Marx's point wasn't that you shouldn't try to advance modes of production, just that the ideas prevalent among the dominant classes at the time are shaped by their material conditions. Trotsky thought this meant socialism in Russia was impossible due to having a high number of the peasantry, thinking them incapable of allying with the proletariat. He was wrong. Stalin's decision to not attack the peasantry, and instead focus on developing socialism within the USSR, led to the firm establishment of the first socialist state.

[–] folaht@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Oh, so the bigger issue was whether or not to trust the peasantry, as they were not the labourers Marx thought would come to overthrow the capitalist system, more so than national socialism versus world government socialism?

If so, thank you for making me learn something new.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yep, bingo, though Marx never said the peasantry would oppose socialism, just that they would have petite bourgeois ideology, which is true.

[–] folaht@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I was more imagining Trotsky saying that the peasantry would while Stalin didn't, turning into a fued.
I didn't think Marx would even have an opinion on that issue.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 weeks ago

It goes back to why the proletariat specifically is the main revolutionary class, which is historical materialism in action.