Vejas Liulevicius: Communism, Marxism, Nazism, Stalin, Mao, and Hitler | Lex Fridman Podcast

Introduction (0s)

• The Soviet state's use of compulsion to extract resources resulted in a man-made famine, not a natural disaster or a bad harvest. (2s)
• The Soviet Union's experience was plagued by the falsification of statistics and reports throughout the chain of command, creating a foundation of sand for the state planning agency's five-year plans. (34s)
• Hitler and Himmler's vision for the Eastern Front was not one of peace or settlement, but of perpetual war and eastward expansion, aiming to provide generations of German soldiers with combat experience and training in aggression. (1m47s)

Marxism (3m10s)

• Marx believed that history had a purpose and was moving in a deliberate direction, with the ultimate goal of a classless society. (3m38s)
• Marx saw revolution as a necessary part of the historical process, allowing the working class to become aware of its role and overthrow the existing order. (15m1s)
• Marx predicted that the working class would continue to grow in number and misery, while the middle class would dwindle, leading to an inevitable revolution. (19m38s)

Anarchism (30m55s)

• Bakunin, an anarchist, believed in revolution and the overthrow of the existing state, envisioning a future built on free association and the rejection of hierarchies, the state, and traditional religious ideas. (31m28s)
• Bakunin clashed with Marx, warning of potential authoritarianism within hierarchical revolutionary movements and advocating for looser ties within both the movement and the future state. (32m57s)
• Anarchist movements, often allying with communist movements, have historically faced oppression and targeting due to their skepticism of centralized control and disciplined organization, a core tenet of Leninism. (33m40s)

The Communist Manifesto (45m52s)

• Das Kapital is a multi-volume work by Marx, with the first volume published during his lifetime and the rest compiled from his notes by Engels. (46m7s)
• The Communist Manifesto, a shorter pamphlet, gained significance after the 1871 Paris Commune, an event associated with Marx despite not being solely inspired by him. (46m30s)
• While Marxist economic analysis can be applied theoretically, Marx viewed the political implications and call to action as inseparable from the economic analysis. (49m20s)

Communism in the Soviet Union (54m51s)

• Communism was compelling to many people in the early 20th century due to a growing faith in science and a belief that it could provide solutions to societal problems such as war, poverty, and inequality. (55m14s)
• Lenin believed that a highly disciplined group of professional revolutionaries was necessary to overthrow the capitalist system, as opposed to a more moderate trade union movement that might seek accommodation with the existing power structure. (1h2m46s)
• Lenin's revolutionary ideology was shaped by both Marxist ideas and the pre-existing Russian revolutionary tradition, which emphasized total devotion to the cause and the use of violence and terror as necessary tools for achieving revolutionary change. (1h14m18s)

Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin (1h14m45s)

• Lenin, despite facing criticism, signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, believing that it would soon become irrelevant due to the anticipated spread of revolution. (1h15m10s)
• Lenin successfully led the Bolsheviks to victory in the Russian Civil War, exceeding expectations given the numerous enemies they confronted. (1h17m3s)
• Stalin, despite lacking charisma and oratorical skills, gradually consolidated power within the Bolshevik movement by focusing on organizational control and personnel decisions. (1h22m56s)

Stalin (1h24m33s)

• Lenin saw Stalin as a reliable and committed revolutionary, despite his lack of sophistication, and promoted him to important positions. (1h25m15s)
• Stalin used the secret police, established under Lenin, to instill terror, suppress opposition, and maintain control over society. (1h26m22s)
• Stalin believed that a strong and intelligent person is justified in their actions, even if condemned by others, reflecting a pragmatic approach to power and a disregard for traditional morality. (1h28m54s)
• Stalin's belief in ideology and his pursuit of power were likely intertwined, with the ideology providing a framework for his actions and justifying his increasing authority. (1h31m1s)
• Stalin's ability to inflict suffering even on his loyal followers suggests a complex relationship between his beliefs and his actions, potentially indicating a reinforcement of both ideology and power. (1h31m20s)

Holodomor (1h31m48s)

• The Bolsheviks, and communists in general, had a conflicted relationship with agriculture because they saw it as a traditional and inefficient form of activity. (1h32m10s)
• Collectivization was implemented to gain control over food production, prevent shortages, and support industrialization, which was prioritized over agriculture. (1h35m17s)
• Collectivization led to widespread suffering, as farmers lost their land and incentives to produce, resulting in food shortages, famine, and negative selection where skilled farmers were punished. (1h35m51s)

The Great Terror (1h45m38s)

• Stalin targeted those he saw as rivals, those who challenged him, and their families during the Great Terror. (1h46m23s)
• The communist government used quotas to encourage arrests and executions, creating an environment of fear and paranoia. (1h46m47s)
• The communist system, with its emphasis on ideology over ethics and its violent beginnings, created an environment where repression and violence were normalized. (1h55m40s)

Totalitarianism (1h58m39s)

• Fascism, founded in Italy, promoted militarism, national prestige, and a powerful leader while rejecting individual rights and democracy. (1h59m17s)
• Nazism, inspired by fascism, emphasized racial purity, anti-Semitism, and the pursuit of national greatness through racial dominance. (2h0m28s)
• Totalitarianism, a concept developed by political scientists, describes regimes like Nazi Germany and Stalin's Soviet Union that sought total control over their populations through fear, compulsion, and the suppression of dissent. (2h7m17s)

Response to Darryl Cooper (2h9m40s)

• Churchill was not the chief villain of World War II. The assertion that he forced Hitler to expand the war is based on a neglect of Nazi ideology, which was not limited in its application and looked toward world domination. (2h10m45s)
• The mass murder of Jews, Slavs, and Gypsies was not an accident or a humane extermination of prisoners of war. The invasion of Poland saw the Nazis unleash a killing wave in Operation Tannenberg, which predates Operation Barbarossa. (2h13m36s)
• Nazi Germany always intended to invade the Soviet Union, and Ukraine was a chief prize in their plans. The Generalplan Ost, a master plan for the East, envisioned things like megahighways for the Germanic master race and the ethnic transformation of the region. (2h16m20s)

Nazis vs Communists in Germany (2h24m49s)

• German communists believed that the rise of Nazism indicated the imminent collapse of capitalism and that their own rise to power would follow. (2h25m31s)
• The possibility of the Social Democrats and Communists collaborating to prevent Hitler's rise to power was hindered by their history of internal conflict and competition for the support of the working class. (2h26m21s)
• While Marx himself might not have condoned the atrocities committed in pursuit of communist ideals, Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm argued that such sacrifices could be justified if they led to the ultimate success of the communist experiment. (2h30m16s)

Mao (2h31m11s)

• Mao Zedong adapted Marxist ideology to the Chinese context, focusing on peasants as the primary drivers of revolution. (2h32m29s)
• Mao aimed to lead a successful international communist movement and saw himself as Stalin's successor, despite a complex relationship with him. (2h33m16s)
• Mao's policies, such as the Great Leap Forward, were attempts to surpass Stalin's achievements, leading to disastrous consequences. (2h35m56s)

Great Leap Forward (2h36m19s)

• The Great Leap Forward, modeled after Stalin's crash industrialization in the Soviet Union, aimed to rapidly industrialize China through the conviction of the peasant masses. (2h36m26s)
• This involved creating small smelting furnaces in farm communes, consolidating farming territories into large communes, and adopting Soviet agricultural techniques, ultimately leading to environmental disasters and agricultural failures. (2h36m51s)
• The Great Leap Forward resulted in approximately 40 million deaths from starvation and murder. (2h36m21s)

China after Mao (2h43m20s)

• After Mao Zedong's death in 1976, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) characterized his leadership as "70% correct," acknowledging some flaws while maintaining his positive contributions. (2h43m34s)
• Following Mao's death, China shifted towards economic openness and global engagement while upholding the CCP's political dominance. (2h44m52s)
• China's rapid economic growth and evolving political landscape have raised questions about the country's communist identity, even among its leadership. (2h46m22s)

North Korea (2h48m52s)

• North Korea, despite claiming to be a communist nation, operates as a dynastic government, presenting a contradiction in terms of its political ideology and actual governance. (2h49m55s)
• The challenge of understanding North Korea's political and economic systems stems from its closed society and inscrutable practices, making it difficult to apply traditional analytical categories. (2h50m15s)
• North Korea's significant military investment and reliance on military might as a means of engaging in geopolitics pose concerns for other nations. (2h51m4s)

Communism in US (2h52m56s)

• The Communist Party in America, founded in 1919, faced challenges in gaining traction due to its association with immigrants, which made it appear unfamiliar to many American workers. (2h53m27s)
• The leadership of Earl Browder, an American-born communist, aimed to reshape the image of the party and promote the idea that communism aligned with American values. (2h55m0s)
• The involvement of some American communists in espionage for the Soviet Union during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as the party's shifting stance on Nazi Germany, further damaged its reputation and led to disillusionment among members. (2h56m12s)

Russia after Soviet Union (3h0m26s)

• After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia did not engage in a comprehensive historical reckoning of its past, hindering a healthy societal reflection on the damage caused by decades of communist experimentation. (3h0m48s)
• Putin's Russia has rehabilitated historical figures like the Tsars as heroes of Russian statehood, while acknowledging Stalin's brutality but also recognizing his effectiveness in representing Russian statehood. (3h3m35s)
• The timing of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine is crucial, as a new generation of Ukrainians has emerged with no nostalgia for the past and a strong resistance against Russian aggression. (3h5m14s)

Advice for Lex (3h11m57s)

• It is suggested that understanding a leader's background and formative influences can provide insight into their expectations and worldview. (3h12m48s)
• It is noted that observing how a leader treats those from whom they have no expectations can reveal aspects of their character and ethical code. (3h14m13s)
• Creating a lecture series involves condensing a vast amount of material and often requires omitting a significant portion of information. (3h17m54s)

Book recommendations (3h19m39s)

• The speaker recommends the novel and film Doctor Zhivago for its depiction of tragedy, resilience, and the human experience. (3h20m54s)
• The speaker recommends the works of Robertson Davies, particularly the Deptford Trilogy, describing his writing as a blend of mythology, mysticism, and realism. (3h21m58s)
• The speaker found Doctor Zhivago impactful during childhood and considers it influential in shaping their interests. (3h20m28s)

Advice for young people (3h22m38s)

• The most important piece of advice for young people is to read books. (3h23m8s)
• Reading books allows you to understand different perspectives, develop empathy, and learn how to think critically. (3h23m49s)
• While audiobooks and AI tools can be helpful, they shouldn't replace the experience of deep reading and engaging with complex ideas. (3h25m19s)

Hope (3h29m29s)

• Hope for the future can be found in the variety of human reactions to situations and the resilience people display in the face of adversity. (3h29m48s)
• Cultural appropriation, which is synonymous with world history, is the transfer of ideas and influences from one culture to another. (3h30m34s)
• The willingness of humans to explore and learn, even after empires fall and dreams are broken, provides hope for the future. (3h31m2s)