ROSA LUXEMBURG Flashcards
What did Luxemburg argue capitalism promoted?
Exploitation
What was Luxemburg’s view of capitalism and human nature?
They were at odds with humanity’s natural, fraternal instincts
What did she originally think would only create real change?
Revolution
What is Luxemburg’s key work?
‘Social Reform Or Revolution’ (1900)
Which view of Lenin’s did Luxemburg reject?
That revolution could only occur through planning and leadership of a vanguard elite
after the gradual introduction of class consciousness to the proletariat, what sort of revolution did Luxemburg want?
A ‘spontaneously’ occurring revolution
What Marxist-Leninist idea about revolution did Luxemburg reject?
A dictatorship of the proletariat
What did Luxemburg suggest to happen to the government and the power in control after revolution?
A new democracy, underpinned by common ownership and open debate and elections
Luxemburg was against Lenin’s idea of socialist nationalism and agreed with Marx on what globalist idea?
Internationalism
What was Luxemburg against in 1914 that made her leave the social democrat party of Germany?
The German war effort in WW1, as she thought that WW1 was the rich and powerful being greedy and trying to get more
What party did Luxemburg set up after WW1, which contested in elections?
German Communist Party (KPD)
Why did Luxemburg later argue that socialist and communist should contest in elections?
Because it’s easier for communists to convey the case for revolution to proletariat voters. Aka helps get the message out
what type of socialist was luxemburg
Marxist-leninist —– Fundamental socialism
Luxemburgs view of human nature
Human nature has not been damaged to the extent marx said. Fraternity and altruism still flourish in working-class communities punished by capitalist economics
luxemburgs view of society
Capitalist society is class-ridden and morally indefensible, yet alternative societies, or sub-cultures, exist within downtrodden proletarian communities