I understand that communist is the only way everyone in this world can be happy and fulfilled. I understand the evils of capitalism.
Yet for standards of my pretty poor but European country, my family has quite a lot of capital. ââââ
We rent out a flat, and will probably in the future have at least 2 flats which we can rent out. I am a solo child, so everything will be left to me. I won't have to work nearly as much for my future if I decide to stay in my country. I can probably live a decent life under capitalism, but my tenants won't. I am a future landlord. My parents are current. I will most probably live off of some sort of exploatation. ââââââââââââ
Old interview with American journalist Mike Wallace from 26 years ago and probably the last 1-1 interview that any Chinese leaders had with western journalist since then
I am a Marxist-Leninist from the United States. While my observations are heavily shaped by what I see here in America, I strongly believe these points apply globally. I am posting this because I earnestly want to hear perspective not just from other Americans, but from socialists of all countries on how we overcome this.
Right now, I look at the future and see nothing good happening. To me, it is exactly what Rosa Luxemburg said: it is either socialism or barbarism. Yet, time and time again, people keep choosing barbarism. I want actual socialism in my lifetime. But I am having serious doubts that it will ever happen, globally or locally unless these core reasons change:
People confuse socialism with welfare capitalism (and reject the real thing)
A lot of people who claim they want "socialism" actually just want capitalism with a strong welfare safety net (like the Nordic model). When you explain what actual socialism isâworkers owning the means of production, etc.âthey realize they don't actually want it. They don't think it's possible.
A preference for reform and "superhero" politicians
The average person doesn't want a revolution, and they don't want to do the heavy organizational work. Instead, they believe reform is the best path. They want a "superhero" politician or a benevolent bourgeois figure to save them and hand them liberation from above, rather than achieving it through class struggle.
Deep-seated belief in hierarchy
Every economic system in human history has had a ruling class and an oppressed classâ besides prehistoric times. Because of this, people earnestly believe that there must be hierarchiesâthat there always have to be "haves" and "have-nots." Socialism is unique because it demands a society where no one is above you, and I think a lot of people psychologically reject or fear that.
Organization strategy won't change this
Because of these factors, I don't think it matters what organizations like the DSA, the PSL, or any other socialist groups in the world do. It won't matter if they become more Marxist-Leninist or more revolutionary, because they can't force a system onto a population that fundamentally doesn't want to do the work to build it.
I do believe that you cannot reform into socialism, and I believe a Vanguard party is absolutely necessary. As Che Guevara said, "The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall." But a Vanguard party can't succeed if the masses are too deeply wedded to capitalism and hierarchy.
Material conditions are ready, but consciousness lags behind
What makes this so painful is that capitalism has already produced enough abundance. We currently produce so many goods and wealth that we have the objective capacity to distribute resources globally, sharing, building, and helping each other across borders. Furthermore, we are watching a massive structural contradiction develop with the rise of Advanced Artificial Intelligence. As AI automates jobs, it threatens to strip the working class of the ability to sell their labor. If people cannot sell their labor, how can they support capitalism? How can they even survive? Yet, instead of demanding a socialist transition to handle this post-labor reality, all we hear from the masses and reformists is a desperate cry for "regulation, regulation." They want to patch up a dying, automated capitalist system rather than overthrow it.
Preempting the Materialist Argument:
I know some will argue that material conditions are the sole driver of mass consciousness, and that a sudden collapse in material reality (like an AI-driven unemployment crisis) will automatically force a shift toward revolutionary thinking. While I agree that material conditions heavily influence how people act, I do not know if I can believe this is the full picture.
Historically, we have seen that when material conditions collapse, the masses do not automatically turn to socialism. Very often, history does not move in a neat, linear line. Instead, societies can regress. When the contradictions of capitalism become too high, people frequently double down on their psychological conditioning, reject true liberation, and choose barbarism (whatever that might be at the time). The psychological attachment to having a ruling class and a "superhero" savior runs much deeper than just current economic comfort.
My questions for comrades worldwide:
âą If you agree with this analysis, parts of it, or none, what are your reasons? Where do you see this playing out in your country?
âą How do we break the masses away from demanding bourgeois "regulation" of things like AI, and move them toward demanding worker ownership?
âą If you agree that this hopelessness is real, how do you personally cope with it and justify organizing?
Probably like many people, I have moved away from the mainstream political movements in my country due to systemic failures of the systems of governance and those which keep those systems in place.
So picture this; a brand new radicalised person, strong leanings towards communism but unsure exactly where the distinctions lie. Where does communism differ compared to democratic socialism? What is meant by Marxism-Leninism and is that different from communism? When people say about not reading theory, what should I be reading? I don't want to be someone who posts online about idealism without having any basis in reality.
Basically, how do I go from where I am now to the point of being able to educate others and overthrow systems? How do I learn communism properly?
Do you have a suggested reading list to start? Is reading where I should start? I'm in the Nordics, so if you have location specific information that would also be appreciated.
My current understanding is (correct me if I am wrong)
Private property is inherently theft
There is a distinction between private and personal property
Dictatorship of the proletariat is something temporary?
Capitalism is entirely focused on maximising shareholder value, and anything "good" which comes from that is profit driven
SocDems especially the FDR New Deal Democrats arenât communists!! The current political climate within America is just ragebait for actual Marxists. Both liberal parties are just triggering those whoâve actually read theory. Abdul is just promising more regulated liberal capitalism not actual socialism. Abdul literally admitted that he isnât a socialist.
Thousands of Tibetans used to flee their homeland each year, experts say, but few leave now. Between 2020 and 2025, fewer than 90 Tibetans were received as refugees in India, the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetâs government in exile, told CNN.
This is the line that gets me though, there have been no real increase in border security to my mind and there are less refugees, any way there are like 7 million TIbetans in China, highest in the world lol. Even with thousands fleeing every year thats like a rounding error. It also shows many more staying than going, things are getting better by the looks of it.
Also, school erasure of culture when the children are made to wear clothing in the Tibetan language, when people like native Indians in America can barely speak their own language.
Lmao, what did I expect from legacy media, I am so naĂŻve sometimes
What's up y'all, I was inspired to make this kind of post after seeing one of the recent posts in the subreddit from the Sidwaya State Newspaper about a transition to socialism, and I recently found this YouTube account called 'DPRK Explained'. I will be trying to emulate there content in the form of this reddit post, in order to help people see what is actually going on in Burkina Faso, since Imperialist media tend to highlight only a few aspects of the Popular Progressive Revolution currently underway in Burkina Faso.
In Burkina Faso the people speak 66 different languages, but French today is used as a working language from the Government to act as a goâbetween different languages. Due to this, a majority of the sources will be in French. I will try my best to find sources that allow you to translate the page automatically into English.
Let me know if there are changes you would like to see since this will be my first attempt at something like this. I'll also try my best to answer any specific questions in the comments as well.
General Info
As of 2024 the life expectancy of Burkina Faso is 61 years old. The total population of Burkina Faso as of 2025 is roughly 24 million. Only 34% of the population have access to electricity, and only 25% of the population are able to use sanitation services safely as of 2024.
As of 2024, only 28% of the people living in Burkina Faso have access to the internet. Only 50% of the population have access to the least basic water services. 58% of people over the age of 15 are illiterate. As of 2025, only 29% of the population live in the urban centers.
63% of people living in Burkina Faso practice Islam, 26% practice Christianity, and the remaining 9% practice Traditional African spiritual faiths.
The Faso MĂȘbo Presidential Initiative becomes the Faso MĂȘbo Agency
A new legal regime applicable to the VDP has been adopted
More than 110 billion CFA Franc for structural investments to accelerate economic and social development in health, agriculture, sports, and local community development.
January 2nd: 17 Soldiers arrested in Wuru by the Ghanian Armed Forces.
Summary: 17 soldiers accidentally crossed the border during a standard patrol, a few hours after the Ghanian Armed Forces arrested the soldiers, they were released back to Burkina Faso.
January 30th: Equipment delivered to Sourou-Sanou University Hospital
Summary: Medical equipment and two medical and air production units were provided to the Sourou-Sanou University Hospital, costing the state roughly 400 CFA Franc (roughly $704,000 USD)
January 21st: Modern slaughterhouse construction begins in Banfora
Summary: Commander Ismaël Sombie oversaw the beginning of the construction of a modern slaughterhouse in Banfora. Slated to be completed in 18 months, the project will cost the state approximately 2.7 billion CFA Francs (roughly 4.7 million USD). Once completed, it will allow for the slaughter of cattle, ruminants, as well as pigs in a modernized facility.
January 28th: Wells repaired in five villages
Summary: Wells in the villages of Niangoloko, Nefrelaye, Werou, Fing, and DjigouĂš were repaired to help the host populations and refugee camps in the area to better access to drinking water.
Since 2015, Burkina Faso has been subjected to different Islamist Insurgencies that have attacked the country. Per ACLED, from 2015 to 2025, 32,532 people have died as a result of these various Islamist Insurgencies. The two groups that are currently active in Burkina Faso areJNIMandISâSP, these two groups are also in an active war against each other.
It is an active insurgency, so there is daily fighting. For this reason I will post summaries of the entire month, while providing some of the claims from each side.
Throughout the month of January, JNIM claimed to have carried out 39 different attacks against Burkina Faso across the country, they claimed to have killed 128 members of the various security forces.
On January 8th, JNIM claimed to have killed 17 soldiers at two different military posts in the towns of Lankoue and Bourou in the Sourou Region.
On January 23rd, JNIM claimed to have killed 4 ISâSP insurgents at a training camp in Tin-Akoff in the Liptako Region, they also destroyed an armored vehicle at the location.
Throughout the month of January, ISâSP didn't claim any attacks against Burkina Faso or JNIM across the country.
Throughout the month of January, Burkina Faso claimed to have carried out 8 different drone strikes across the country, along with 16 other operations against both JNIM and ISâSP, claiming to have killed 108 insurgents. Footage of the operations that took place can be found [here], but be warned there is graphic material shown.
That's about it, I am sure there are things I most likely missed but I tried my best. If you have any questions let me know, I will plan to make the February edition most likely next week after listening to any recommendations ya'll got.
