Earth'.
I have a view of this, but time constraints are now so tight that approaches through existing systems, and there's the clue, mean that only revolution might succeed, and at that peaceful revolution. Thanks as always.
I think Marx would suggest harmony with nature. There is potentially an abundance of resources on the planet to take care of all our needs. The trick is to work in co-operation with the earth and with ourselves. For mutual benefit. The Indigenous Americans for example, were not the savages, they were made out to be , by European colonists. The opposite was true. The Indigenous peoples lived harmoniously off the Land. There was no rampant pollution, and destruction. They had natural clean drinking water and food supply was gathered and shared. No selfishness or greed. I was on another platform recently and someone pointed me in the direction of something I had not heard about called the Venus Project or under the heading Zeitgeist. It is about using modern technology to benefit every living person on the planet in a sustainable economic and ecological way. Look it up I found it amazing and inspiring.
I agree with you that the economic strides China has made us just amazing. I have a Chinese wife and in-laws and worked in Beijing in 2000 and 2001 for a large international computer manufacturer and service provider. I have travelled there frequently since 1994.
Can you explain how China accomplished this amazing growth? My view is that at the major corporate level down to small enterprises the chinese government just stole technologies and used them to create manufacturing monopolies. Even if a foreign company starts a business in China, China will quickly learn the technology from that company copy it and then drop prices for the products and force out all others not only in China but around the world. China signed the WTO rules but never had follows those rules or any other international rules. They are also test their manufacturing employees terribly. There are nets around some building floor so workers in these terrible dorms (where employees live very long distances away from their families in the country side) try to commit suicide.
The people in China are wonderful but the one party communist system is terrible.
Can you please tell me what led to Chinas success. I think it was greed by western corporations looking to make it rich in the China market and at the same time getting effectively slave labor rates for production. Plus, China has never let it’s currency float in the market so they could always control international rates in their favor. Marxism in my view has had little if anything to do with it. Basic cheating and stealing has accomplished most of it.
Now western companies see what has been done to them by the cheating and are moving production out of China and chinese communist party blames the USA.
Enslavement legally exists today for those incarcerated by the state...and corporate contractors such as GEO group...this is meant to grow...in scale and profits...the capitalist corporate approach devoid of actual "human" need or concern...They own us...we are enslaved also until we own them.
When we have no option but to work for one capitalist or another and all options are roughly equivalent, we are slaves.
I was once told that in an average 40 hour work week many employees are only productive for 20 hours at most. Can we live on 20 hours of pay? Only, if you earned the same amount or more for 20 hours that you would receive in a 40 hour work week. I like the idea of a 4-day work week only if pay and benefits aren't reduced. But, I'm guessing it will be 10-hour work days and not 8 hours with one less work day.
We can watch current hunter gatherer societies and figure out how much time they spend each day meeting their basic needs. Comes to about 3 hours a day. 21 hours a week.
Almost everyone in our society at least doubles that number.
That pretty harsh.
@@blogintonblakley2708 many closer to triple or quadruple that number.
What you should add to this is fact that many people tend to prefer power over wealth.
This is the biggest mistake in classic economy. Entire Soviet Union was based on this principle: instead of money you can pay people by giving them a bits of power over other.
This is cheaper to do than paying in cash.
Especially in society where people on the bottom of piramid are treated like crap.
It's lesson forgot in US.
I'm adding to that feminism which in recent times changed it aims from liberating women to ruling over "evil" men.
Now is fashionable to have women as capo. It's the only difference for average working class man.
If TH-cam gave me a Like button that was worth 100 Likes that I were allowed to use say- every quarter- I'd be using it right here. Clear, concise, and cutting.
"Say something back to this man trying to refute any of that. I dare you. I _dare_ you."
Total B.S. week in and week out and exposed as such in every comment section for every video.
( seek and ye shall find )
I see Prof. Wolff is getting more agitated at the US slide towards ever more unequal distribution of capitalism.
Eat it, digest it- Ross Perot.
My economics faculty glossed over and discouraged students from studying Marx. This is academic dishonesty, it took me much longer to discover Marx because it had been demonized in my mind for so long.
How can anyone deny the growth of China's economy and the vast improvement in quality of life of Chinese people? China, after the revolution under Mao was indubitably Marxist inspired, but of late, especially under Xi, but not only because of him, the Chinese worker has been subjected to Capitalism and especially rigid working conditions. With Capitalism comes instability inequality and the absolute death of cooperatives. Also, as is inevitable under Capitalism, the privately owned sector relies on the government for its privileged status in society. Once Capitalism has taken root it is almost impossible to dislodge or control it because of the miltary, industrial and political alliance that forms wherever private ownershp of the means of production is thriving. A privileged class can and will corrupt for its own purposes. Hard on the heels of that military, industrial and political complex comes a whittling away of democracy. It happens under State Socialism too. The only way to prevent it is to enshrine the principles of voting, protest, a free press with free access to mass media, and the ability to speak freely and to organize for change. It seems that everywhere Capitalism thrives there grow monopolies, oligarchies, and eventually a strongman and true fascism, all to protect private wealth and power. It's happening all over the world right this minute.
I cannot disagree with anything Professor Wolff says about Marxist theory, about its practical application or about the early years of modern China after the revolution under Mao. Now, let me briefly say that while Mao made serious mistakes and China wasn't altogether democratic in those early years, I also do not doubt that Mao struggled to find ways that would modernize his country, industrialized it and bring relief to both workers and peasants in the countryside. He wasn't godlike or perfect but I believe Mao's motives were humane but he delivered inhumane directives. Now that I've gotten that out if the way, I also need to say that currently China as a mostly Capitalist nation wraps itself in Marxist and Communist trappings but they are only a facade. The rhetoric is the patriotic flag that covers the Capitalist ass imperfectly.
Xi has a very imperialistic streak. He looks back to Imperial China over the ages and then looks at the nearby geography and claims it all as Chinese regardless of the desires of the inhabitants, the neighbors or other international use or interests. He is kleptocratic about expanding into every corner ever ruled or influenced by ancient China. That's going to put him into conflict with other political and economic interests. Internally, China is repressive and punitive with dissenters. China's human rights record is wretched. Everything from demanding abortions and birth control to trying to increase births now are none of the business of government, especially with punishments for disobedience attached. Point systems for disobeying rules with banishment from public transportation, is another example of undemocratic and repressive Chinese policy that Xi has adopted. The imprisonment, reported sterilization and '"forced reeducation" of Uyghurs is yet another undemocratic solution to a social problem. How China handled pandemic lockdown and then reopening of the economy after great unrest and protest is still another way that China deals with uncooperative citizens extremely harshly and undemocratically. Modern China is restrictive, heavily propagandized, undemocratic, economically stratified and aggressive. This is a model of a society I do not wish to live in.
A really Socialist society, much less a Communist one, would promote a system where communalism and cooperatives abound. Such a Marxist based economy would not encoursge Capitalist enterprises (private ownership of the means of production and private accumulation of profit from the enterprise. ) such a system would be discouraged. A really Marxist, Socialist country, in the way Professor Wolff explains, would encourage cooperatives in which the workers own and control the enterprises where they work. That's not China today. China is making every political, undemocratic, imperialist, regressive and Capitalist mistake the United States ever made. I disliked it when my own country acted that way and I feel exactly the same disapproval of China. AND RUSSIA TOO, FOR THAT MATTER.
Beautiful.
Gee, another verbose ChatGPT comment that no one will read.
@@kevinschmidt2210 Someone read it. I hope more people read it. Nobody explains how a true Marxist can condone such a capitalist driven economy that has reintroduced classism, privileged wealth, corruption, manipulation and constant propagandizing of its citizens. When Wolff extols China's economic success he is denying the very thesis he eloquently explains in his book Democracy At Work.
You just said, "no" now why you said it.
Professor
I always thank you for your lectures.
Would you have a book of Marxism to recommend to read for his core ideology in general?
I would appreciated it.
Bravo! This very fundamental analysis and description will go a long way to understanding. I just wonder, as someone who always worked for non-profits ((with one brief exception in my early years), how the idea of surplus applies there. We seem to have more and more nonprofits. And then there are the LLCs sprouting up everywhere. How do these fit in with the notion of surplus?
For non profit read legal tax evasion!!
@@Mk-oy9ns Legal tax evasion is an oxyMORON. It is actually called legal tax avoidance.
you do hear about the non tax thing but its not whole story. partly it seems distribution of surplus production already existing or potentially existing in the world, tacitly admitting that the haves have far too much, more than can use, and the have nots need it, the surplus needs to be got to them in some way that is at least cost effective or even profitable to subsidize further transport of surplus - systems, food, grain, materials. There are cynics of the far right, brutes who see no point in this, who think whoever cant look after themself or be useful to producers can die. Its best. They'd call it realism. A more sophisticated approach sees improving the situation of the 'less well off' as a self serving thing (which is all the idiot brutes respect) because it will make them and their countries more useful to the surplus suppliers, there's always some new, better, more advanced gizmo that can be tried out in production in other places than the home of the philanthropists. There seems no end to it once this system of relations is entered into. Ancient prohibitions against usury I think were a dim prognostication of this fate.
The reason for China's success is not Marxism, it's simply because they have a significant positive trade balance. Having a positive trade balance was the driving force for the USA success after WWII, the Japanese success and every other country. A country begins to fall when they run significant trade deficits. However, don't lose hope, because I know how to make any system work, Although, i require that the government I assist is fair and just and gives their people copious amounts of personal freedom.
between you and you and TMZ I might have hope for the future..
No updates this week?
👏👏👏👏
Love your videos Sir ❤ you are a treasure.
This was an especially good presentation Prof Wolffe. Thank you
Thank you very much Prof. Wolff , wow ! the moment you mentioned S . Freud my neurons went , wait a minute I heard that name before even when I haven’t read any about his psychological points of view . But then I googled and bingo : Freud , born in Austria like A . Hitler so far but then related with this other important character Edward Bernays ( Propaganda Book ) nephew of S. Freud mind you , very interesting . Anyway thank you again , every single time I learn more from all the information you give us . 👍🏻🙏✌🏻👋🏻👏😁❤️.