Actually existing socialism: Difference between revisions

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'''"Actually existing socialism"''' ('''AES'''), also known as "'''real socialism'''" or "'''existing socialism'''", is a fictitious<ref>[https://queer-bolshevik.medium.com/the-aes-doctrine-wrong-then-wrong-now-a8666de371da The “AES” Doctrine: Wrong Then, Wrong Now] (September 14, 2020)</ref><ref>[[Essay:Does "actually existing socialism" exist in the modern age?|Does "actually existing socialism" exist in the modern age?]] (February 5, 2023)</ref> concept developed which originated in the [[Brezhnev|Brezhnevite]] [[Social-imperialism|social-imperialist]] [[Soviet Union]] and is presently propagated by [[Dengism|followers of other trends of modern revisionism]].
'''"Actually existing socialism"''' ('''AES'''), also known as "'''real socialism'''" or "'''existing socialism'''", is a disputed<ref>[https://queer-bolshevik.medium.com/the-aes-doctrine-wrong-then-wrong-now-a8666de371da The “AES” Doctrine: Wrong Then, Wrong Now] (September 14, 2020)</ref><ref>[[Essay:Does "actually existing socialism" exist in the modern age?|Does "actually existing socialism" exist in the modern age?]] (February 5, 2023)</ref> concept which originated in the [[Leonid Brezhnev|Brezhnevite]] [[Soviet Union]] {{cn}} involving critical or uncritical support for [[socialist state]]s which survived the [[fall of the Eastern Bloc|end of the Cold War]]. Supporters of AES may argue that spreading revolution and thus building socialism in one's own country is secondary or even futile (particularly when it concerns "first world countries", as most supporters of the "AES" doctrine also happen to be [[Maoism-Third Worldism|third-worldists]] {{cn}}). Critics often label these states [[capitalist]] or [[social imperialism|social-imperialist]], whereas supporters vary wildly on the question and in fact tend to avow the existence of capitalist relations in AES states. In fact, disagreement more directly concerns the nature of the [[Union_of_Soviet_Socialist_Republics#Khrushchev-era|Soviet Union after Stalin's death]] and the practical application of the [[Marxist]] theories of [[communism]] and the [[dictatorship of the proletariat]] to the present day. AES supporters include [[Dengist]]s, who focus their support on the [[People's Republic of China]].


Despite the seemingly simplically concurable aspects of "AES", this concept was developed in [[revisionist]] ideology as a means of deflecting criticism for revisionists' ideological deviations from [[Marxism|theory]]. Followers of "AES", both historical and present, maintain that spreading revolution and thus building socialism in one's own country is secondary, if not entirely omitable and futile (particularly when it concern "first world countries", as [[Dengists|most supporters of the "AES" doctrine]] also happen to be [[Maoism-Third Worldism|third-worldists]]), in comparison to spreading propaganda (if not apologia) in favour of a country which they perceive as being "AES" (such "AES" countries are actually capitalist and social-imperialist states largely, such as the [[History of the Soviet Union (1956-1991)|Soviet Union after Stalin]] or [[People's Republic of China|modern China]]).
[[China]], [[socialist Republic of Vietnam|Vietnam]], the [[DPRK|DPRK (North Korea)]], [[Laos]], and [[Cuba]] are the five states most often called "actually existing socialism".


"AES" followers care little for actual ideological content, and instead base their view of "socialism" off rhetoric and symbols which the ruling parties of so-called "AES" states maintain. Thus, "AES" followers view countries such as modern China (a state which is social-imperialist and organized on a fascist corporatist economic model) or the former Brezhnevite Soviet Union (which was under the control of a social-fascist military junta<ref>https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hoxha/works/1969/01/10.htm</ref>) as being entirely socialist and full dictatorships of the proletariat (despite neither modern China nor the historical revisionist Soviet Union actually claming to be a proletarian dictatorship).
== See also ==
 
* [[Revisionism]]
Followers of "AES" claim there exist, at the least, five "AES" states in the world — China, Vietnam, the DPRK (North Korea), Laos, and Cuba. However, none of these countries are actaully socialist. In truth, the last socialist state to exist (and the only one from the time of 1956-1990) was the [[People's Socialist Republic of Albania]].
* [[Critical support]]
* [[Dengism]]
* [[Brezhnev Doctrine]]
* [[Social imperialism]]


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:Debunking myths]]
[[Category:China]]
[[Category:Issues]]
[[Category:Revisionism]]
[[Category:Marxism-Leninism]]

Revision as of 16:55, 10 April 2023

"Actually existing socialism" (AES), also known as "real socialism" or "existing socialism", is a disputed[1][2] concept which originated in the Brezhnevite Soviet Union [citation needed] involving critical or uncritical support for socialist states which survived the end of the Cold War. Supporters of AES may argue that spreading revolution and thus building socialism in one's own country is secondary or even futile (particularly when it concerns "first world countries", as most supporters of the "AES" doctrine also happen to be third-worldists [citation needed]). Critics often label these states capitalist or social-imperialist, whereas supporters vary wildly on the question and in fact tend to avow the existence of capitalist relations in AES states. In fact, disagreement more directly concerns the nature of the Soviet Union after Stalin's death and the practical application of the Marxist theories of communism and the dictatorship of the proletariat to the present day. AES supporters include Dengists, who focus their support on the People's Republic of China.

China, Vietnam, the DPRK (North Korea), Laos, and Cuba are the five states most often called "actually existing socialism".

See also

References

  1. ↑ The “AES” Doctrine: Wrong Then, Wrong Now (September 14, 2020)
  2. ↑ Does "actually existing socialism" exist in the modern age? (February 5, 2023)
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