As more people become interested in socialism and Marxism in the U.S. the attacks on both by establishment politicians, parties and media grows substantially, since Marxism and socialism can no longer be made invisible. Below are some capitalist assertions and Marxist answers.

1. Capitalists and those who repeat uncritically capitalist ideology call socialist planned economies military “command” economies.  Marxists usually reply that:

a. Economies are based on attempts to plan outcomes;
b. Under capitalism, planning is done by private corporations with government support to maximize corporate and shareholder  profit;
c. Under socialism planning is done by public administrative bodies to provide for the basic needs of people;
d. All of the above.

2. Capitalists and those who repeat uncritically capitalist  ideology claim that socialist societies are hopelessly bureaucratic and inefficient.  Marxists usually reply that:

a. This is true accept capitalism and fight only to make it more humane;
b.  Bureaucracy is a tendency but socialist institutions if they are really  socialist can defeat bureaucracy by becoming more democratic and serve the larger social good;
c. Capitalism is a rotten system with or without bureaucracies;
d. Bureaucracies are necessary under socialism to keep people from taking advantage.

3. Capitalists and those who  repeat uncritically capitalist ideology argue that the dismemberment of the Soviet Union is evidence that “Communism is dead.” Communists  usually reply that:

a. The Soviet Union was  “state socialism” and true Communism can only be established by small decentralized communities;
b. The Soviet Union was doomed after Joseph Stalin defeated Leon Trotsky in the 1920s;
c. The destruction of the Soviet Union shows that everything in Marxism, class struggle, revolutionary party, role of the working class, must be “rethought;”
d. The Soviet Union‘s achievements and failures and their impact on the contemporary world must be studied holistically within  a Marxist framework in order to advance the struggle for socialism today.

4.  Capitalists and those who repeat uncritically capitalist ideology contend that “globalization” has made traditional labor unions obsolete.  Marxists usually reply that:

a. This is true and modern unions should focus on providing members with recreation opportunities and mentoring on how to improve their social skills;
b. This is true and unions have to take a backseat to multi-class social movements which are now the center for all social change;
c. Unions are not obsolete, but must develop both a much higher level of international cooperation and political involvement since “globalization” demands greater not less solidarity among the working people of the world;
d. Unions must work directly with management if they are to survive in any form.

5. Capitalists and those who repeat uncritically their ideology see “economic growth” as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the primary index of economic well-being. Marxists usually reply that:

a. Economic growth leads to waste and environmental destruction;
b. Socialism will out produce and eventually “bury” capitalism in terms of economic growth;
c. How much GDP represents  advances in real wages, employment, housing, education,  and health care determines its value as an index of economic well-being;
d. The huge rise is GDP over the last 25 years is proof that workers in the U.S. are much better off than they were 25 years ago.

Answers.

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