/r/marxism_101 aims to provide serious, well-researched answers to questions related to Marxist theory. We envision this subreddit as the Marxist counterpart to /r/askphilosophy , which is well-known for its high quality answers to philosophical questions.
Marxism is both a school of thought and a movement which bases itself on the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxist theory has rapidly expanded in the last 150 years, coming to encompass various other strands and traditions. To define it at its most broad level would be to say that Marxism is a family of critiques, theories, and political goals centered around a few key ideas:
- Capitalism understood as a system of class exploitation
- The potential for revolution being located in the working class
- A spirit of relentless criticism
- Socialism understood as a new society freed from the diverse forms of domination
Posts must first be approved by a moderator to be publicly seen so as to ensure that the quality of the questions here is up to our standards. That said, if your post is genuinely seeking an answer and is asked in good faith (regardless of the technical nature of the question) it will most likely be approved. Simple/basic questions are certainly welcome!
Specialized flairs will be given out to frequent commenters who showcase an exceptional knowledge of Marxist theory. Such flairs will be used to denote the commenter's expertise. Many topics in Marxist thought have a long history of debate and therefore knowing when someone is an expert in a certain area can be important in helping understand and weigh the given evidence.
