What Is Theory For?

Some people nowadays think theory is irrelevant or outdated. To the average person who lives their life and does nothing more except maybe donate or protest, understanding communism can begin with understanding humanism. However, for those who want to explain or lead, reading theory is crucial, although time-consuming.

As I've said, communist theory is more than our daily struggle and mutual aid; it's a set of principles, strategies, and frameworks for transformative change. Here are four key points or uses of theory:

_1. Strategic Leadership and Organization_

- Tactics for effective leadership

- Building and maintaining revolutionary organizations

- Mobilizing collective action

_2. Critical Analysis and Self-Reflection_

- Identifying and challenging:

    - False friends

    - Opportunists

    - The unbecoming

    - Pseudointellectuals

    - Brash neophytes

- Promoting critical thinking, evidence-based decision-making, and humanism

_3. Principles and Values_

- Clarifying and confirming core principles (e.g., equality, justice, solidarity)

- Defining and upholding values (e.g., collective ownership, workers' rights)

- Developing a shared vision for a socialist/communist society

- Prioritizing human dignity, reason, and freedom

_4. Practical Application and Recruitment_

- Examples and strategies for:

    - Recruiting and engaging new members

    - Applying theory to real-world situations

    - Building alliances and coalitions

    - Implementing socialist/communist principles in practice

    - Addressing human rights violations and promoting fair labor conditions

This framework highlights communist theory's comprehensive approach to:

1. Building effective movements

2. Critiquing and refining movement dynamics

3. Defining and upholding core principles

4. Applying theory to practical action and growth.

After reading this, I hope you'll appreciate theory and not dismiss it. Communist leaders criticized those who brush off theory and complain about movements not operating entirely in the open. I hope this explains why they made those criticisms and why, if you aim to do more than simply follow the status quo, you should understand the basic concepts and principles from Marxist-Leninist study guides on theory.