The way we live influences how we think and how we act. This is basic materialism. However, “power” is not the moving factor, class is. This is why administration has changed dramatically based on modes of production and distribution. Socialist countries simply do not face the same scale of problems with corruption as capitalist countries. This isn’t because socialism is more resistant to corruptive forces like “power,” but instead because the class relations are different.

I call the idea that “power corrupts” supernatural thinking because it erases the actual materialist cause, and injects a vague and nebulous concept of an evil corruptive force. Administration is not the enemy, class is.

Nobody is arguing that Russia would not engage in imperialism if given the opportunity. The point being driven home is that they do not have that opportunity, and as such are targeted by imperialists. This puts them on opposing sides. Again, it’s purely self-interest, not ideology.

As for Trump, this is just BlueAnon conspiracy theory. Trump is self-interested. If Trump was a Russian ally, Trump would have erased sanctions and forced an end to the Russo-Ukrainian war, would have dissolved NATO already, and more.

As for capitalists not having a “belief” in nationalism, that’s not at all what I mean. The national bourgeoisie are those that are largely constrained within the domestic markets, not international financiers. Think the people that own factories, vs. the ones owning Blackrock. The national bourgeoisie of countries under threat of imperialism have aligned interests with the proletariat and peasantry in opposing imperialism. They are still obstacles to socialism, but are progressive against imperialism.

Nationalism in the imperial core protects imperialism, but national liberation in the global south opposes imperialism. Palestinian nationalism is progressive, as is the nationalism of Burkina Faso, as was Vietnamese and Cuban nationalism. The National liberation movement is a progressive one against imperialism and therefore assists the transition to socialism.

In universalizing imperialism, you’re erasing it’s actual character.

Capitalism by its very nature is a system of accumulation. The fact that Russia is not imperialized by the west means the west is working to open Russia’s markets by force. This isn’t unique to Russia, it’s just that Russia is the topic here.

Trump is not a Russia ally. The two countries stand opposed on the emerging multipolar world. What Trump is forced to recognize is industrial and millitary power, which Russia is still rising in while the imperialist countries de-industrialize.

The capitalist class is the enemy. However, what you are doing is erasing imperialism as a stage in capitalism, vulgarly reducing it to being synonymous with capitalism and therefore either universally applicable, ie Burkina Faso would be imperialist, or a simple policy preference by some states, essentially Kautsky’s error. Neither are accurate. In eliminating national distinctions between the capitalist class, you eliminate proletarian internationalism.

No, BlueAnon isn’t real.

Imperialism is a stage in capitalist development, it is not the same thing as capitalism. Mexico isn’t imperialist, for example. The lack of ability to be imperialist means Russia is on the side targeted by imperialism, and for its own self-interest is working against the very system targeting it. This is why it’s helping Cuba, trading heavily with socialist countries like China, and supporting the Alliance of Sahel States in kicking out France. Ideology isn’t the reason for Russia’s anti-imperialism, its geopolitical context is.

As for nationalism, you oversimplified it dangerously. Nationalism against imperialism and colonialism is progressive, nationalism preserving imperialism and colonialism is regressive. Palestinian nationalism is a progressive movement against settler-colonialism and genocide, and weakens the international imperialist movement.

Returning to Russia, the nationalist bourgeoisie is interested in opposing imperialism out of their own self a preservation. They aren’t good people, but they are backed into a corner by a common threat. Russia is not an imperialist country, it already succeeded in a nationalist revolution in the 90s against imperialism and as such needs to have a socialist revolution to completely liberate itself.

“Power” does not change the biological functioning of the brain. You are confusing class interest for “power” as a supernatural corruptive force. The mode of production changes what classes exist, and which ones are in power, which changes the way we live and think.

Russia is self-interested in opposing the imperialist system dominated by the US. It isn’t ideologically aligned with socialism, but it is practically aligned with socialists in overthrowing imperialism. The Russian bourgeoisie is nationalist, not imperialist, as there simply isn’t space for Russia to colonize as the west has the entire imperialized world under its thumb.

How is class an “interesting theory?” Class analysis is the basis of historical materialism, which is agreed upon by modern historiography to be one of the most effective ways of analyzing history. It’s fundamentally correct, the idea that capitalists don’t seek their own interest as capitalists is just basic logic.

Further, class analysis is critical for communist organization, as identifying which classes are revolutionary and which ones are not informs how you organize and what is to be done once taking power and establishing socialism.

People have definitely tried to prove it, but it doesn’t work that way. People act in their self-interest, but what’s dominant is class outlook and how that fits into the mode of production. False positives.

Class isn’t supernatural, correct. It’s a material relation. Capitalists are interested as a class in retaining private ownership, workers are materially interested in collectivizing production. This isn’t a corruptive force, but pure class interest. As for power supernaturally corrupting, no, it is not well-studied by psychology.

Nobody is talking about bootlicking. Power is not a supernatural corruptive force. Administration does not turn people evil. What’s important is class analysis, as people do act in their class interests generally.

The mode of production and distribution.

Power is not a supernatural corruptive force, this narrative is spread to prevent people from organizing.

Basic Marxist-Leninist study guide I made

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Not quite. You can find data like this, but the length of time isn’t nearly as long, and only really accounts for the Xi Jinping era, and is missing the data on the bottom 50%. I’m sure the data is out there, but I don’t have any on hand.

I’d believe it if I were a bystander, povoq is doing this extremely well if he wants to validate my points uncontested. As funny as it would be, I am not secretly a solarpunk admin.

Edit: Edie is clearly joking, for whoever is downvoting it. Edie isn’t actually accusing me of making an alt to argue with.

Nah, history is written by both winners and losers. What’s important is historical accuracy, and which class’s perspective and outlook is being presented. Equating socialist historiography with bourgeois historiography is a false equivalence.