Kolakowski experienced the worst of Stalinism in Poland (prior to Bierut’s death and the ‘Polish October’ of 1956) in which the PZPR did it’s best to ape its Soviet counterpart (although it had the common sense not to impose collectivisation). He experienced the illusory period of ‘liberal Communism’ under Gomulka, and left in 1968 – the year the regime decided to respond to popular demands for reform by inciting a state sponsored campaign of anti-Semitism. So I think he understood full well what Communism was all about. But perhaps you’d like to tell me what first-hand experience you’ve had of living under a Communist system, Mr Gray?

Oh, and if you are going to criticise someone’s arguments, at least do them the courtesy of trying to spell their name right.

But then we get the much more sophisticated Andrew Coates who attempts to depict Kolakowski as a superficial political tyro. Evidence offered=swallow these lengthy tomes by a sequence of true believers. If he’s an example of depth and political experience, I’ll stick with Kolakowski.

2. State Capitalism in the Proletarian State and the Trade Unions

The proletarian state may, without changing its own nature, permit freedom of trade and the development of capitalism only within certain bounds, and only on the condition that the state regulates (supervises, controls, determines the forms and methods of, etc.) private trade and private capitalism. The success of such regulation will depend not only on the state authorities, but also, and to a larger extent, on the degree of maturity of the proletariat and of the masses of the working people generally, on their cultural level, etc. But even if this regulation is completely successful, the antagonism of class interests between labour and capital will certainly remain. Consequently, one of the main tasks that will henceforth confront the trade unions is to protect in every way the class interests of the proletariat in its struggle against capital. This task should be openly put in the forefront, and the machinery of the trade unions must be reorganised, modified or supplemented accordingly; strike funds, and so on should be formed, or rather, built up.
http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1921/dec/30b.htm

I am terribly sorry if this points out the fact that Lenin and the Bolsheviks had a policy of state capitalism for Russia.

If there’s a more laughable example of pompous self-delusion displayed on HP this year I’ll be surprised. Even Shayler looks normal compared to this guy.

You failed to write yourselves into it.

pwned!!

You failed to write yourselves into it.

But you have no intellectual honesty or integrity, do you Makhno? You would rather write us out of history than deal with actual facts and ideas that obliterate the rubbish Kolakowski and associated idiots like you hold dear,

Well as I pointed out compared to yourself and your thirty odd friends Lenin was an absolute historical non-person.