Politicast With Ben Sharp

  Introduction Amongst Socialists, and indeed the wider world, there is still a debate surrounding the legacy of Stalinism. While those of a 'Tankie' inclination advocate for modern introductions of Marxism-Leninism, it is my contention that Stalinism not only contradicts Socialist and Marxist principles, but openly spurns them. Defining Terms To consider whether or not Stalinism is Socialism, we must first define what both terms mean. What is Socialism? Socialism is a broad category of ideologies that carry different meanings for different people. Broadly socialism is thought of as “ A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole." I looked at the theories of Marx and Engels, the work of G.A. Cohen and definitions given by Andrew Heywood and Bertrand Russell. Bringing all these ideas together it is then possible to establish the theorie...