Libertarian Socialism
Not to be confused with
Social Libertarianism or
Liberal Socialism.
"If we don't believe in free expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."
Libertarian Socialism (Also known as Stateless Socialism or Free Socialism) encompasses a wide range of ideologies, but mainly rejects the conception of socialism as a
statist form where the state bureaucracy retains centralized control of the economy. Workers within a libertarian socialist society have Direct Democratic control over the means of production.
Some types of Libertarian Socialism believe that Markets can exist within a Socialist society, as a libertarian form of
Market Socialism, while others, such as
Libertarian Marxism, and
Anarcho-Communism, do not. Some Libertarian Socialists wish to abolish the state altogether, like the aforementioned Anarcho-Communism, while others, such as
Minarcho-Socialism believe that a small state can exist within a libertarian socialist framework.
History
20th century
In the early part of this period, libertarian socialism was equal in influence to both social democracy and
communism. Demonstrating this influence was the formation of the Anarchist International, which drew in many anti-capitalists. Using this new organizational power, they were able to position themselves against both of their ideological rivals for the next 50 years.
Before the Russian Revolution, libertarian socialists played a crucial role in campaigning for land reform, and against Tsarist authoritarianism. These campaigns were led by the Narodniks,
the Left Social Revolutionary Party, and various anarchist collectives. These campaigns helped to instigate the Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917. Unfortunately, in the latter revolution, when the
Bolsheviks seized control, they purged libertarian socialists left and right, leading to their political irrelevancy in Russia.
In the 1936 Spanish Revolution, the CNT was crucial to the subsequent creation of libertarian socialist communities and collectives within that country. These collectives allowed delegates to take charge in certain situations, with the caveat of direct recall. Unfortunately for the CNT, when
Francisco Franco came to power in Spain, the
CNT went into a rapid decline.
Post-World War II
After the war, the ideology was ostracized from the labor movement, at least in part due to its inability to wrest control over unions from communists, social democrats, or
business unionists. Additionally, because of the seeming ease at which reformist unions gained their rights, they felt no need to engage in the radical politics espoused by libertarian socialists.
Beliefs and Theory (WIP)
Similar to autonomism, libertarian socialism believes in giving the average person as much freedom as possible. To do this,
capitalism must be abolished. Libertarian Socialism is seen as a more moderate variant of
Anarcho-Commumism. Most libertarian socialists believe in Minarcho-Socialism, which is the idea that a limited
socialist state existing. Libertarian Socialism opposes
Marxism Leninism, seeing it as a variant of
State Capitalism. Libertarian Socialism believes in worker control of the means of production, similar to
Syndicalism.
Some variants of Libertarian Socialism believe in a
Market Socialist economy, which the belief that markets and a socialist economy can coexist.
Libertarian Socialists support civil disobedience and the rejection of Authoritarianism, similar to most Anarchists and Libertarians.
Most Libertarian socialists are internationalists who reject nationalism. However, some variants of the ideology are nationalists (see Independence Anarchism).
Variants
Libertarian Market Socialism
Libertarian Market Socialism (LibMarkSoc) is an economically left-wing, libertarian, and generally culturally progressive ideology who can be described as a more moderate version of Mutualism. LibMarkSoc believes in the libertarian principle of limited government combined with the economic view that while the means of production should belong to the workers who use them, goods and services should be provided through a market economy contributed to by worker-owned businesses and co-ops. They support local direct democracy, with a limited, higher-level federal government.
Libertarian Marxism
Libertarian Marxism (LibMarx) is an economically far-left, libertarian, revolutionary, internationalist, and progressive ideology that supports worker ownership of the means of production and eventual transition into a stateless, moneyless, and classless society as per typical Marxist thought, however, he supports a decentralized approach where the working class leads the revolution themselves as opposed to acting with the aid of a vanguard party, and strongly emphasizes the libertarian and anti-authoritarian aspects of Marx's writings, specifically in his later work. It is almost always coupled with culturally left leanings.
Personality
The epitome of "fuck you, I won't do what you tell me". Annoys other socialists by complaining about how statist they are. Hangs out with other non-capitalist LibLeft ideologies a lot, although she frequently ignores them when they get into debates.
Really into punk rock and RATM.
How to Draw
- Draw a ball
- Draw an alternating pattern of red and a near-black stretching from the edge and meeting at the center, with 10 segments.
- Draw a star with the reverse colors in the center of the ball.
- Fill in the star and clean up the edges.
- Add the eyes and you're done!
Color Name | HEX | RGB | |
---|---|---|---|
Red | #FF0000 | 255, 0, 0 | |
Black | #141414 | 20, 20, 20 |
Relationships
Comrades
Socialism - Dad! Though you can be a bit statist sometimes, we still get along otherwise.
Council Communism - The most based marxist
Anarcho-Communism - My breadpilled, and most successful comrade.
Anarcho-Syndicalism - My comrade that has watched Noam Chomsky on YouTube too many times.
Social Anarchism - RIP David Graeber.
Anarcho-Collectivism - One of my first friends. We're still close.
Anti-Authoritarianism - Helps me beat up fascists and protects me from tankies.
Mutualism - The original Anarchist.
Minarcho-Socialism - My more extreme counterpart.
Democratic Confederalism - Much love for Rojava.
Democratic Socialism - A little too moderate and lacks revolutionary potential, but he too values socialism and freedom and we get along pretty well!
Neozapatismo - He runs the EZLN with my ideas.
Guild Socialism - Very good friend of mine with similar goals, even if he does have a slight obsession with the Middle Ages.
Frenemies
Trotskyism - I'm not ready to forgive you for betraying my cousins (
Kronstadt and
Makhnovia anyone?), but at least you resisted
Stalin.
Leninism - You led the first successful workers' revolution and your motto was “all power to the Soviets!”. Unfortunately you were authoritarian but your legacy is to be recognized.
Conservative Socialism - A conservative guy, but aside from cultural stance, you're just a bit authoritative.
Social Libertarianism - If I were spicy, you'd be mild. Capitalism? Pfft.
Social Georgism - You're even more mild then
SocBert, but LVT is kinda based.
Social Democracy - A slightly socialist guy, but he's way too moderate. He thinks that reforming capitalism is better than abolishing it, and idk about him...
Market Socialism - You can't go wrong with co-ops or workplace democracy, however, most of my followers are skeptical of markets.
Crusade of Romanianism - My... ultranationalist son?
Liberal Socialism - We both love freedom and Chomsky seems to admire you a lot, but many of you are too moderate. Plaus Vaush is a hypocritical lib.
Enemies
Crapitalism - Cringe system. Needs a state to function.
Fascism -
him, but without the mask of a "free market".
Imperialism - WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SEND THE POOR!
Authoritarian Capitalism - My polar opposite. The two things I hate the most combined.
State Capitalism - Aren't you just the same thing?
Dengism - You have been here already,
State Cappie.
National Capitalism - Why do you have to exist?!
National "Socialism" - "TeH nAzIs ArE sOcIaLiStS bEcAuSE "sOcIaLiStS" iS lItErAlLY iN tHeIr NaME." Sure. The social "Darwinistic" belief that only the so-called "strong" should survive is totally something a socialist would believe in.
National Bolshevism - Oh hell yeah, two of the worst ideologies had to produce an even worse offspring. I'm not joining your gang!
Authoritarian Socialism - Socialism is when workers, not bureaucracy, manage the means of production.
Marxism–Leninism - "mY
dIcTAtOrsHiP iS rEAl sOciAlIsM bEcauSE I pUt "WoRkErS" iN the NaME!" Bullshit I say!
Pol Potism - You’re a danger to both your own country and to the socialist movement at large. Chomsky did not support you, he just knew that you were no different than you capitalist equivalents!
Neoconservatism - Piss off, imperialist scum!
Neoliberalism - Reagan and Thatcher were more authoritarian governments than social democratic governments!
Police Statism - FUCK YOU! I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!
Thatcherism - 🎵 DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD! 🎵
Third Way - Piss off you woke imperialist trash!
And stop posting videos claiming Chomsky is a genocide denier, he's just saying they aren't really genocides, which isn't the same thing I swear.Putinism - ...Not the guy I want to have a dinner with.
Though Neocon is still worse, at least because of his greater firepower and media power at the moment.Fourth Theory - Basically
him but with a few takes lifted from the neocons (and don't deny it, you lunatic!). How can you get people to stay in your 'utopia'?
Kastism - Lol cope harder fascist.
Conservative Feminism - Fake feminist!
Liberal Feminism - Another pseudo-feminist garbage!
Libertarian Feminism - "i'M tOTalLy FrEe AnD InDePeNdEnT cUz i GOt aN oNlYFaNs aCcOuNt!" Not that I'm trying to be a moralist, but you cannot achieve actual feminist empowerment through selling your basic dignity, pick one.
Objectivism - You don't want freedom; you want everyone to obey the orders of the bosses who you think are the greatest thing ever.
Fake "Libertarian" - I'M THE TRUE LIBERTARIAN YOU RADICAL CAPITALIST SCUM!
Anarcho-Capitalism - You're the real oxymoron here, so stop denying it.
Minarchism - Read above.
Mediacracy - Stop manufacturing consent!
A whole load of political tests - NO, MARXISM IS NOT AUTHORITARIAN, DUMBASSES!
Further Information
Literature
Wikipedia
People
Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin
Benjamin R. Tucker
Noam Chomsky
Herbert Marcuse
Albert Camus
Oscar Wilde
Michael Albert
Naomi Klein
Jean-François Lyotard
David Graeber
Murray Bookchin
Howie Hawkins
William Morris
C. L. R. James
Abdullah Öcalan
Mario Rodríguez Cobos (Silo)
Tomás Hirsch
Gabriel Boric
Francesc Pi i Margall
Pigasus the Immortal
Youtube
Channels
- LuckyBlackCat
- Anark
- Zoe Baker
Red Plateaus
- What Is Politics?
Libertarian Communist Platform
CCK Philosophy
BadMouse
Videos
- The case for liberty (Libertarian Socialist Rants)
- Murray Bookchin on the origin of the word libertarian
- POST-CAPITALISM: A Detailed Look at How It Could Work by LuckyBlackCat
- The *Socialist* Political Compass: Methods to create socialism by LuckyBlackCat
- Political Compass Rap but it's ALL SOCIALISTS ♫ by LuckyBlackCat
- 8 Types of "Socialism" in 75 Minutes || Economic Systems Explained by LuckyBlackCat
- 8 Types of "Socialism" in 10 Minutes by LuckyBlackCat
- Marx was not a "statist"
- Libertarian Socialism Debunked by
MentisWave
Online Communities
References
- ↑ Historically, calling oneself a libertarian socialist was identical to calling oneself a
left-wing anarchist. Over time, the term has gradually come to take on the meaning of a socialist who is critical of authority, but not necessarily to the point where they cannot tolerate the state’s existence.
- ↑ "With all his mostly negative feelings about Israel, Noam Chomsky continues to speak affectionately about the kibbutz [...]"
- ↑ He called Paul Robeson, a civil rights activist, "too anti-white"
- ↑ Called many "crypto-communists" on his list "Jewish" as an insult
- ↑ https://www.marxists.org/archive/orwell/1938/why-ilp.htm
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orwell%27s_list
Gallery
Portraits
Alternative designs
-
Libertarian Marxism
-
Libertarian Market Socialism by u/Staswalle
-
Libertarian Market Socialism
-
by ShadowRaiden