When I argue with someone and I want to provide a source I am always hesitant to use communist sources because then the person will say « oh it’s just propaganda »
So I need sources that aren’t officially affiliated with Marxist ideologies but that are still honest about the west, North Korea, china, Cuba etc…
Title sounds a bit stupid but I’m starting to realise all the western propaganda I’ve been subjected to my whole life and now that I’m moving away from it and learning about communism im scared that I’ll fall into « communist propaganda » like twisted and dishonest information that benefits the communist/socialists
In recent times I’ve come to learn more and more about china I’ve started appreciating what it has done for its people since the century of humiliation (though it had many big setbacks at the end of Mao’s term and hurt the people a lot)
But It seems that many people in china are denied some civic liberties. Like freedom of speech seems to be restricted a lot, the press is not independent and filled with propaganda. Some regions are being culturally repressed etc…
Would loosening the screws a bit around these things stand in the way of a functioning transition to socialism?
Or are these things I say just the result of western propaganda and the people of china are actually completely free (if that’s the case please provide sources etc… cause if I want to use that as an argument I’ll need something to support it.)
Thanks in advance to this amazing sub that is always here to help me!
I know this is probably just a dumb hypothetical but basically:
- How would you deal with the bourgeois class you just defeated
- Which type of democracy would you implement (would you implement a democracy at all)
- Single-Party? No Party? Multi-Party?
If it is, what makes it imperialist? And if it isn’t, why not?
Some things for me indicate potential imperialism like land grabbing, plunging African countries into debt and maybe their behaviour in the South China Sea.
Though I am not necessarily knowledgeable enough ln these topics and that’s why I have doubts.
Also I know that even if these things were imperialist they wouldn’t be as bad as American imperialist intervention and coups.
I recently learned a bit about Mao’s china and a bit about his history. And it really seemed like every big reform or program he launched ended up being a disaster, like the Great Leap Forward or his policies about being able to speak freely of politics.
Maybe this is all propaganda but most if comes from Red Pen’s video on Maoist china (a YouTuber who was recommended to me on this sub).
I also heard of Chinese people admiring the young Mao but then realising he became a terrible leader, though the sources were not verifiable.
It would be great if you could clear it up for me!
Is it independent? If yes is it considered as privately owned? Or is it state owned? But then can it be considered reliable? Like how would we know it’s not just spewing out propaganda?
Also I wanted to mention that I know the press in liberal democracies (especially the traditional media) is mostly not independent as it is controlled by billionaires who hold right wing views, I just want to know if an independent, reliable press could exist in a communist society.