Notes

**Why did you join?**
I was invited by @GojiraTheWuMao#7243 to join possibly as an educator. I'm training to be a teacher and Discord is a great place to connect with people who seek an education in certain topics. I mainly help people out with programming and web development but I enjoy educating people on Marxist theory and geopolitics if I can.

**Where did you get the invite from?**
Gojira

**What is your political ideology? And why**
I identify as a leftist. I primarily draw from Marxism-Leninism and Irish Republicanism.

**What is Socialism and Communism?**
Socialism is a democratic socio-economic system and mode of production based on dialectical materialism as a mode of analysis. It rejects idealism, especially idealist economics. It was born out of the contradictions created by the development of capitalism. It is ultimately the transition to Communism, which is a stateless society in which all private property is banished, it is therefore an equitable and fair society as the means of production are collectively managed.

**What is imperialism? Please give one example of imperialism from a geo-political and economic perspective in modern history (post WW2).**
Imperialism is a stage of capitalism in which the ruling class of an imperialist country seek to exploit the natural resources and labour power of less developed (periphery) countries, for the purposes of expanding and varying markets, which ultimately drives de-industrialization and gives rise to financial capital.
During the cold war, the U.S. attempted to capitalize on the weakness of Indochina and Korea after they liberated themselves from French and Japanese imperialism respectively. In Korea, they established a deeply unpopular Republic of Korea to counter-act the People's Republic which had widespread support from the people there. They installed a puppet ruler from the Korean traitors (those who defected to the Imperial Japanese army) and have been fighting for control over Korean markets ever since.
The U.S. devastated Indochina and Korea, and meanwhile their backstop in the region (ROK) allows them to establish a military presence and economic influence in the region, much like Israel in the Middle East and West Berlin in East Germany.
These wars were ultimately driven by imperialist ambitions and pursuit for geopolitical dominance (which they finally achieved after 1991, after much human suffering), rather than their purported purposes of freeing these regions from the evils of communism.

**What is your opinion on the liberation of all oppressed peoples? (People of Color, LGBTQ+, etc)**
All working-class peoples must form a coalition if we wish to be liberated. I appreciate the Black Panther's position on this, the black working class cannot be free if they do not also seek to liberate the Latin working-class, South Asian working-class, Disabled working-class, etc.
There are some communists (the Schiller Boys) who reject homosexuality as ""social imperialism"", which is ahistorical and unscientific. If we are to call ourselves scientific socialists and not merely idealists, then we must recognise that homosexuality is a naturally-occurring phenomena even in nature, not merely "bourgeois decadence". Rant over lol.

**What is nationalism and what is your opinion on it?**
In a developed capitalist country such as the U.K., nationalism aligns with the interests of the ruling class. It serves as a tool to foster a sense of unity and loyalty among the working-class. This form of nationalism tends to be closely tied to capitalist interests, seeking to maintain and expand imperialist power, influence and control globally. It typically manifests through policies that protect domestic industries, promote national security, and project military force abroad in pursuit of geopolitical gains. On the other hand, in a developing nation such as Angola, north Korea, or even a developed but oppressed nation like Ireland, nationalism can be a progressive force for self-determination and independence from colonial and imperialist powers.

**What are your thoughts and opinions on currently existing socialist countries (for example China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, etc) Majority of the members of the server are pro previously and currently existing socialist countries; Would you be willing to engage in good faith discussions regarding these nations and read material provided regarding socialist countries?**
A huge part of my radicalisation was my visits to Cuba and China. I lived in China for about 14 or 15 months for a project for work, and I soon realised what I thought had been a developing, backwards nation was actually a far more equitable place where I felt less like a number and more cared for. It was a huge culture shock, being able to visit the doctor sans crazy consultation fees, or having to wait YEARS for treatment (still waiting here in Ireland for hand surgery... lol. I had to take out a loan to get it)
China is unique in that it represents a global vanguard for socialist movements. The Communist Party of China is the largest Communist Party in the world, and they provide favourable trades and non-exploitative loans that these heavily-sanctioned socialist countries would otherwise be unable to get. In the case of Laos, Vietnam and north Korea, China's presence in the region protects them from the U.S.
Cuba, north Korea and Laos represent models for equitability, social development and mutually beneficial relations that developing nations, even non-socialist ones, can aspire to (despite being amongst the most heavily sanctioned on earth!).

**Have you read the rules?**

Solidarity