11 - Why Every Communist Country is a One-Party Dictatorship

The video begins with an introduction to the topic of why communist countries often become dictatorships. The speaker criticizes the inability of some on the left, like Richard Wolff, to coherently answer this question. The speaker promises a simple explanation for the phenomenon, contrasting it with the complex and flawed justifications offered by free-market proponents. The video sets the stage for a discussion on the inherent features of socialism and communism, and why they have historically led to dictatorships.

The speaker explains that the Soviet Union model was attractive to poor countries because of its rapid industrialization and urbanization, its success in escaping economic and military domination by capitalist countries, and its ability to dismantle old elite classes in favor of a new bureaucratic class from lower social strata. Despite the failure of the Soviet Union in achieving communism and democracy, its model was emulated by other countries seeking similar outcomes. The video touches on the reasons behind this emulation and the implications it had for the spread of communism as a political system.

The speaker delves into the historical definitions of socialism and communism, emphasizing their original meanings as movements for worker self-governance and direct democracy. The video contrasts these ideals with the distorted definitions propagated by both capitalist and communist authorities. It highlights the early socialist aim to replace the capitalist system with one that benefits the entire society, not just those who own capital. The speaker also clarifies the intended democratic nature of socialism and communism, as envisioned by their founders.

This paragraph discusses the influence of capital owners in shaping political and economic systems. The speaker explains how capital accumulation leads to the concentration of power, both economically and politically, resulting in a dictatorship of the owner in the private sphere and significant influence over the state in the public sphere. The video also explores how this power dynamic extends beyond campaign donations and media ownership to include the funding of research and the hiring of lobbyists, thereby controlling political discourse and decision-making.

The speaker outlines the democratic principles at the core of socialist thought, including direct control by workers over their workplaces and collective decision-making. The video contrasts different socialist perspectives, such as anarchism, syndicalism, and parliamentary socialism, and their shared goal of abolishing wage labor and achieving economic and political equality. The speaker also highlights the views of prominent socialists like Eugene Debs and Friedrich Engels on the inseparable link between socialism and democracy.

This section of the video addresses the relationship between the state and socialism/communism. The speaker explains that early socialists and communists, including Marx, saw the state as an instrument of class oppression and believed that in a classless society, the state would wither away. The video contrasts the Marxist view of a temporary 'dictatorship of the proletariat' with anarchist opposition to any state control. The speaker also discusses how the state's role evolved in Marxist thought, from a force to be dismantled to one that could be used as a tool for revolutionary change.

The speaker discusses Marx's materialist perspective on history, emphasizing that socialism would arise from practical conditions created by capitalism itself. The video explains how capitalism's internal dynamics would lead to its own economic destruction and political overthrow by a proletariat increasingly recognizing its collective power and interests. The speaker also addresses Marx's view on peasants and their role in the socialist revolution, highlighting the challenges of extending socialist ideas to rural populations.

The speaker explores Marx's skepticism about the potential for socialism in predominantly peasant societies like Russia. The video outlines Marx's belief that peasants, with their desire for individual land ownership, were not natural allies of socialism, which required large-scale industrial production and communal living. The speaker also discusses the potential for 'peasant socialism' in societies with a tradition of communal land management, and how this possibility was largely overlooked by Marxist followers.

The speaker reflects on the Russian Revolution's leaders' initial belief that socialism could not succeed in a poor, predominantly agrarian country like Russia. The video discusses the reasons behind the Bolsheviks' decision to carry out the revolution despite these beliefs, and the shift in their perspectives over the course of the revolution. The speaker sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the factors that led to the revolution's failure and the rise of a non-traditional form of governance in the following episode.