Are communists amoral?

Opponents of Marxism often accuse it of being immoral or amoral. According to them, Marxists are indifferent to the moral sanctity of the individual, and we are perfectly happy to kill and oppress millions of people to make society conform to our cold ideology.

Is this stereotype of Marxism true? And do capitalism and its apologists really respect the individual any more than Marxism does? What is the real role of morality in class society, if this society is based upon exploitation, poverty and war? Is there some moral philosophy which can show us the error of our ways and lead us out of the sinfulness of capitalist society, without the need for revolution? And do Marxists have their own morality?

In this session, Ellen Morton will demonstrate how morality, far from being independent of society and fixed in time, is tied to the interests of particular classes, and why we must reject the hypocritical bourgeois morality in favour of a proletarian one in the fight for communism.

Recommended reading: Marxism and morality

Further reading: Their Morals and Ours (Trotsky) / Identity politics: The ruling class’ favoured weapon against the left

Recommended listening: