Alexandra Kollontai, a Marxist feminist writer and theorist, is discussed in this episode. The hosts analyze her essays on the social basis of women's question and love after capitalism. They explore her rejection of feminism and critique of family structures, as well as the significance of love in the context of revolution. Kollontai's views on love and relationships in a communist society, the importance of equality, and the connection between love and solidarity are also explored. The episode ends with a discussion on applying Kollontai's ideas to contemporary struggles and relationships.
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Quick takeaways
Love should be channeled to benefit the collective and is integral to cultural development.
The conception and practice of love throughout history have been shaped by the dominant ruling class.
The concept of love under capitalism does not correspond to the needs of the working class.
Proletarian love is rooted in solidarity and care for others and aims to strengthen emotional bonds within the collective.
Deep dives
Love and Relationships in the Wake of the Russian Civil War
Colin Tye discusses the changing dynamics of love and relationships in the aftermath of the Russian Civil War. During the war, relationships were largely casual and shallow, driven by purely biological needs. However, as the revolution succeeded and the focus shifted to building a new society, the desire for deeper emotional connections emerged. Colin Tye emphasizes that love is not a private matter but a profoundly social phenomenon, integral to cultural development. She argues that love should be channeled to benefit the collective, and that the psychological and cultural aspects of life are crucial parts of the socialist project.
The Historical Evolution of Love
Colin Tye delves into the historical evolution of love, exploring different forms and expressions of love in various social and economic systems. In tribal societies, love was intertwined with kinship bonds, while in ancient city-states, it was eclipsed by male friendships. Feudalism elevated love to an idealized platonic form, while capitalism united love and marriage. Colin Tye highlights the class basis of love throughout history, demonstrating how its conception and practice have been shaped by the dominant ruling class. She also critiques the bourgeoisie for retreating from their ideals of love and marriage in practice.
The Evolution of Love and Relationships
Colin Tye discusses the historical development of love and relationships, emphasizing how they were influenced by economic and social forces. Under bourgeois rule, love and sex were only acceptable within traditional marriages, limiting individual freedom and causing emotional conflicts. Colin Tye argues that the concept of love under capitalism does not correspond to the needs of the working class. She believes that love is a social factor and encourages working men and women to determine the ideal of love that aligns with their class interests.
Proletarian Love
Colin Tye explores her concept of proletarian love, which is based on the principles of comradeship, solidarity, and care for others. In the new communist society, love should be rooted in genuine concern for individuals' relationships to the collective. Proletarian love goes beyond romantic or sexual love and is focused on collective solidarity. It aims to strengthen intellectual and emotional bonds, develop respect for each other's rights, and foster mutual support and understanding within the collective.
Love Comradeship and the Future
Colin Tye envisions a transformed form of love called love comradeship, which rejects bourgeois ideals of possession and exclusivity. Love comradeship is characterized by recognizing the rights and integrity of others' personalities, supporting each other, and developing emotional and intellectual bonds. Colin Tye sees this type of love flourishing in a future society, where people can have many different types of relationships within an interdependent collective. She believes that love comradeship can contribute to the growth of emotional and intellectual connections, promoting solidarity and unity in a new social order.
Envisioning a Future Society
Colontai's work, specifically her essay 'Make Way for Winged Arrows,' emphasizes the importance of envisioning a future society under a different mode of production. She argues that while material analysis of the present and the past is crucial, it is equally important to boldly imagine and outline what life could be like under a new social order. This envisioning process is seen as courageous and necessary, even if it means making mistakes. Colontai's focus on envisioning a future society serves as a reminder to the left of the significance of presenting a positive vision alongside critiques of the current system.
Love, Solidarity, and Communist Society
In her essay 'Eros', Colontai explores the connection between love, solidarity, and the building of a communist society. She argues that solidarity and cooperation, the foundational principles of communism, require emotional ties and love among members of the collective. Colontai's emphasis on love as an emotion that unites and organizes is a departure from a shallow understanding of solidarity based solely on common interests. By highlighting the need for warmth, compassion, and sensitivity, Colontai challenges the prevailing individualistic mindset of late capitalism and invites Marxists to cultivate a sense of love and solidarity in their organizing efforts.
In this episode, Alyson and Breht teach and discuss two works by Alexandra Kollontai: her 1909 essay "The Social Basis of the Woman Question" and her 1923 essay "Make Way for Winged Eros". They contextualize each essay, walk the listener through them both, and then discuss their meanings and implications.
