I have often heard the term “state capitalism” being used by Western academics to refer to AES states like China or Vietnam. Lenin also uses the term a lot in The Tax in Kind and distinguishes it from true socialism.

  • Water Bowl Slime@lemmygrad.ml
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    14 days ago

    When Lenin says capitalism, he doesn’t necessarily mean dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. That’s what people get hung up about because nowadays the word is inseparable from liberalism. But when he says state capitalism, he’s just talking about using the state to direct a capitalist economy. You can do that communistly like how China directs its economy towards renewables, research, infrastructure, poverty alleviation, etc. Or you can do that liberally like how the US gears its economy towards war, racketeering, and debt.