When I got started as an aspiring Marxist a few years ago, I joined the only Marxist org in my area. I was excited at first, but not long after it morphed into a weird Trot cult focused on the chairman. People started leaving until it was mostly Trots circle jerking about how they’re the only true Marxists, all AES are “degenerated workers’ states” that betrayed the revolution, and apparently no one since Trotsky has advanced Marxism in any meaningful way, among many other things. I quietly and reluctantly went along because I was still new and didn’t want to speak on matters I had no knowledge of.
At some point I decided to read some Mao, and after I quoted “Combat Liberalism” I got interrogated by senior members for some sort of perceived “Stalinism”. I got some lecture about how Mao and his “clique” unfairly suppressed the Trots during the revolution, and how Stalin forced the CPC to ally with the reactionaries and how that led to a bunch of people getting killed, or something like that. The point they really wanted to get across was that Mao and Stalin were traitors to the revolution and were not to be trusted. That really shook my confidence, but shortly after that the org suddenly dissolved because the chairman got exposed for… Inappropriate behavior. In retrospect, there were so many issues, I’m not sure what I thought could possibly be accomplished. I got really disillusioned for a long time.
Now I’m wanting to get politically active again, but the problem is that there are no Marxist orgs around in my part of the U.S. I’m not sure how I would go about starting one, and I’m afraid that I’m carrying remnants of not only liberalism, but also whatever erroneous ideas I may have picked up while in the cult.
So with all that said, I’d greatly appreciate advice and reading recommendations to help me start fresh. In particular, I’d love a comprehensive reading list that would help me develop into a proper Marxist-Leninist. Thank you. <3
These sound to me like people who don’t apply the Marxist method to actually understand and try to change society. Their perspective gets warped the more they continue to talk this way with each other. It’s sad that it happens, but I’m glad you recognized it and left (and it sounds like this org had tons more issues than even that). I think the next step is to work with the working class in real life. We all need more education all the time, but working with the people is an essential type of education that affects our ability to understand and apply what we read at home. It sounds like you’ve already read some good theory and probably need to start with real-life work with the people rather than another reading list. That being said, Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire was transformative for me, and it sounds like it might be good for you right now too, and On Practice by Mao explains some of what I’m saying and is also really solid if you haven’t read that yet.
If there is no Marxist organization in your area, I’d begin with whatever vaguely left or even liberal organization can at least get you organizing experience and exposure to the people. It might be frustrating, but you’ll still learn. The PSL is a great Marxist organization, and you can join the PSL Action Network online from anywhere in the country and learn about what they’re doing in real life and start to connect with them through that. You can do that at the same time as whatever work you’re getting involved in locally, and it might help you make your local work more effective. Once you’ve learned through these things, maybe you’ll be the one to start the local Marxist-Leninist organization or connect with the people who can start it with you. It sounds like you’re thinking right and are prepared to do the work that needs to be done next!