I like leftists with 94% shared values. I don't like fascists pretending to be leftists
Nailed it.
Marxists and Anarchists share 94% of views, but those last 6% cause 99% of conflicts between them.
That last 6% (which seems very arbitrary tbh) includes such concepts as "anti-authoritarianism" though, which is a core concept of anarchism. M-Ls on Lemmy generally endorse a centrally planned economy and state ownership of capital and resources, which inevitably leads to state authoritarianism (or so history tells us). Most M-L leftists here are happy to defend that kind of authoritarianism, so long as it's in opposition to the Western liberal democracy. I think that's why anarchists argue so much with M-Ls, because it's a core and arguably irreconcilable difference in ideology.
I agree with you that in an ideal world, anarchists and M-Ls would have little to argue about, but given the sheer number of tankies arguing that China and Russia are basically faultless (even while admiting they are no longer truly communist or socialist) and throwing their support behind the most despicable theocratic and/or authoritarian regimes, like Iran, Yemen, North Korea and Russia, just because they see it as a way to diminish Western liberal democracies, there seems to be a lot to argue about nowadays. Replacing a one authoritarian state with just another authoritarian state does not seem like progress.
I am definitely more of a Marxist than an Anarchist, but I believe comrades are comrades. I believe Anarchism is certainly a beautiful idea, but just isn't as practical as Marxism is. That doesn't take away that Anarchists are my allies against Imperialism and Capitalism. I agree that eventually the question of how to organize the revolution will bring conflict between Anarchists and Marxists, but I also am not so naive to think that the revolution can be won by Marxists or Anarchists alone. Only a mass worker-led movement can gain change.
I will say, as someone on a .ml account, who sees Lemmygrad and Hexbear content regularly, I do believe you are woefully mischaracterizing the vast majority opinions of MLs, and I would not be a good Marxist if I didn't at least try to correct that. There may be a few people exactly as you describe, but the vast majority believe the following:
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Russia is a reactionary bourgeois dictatorship with brutal anti-LGBT laws that is currently allied with China against US hedgemony. MLs do not believe Russia can do no wrong, at least not from what I have seen, but do support movements against US hedgemony. The closest is retaining hope that the Communist Party will take over after Putin either dies or retires, and takes the Nationalist Party with him, as the Communist Party is the second most supported and there are no clear successors within the Nationalist Party.
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MLs believe China is Socialist, and support it as such. Rather than decoupling from international trade like the USSR did, leading to its collapse, the PRC opted to stay connected while maintaining state superiority over Capitalists. They don't believe China is fully luxury space gay communism or anything, but that it is building up its productive forces to become fully worker owned after destabilizing US hedgemony.
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Again, Critical Support. I assume you're familiar with "lesser evil" support in Biden vs Trump, correct? Same general process, supporting movements against Imperialism while also supporting leftist movements within these states. Importantly, states cannot become Leftist while under the thumb of Imperialism. Watching Burkina Faso is a great example, they are becoming more leftist as they fight against US interests.
This is the majority opinion I see. Full blown support without any nuance is very rare in my experience, so saying the "sheer number of tankies" are like this is a mischaracterization IMO.
As for why replacing a Capitalist State with a Worker State is a good thing by itself, without a need for full anarchism, I would ask you if you would rather work at a worker co-op or a Capitalist business. Both would have managers, both would have bosses, but the power balance is fundamentally different.
I don't expect you to agree with me, but I do think that if you're truly an Anarchist, you are far closer to MLs than you are to Liberals. Just my 2 cents.
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I got a good chuckle out of this. Thanks.
This is true of any ideology. Heretics have always been prosecuted and punished far more vigorously than pagans.
