Communist Morality

Frequently, anarchistic, pseudo-revolutionary leftists push absurd concepts that reject existing ideology, morality, and behavioral norms. These ideas are harmful for the struggle of progressive forces and play right into the hands of the class enemy. Because of these ideas and their attempts to implement them, the enemies' propaganda depicting all progressive forces as amoral and depraved degenerates finds resonance with backwards, politically unconscious sections of the working-class. But we do not reject morality, but only the corrupt morality of the bourgeoisie, against which we present our own communist morality

V.I. Lenin said in a speech:

http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1920/oct/02.htm
Is there such a thing as communist ethics? Is there such a thing as communist morality? Of course, there is. It is often suggested that we have no ethics of our own; very often the bourgeoisie accuse us Communists of rejecting all morality. This is a method of confusing the issue, of throwing dust in the eyes of the workers and peasants.

In what sense do we reject ethics, reject morality?

In the sense given to it by the bourgeoisie, who based ethics on God's commandments. On this point we, of course, say that we do not believe in God, and that we know perfectly well that the clergy, the landowners and the bourgeoisie invoked the name of God so as to further their own interests as exploiters. Or, instead of basing ethics on the commandments of morality, on the commandments of God, they based it on idealist or semi-idealist phrases, which always amounted to something very similar to God's commandments.

We reject any morality based on extra-human and extra-class concepts. We say that this is deception, dupery, stultification of the workers and peasants in the interests of the landowners and capitalists.

We say that our morality is entirely subordinated to the interests of the proletariat's class struggle. Our morality stems from the interests of the class struggle of the proletariat.

In the early 1960s, the Programme of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union specified its moral code of the builder communism, which is fundamentally different from bourgeois ethics. To be a good communist, it is necessary to adhere to collectivism, encourage friendship with all peoples, and demonstrate intolerance for oppressors, parasites, and injustice. Work must be motivated not because of earnings, but because of moral obligations to the community. I argue that these guidelines are helpful for our struggle.

http://leninist.biz/en/1963/FML734/5.26.7-Communist.Education.of.the.Working.People
Devotion to the communist cause; love of the socialist motherland.

Conscientious labour for the good of society—he who does not work, neither shall he eat;

Concern on the part of everyone for the preservation and growth of public wealth;

A high sense of public duty; intolerance of actions harmful to the public interest;

Collectivism and comradely mutual assistance’, one for all and all for one;

Humane relations and mutual respect between individuals—man is to man a friend, comrade and brother;

Honesty and truthfulness, moral purity, modesty, and unpretentiousness in social and private life;

Mutual respect in the family, and concern for the upbringing of children;

An uncompromising attitude to injustice, parasitism, dishonesty, careerism and money-grubbing;

Friendship and brotherhood among all peoples.; intolerance of national and racial hatred;

An uncompromising attitude to the enemies of communism, peace and the freedom of nations;

Fraternal solidarity with the working people of all countries, and with all peoples

I stand in full agreement. A large swath of the contemporary "left" is struck by this infantile notion that appeals to morality are, in and of themselves, base propositions. These "libertine" socialists are quick to condemn any display of moral integrity as "moralism," as if this would constitute some kind of argument. A childlike naivete juxtaposed with adult perversion forms the mental state of such sad creatures. This is especially true with respect to fantasies of some adulterated "communism," where statelessness is taken to mean moral boundlessness, and voluntary labor miraculously detaches itself from any social context to become the sole activity of the consenting individual. It would be laughable if it were not so pitiful, and alarming. Moral standards that have long preceded any manifestations of capitalism are dismissed as "bourgeois" by these ignoramuses. Needless to say, RevLeft is full of them.

Admin and Celtiberian have already expressed valuable insights pertaining to the subject of moral bankruptcy within the ranks of the "left," typically but hardly always anarchist, on another thread, here and here.

I would simply like to compare Walter Ulbricht's, ranking member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, commendable principles to those of the CPSU:

THE
TEN COMMANDMENTS OF SOCIALIST MORALITY

1. Thou shalt always defend the international solidarity of the working class as well as the permanent bonds that unite all socialist countries.

2. Thou shalt love thy Fatherland and always be ready to defend worker and peasant power with all thy strength and capacity.

3. Thou shalt help to eliminate the exploitation of humans by one another.

4. Thou shalt perform good deeds for socialism, since socialism produces a better life for all working people.

5. Thou shalt act in the spirit of mutual support and comradely cooperation during the construction of socialism, respect the collective, and take its criticisms to heart.

6. Thou shalt protect and increase the property of the people.

7. Thou shalt always pursue ways to improve thy performance, be thrifty, and strengthen socialist work discipline.

8. Thou shalt rear thy children in the spirit of peace and socialism to become citizens who are well-educated, strong in character, and physically healthy.

9. Thou shalt live a clean and decent life and respect thy family.

10. Thou shalt exhibit solidarity with all those people who are fighting for national liberation and defending their independence.

Clearly, "socialist morality" possesses a historical basis and occupies a critical role.

Note the commandment to 'love thy Fatherland'.

RedSun wrote:Note the commandment to 'love thy Fatherland'.

I was suprised indeed

Incredibly important post. Thank you.
A topic completely forgotten by most *left" today. Here in Sweden I try to push an ethical socialism as it is dearly needed after 80 years of bourgueise socialdemocratic lack of just ethics.

Personally, I reject morals from a philosophical standpoint. This is not to so I don't follow a personal standard, but I reject the idea of "absolute morals," which is "_______ is absolutely wrong and _______ is absolutely right and any deviation from this is immoral." No. What is moral to one culture my be immoral to another. It's all relative. The morals of the revolutionary socialist movement should reflect the goals of the movement, so things such as "compassion for the working class" and "hatred of racism" should be embraced. I just can't stand when religious fundamentalists think their man made ideas about morality are better than anyone else's man made ideas are.

I think some morals are relative, e.g., the issue of LGBT. However, for most moral ideals, I think it does us no favour to excuse certain acts, regardless of what one's culture is. For example, the fundamentalist Muslim tradition of honour killings is not something I will stand by and allow to happen.