Dérive

In my blurb for this presentation, I wrote the following:  Socialism is the period of workers’ political rule during the transition from a class society (capitalism) to a classless society (communism). A radical republican and keen observer of the labor movement, including the events of the Paris Commune, Marx explained why this necessary period of workers’ political rule would take the form of a social republic. In short, Marx understood socialism as the fullest expression of democracy. This statement makes more than one claim regarding “what did Marx mean by socialism?” First, that socialism is a transition period between capitalism and communism. I’m not going to talk about this point. Second, this transition period is necessary and involves working-class political power. I’m also not going to talk about this point. What I am going to talk about is the fact that Marx was a radical republic and observer of the Paris Commune, and that these reasons are part of why he understood s...