There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25)
Allow me to borrow (and slightly alter) a common phrase:
A key predictor of future failure is past failure.
By examining Marxist ideology, its implementations, and the history of Marxist endeavors, we can easily learn all we need to know on the subject. This, then, will help us make the right decision about socialism, and all collectivisms, without ever having to risk anything.
For our purposes here, we are not evaluating Marxism by what people say it is, or want it to be, or by how it may begin. We are assessing it as we should: by the overall process and how and where it always ends (Prov 16:25)—and, most importantly, how it measures up against Scripture (Acts 17:11). This last criterion is not only important for every true believer, but also for anyone who claims that Jesus was a socialist.
So, if you are keeping score at home, what does the track record of socialism and communism teach us about: Marx; Marxism; its failure rate; its compatibility with Jesus and Christianity; those who implemented it, and those who want try it again; and whether it is wise or foolish to try it once more?
Let’s take a look at the history of Marxism’s record in several key areas.
SOCIALISM SCORECARD
SUCCESS RATE | 100% FAILURE
Marxism has never, ever worked, and has always failed miserably every time it has been tried, without exception. Note: Some people try to tout the current Scandinavian countries, or the “Nordic Model,” yet these are neither socialist, nor successes. Others cling to the oft-repeated lie that, “True Marxism has never been tried.”
DEGREE OF FAILURE | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Nothing parallels the absolute carnage of socialist endeavors. This includes billions of innocent people who were imprisoned, impoverished, tortured, abused, treated with extreme malice and injustice, starved both intentionally and as a natural outcome of this ideology, not to mention brutally murdered—all in the name of “compassion,” “justice,” and “equality.”
TREATMENT OF ITS OWN PEOPLE | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Atrocities under Marxism, directed at the citizens of a given country, include extreme and extensive oppression, impoverishment, torment, starvation, and even mass murder of its own countrymen. [see: Degree of Failure]
JUSTICE | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxism always produces ever-escalating injustice. The longer the attempt at economic and social justice continues, the more the injustices worsen. These perversions of justice eventually result in inverted justice (cp. Prov 17:15), all of which are done with countless promises of “justice.”
EQUALITY | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Under Marxism, existing equality is increasingly replaced by inequalities, and there is always an elite class (the more-than-equal-“equals”). These elites harshly rule over the heavily oppressed “equal”-but-far-less-than-equal-“equals.” Of course, all of this perversion and mockery of equality is done in the name of and with countless promises of utopian “equality.”
FREEDOM | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxism always results in total oppression and totalitarianism. Furthermore, it always requires forced ideological conformity for everyone, which, of course, is the exact opposite of freedom. While this is all true by definition—all societal collectivisms* require complete control—it is also proved by history.
*Collective = relating to or shared by all the members of a group
EVANGELISM | THE WORST POSSIBLE
The proponents of socialism, in order to win people over to its collectivist ideology, have always relied primarily on the following: stirring up envy and strife, falsehoods, false promises, evasions and perversion of the truth, the highly deceptive and self-deceiving mindset of “the end justify the means”, and shaming, censoring, threatening, coercing, punishing, and even murdering anyone who resists these evil and coercive tactics.
ELITISM | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxists always demonize elitism and promise a utopian equality. But logic, facts, and history show that every Marxist endeavor has been and will be ruled by an uber-elite group which oppresses the less-than-equal-“equals.” This always happens. Many, if not most of the top demonizers of elitism are elitists themselves. Yet this self-defeating reality is willfully denied by countless adherents of Marxism.
MOTIVATION | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Because Marxism always appeals to the worst kind of motivation (e.g., shame; fear; bitterness; envy; classism), it always decreases the amount of motivation for both the producers and the receivers. This decline in motivation always leads to the mass destruction and death of individuals, families, economies, and societies, all in the pursuit of and assurance of a utopian community of compassion, equality, and justice.
GROUPTHINK | THE WORST POSSIBLE
There is no freedom to think for one’s self within Marxism since all collectivisms, by definition, have to coercively maintain the same “collective” thinking from everyone. In other words, Marxism always requires forced ideological conformity. This is one chief reason why there is so much censorship, shaming, punishment, abuse, and worse, for those who do not yield to the prevailing false narratives and herd-mentality. Therefore, by necessity, Marxism equals groupthink.*
*According to Merriam-Webster, groupthink is “a pattern of thought characterized by self-deception, forced manufacture of consent, and conformity to group values and ethics.”
As if the overall score of Marxist principles were not enough, let us now turn our attention to the “ratings” of socialism when it comes to specific Christian characteristics. These next eight areas apply especially to anyone who believes in Jesus, thinks He was a socialist, or is under the impression that Marxism is biblical and Christlike.
“SOCIALISM IS BIBLICAL” SCORECARD
SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxism not only has zero biblical backing, it perpetually conflicts with, directly opposes, and grossly violates God’s Word. Even worse, some Marxists do use Scripture, but they twist and pervert it to dupe undiscerning Christians and to deceive the masses (cp. 1 Tim 6:20-21; 2 Tim 3:13-4:5).
VIEW OF GOD | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marx himself utterly rejected God. Likewise, Marxism has always manifested extreme hatred for God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and all that God holds dear.
VIEW OF SCRIPTURE | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxism also absolutely rejects and has extreme hatred for God’s Word, which is consistently expressed in countless adversarial actions. This includes mocking, suppressing, and perverting Scripture, while attacking those who seek to accurately teach and spread God’s Word. They not only persecute and seek to destroy those who have a high view of His Word, many compromising Christ-followers join in on these diabolical attacks (cp. 2 Chr 36:15-16; Matt 5:12-13; Acts 20:28ff; Gal 2:4-5; Jude 4ff).
VIEW OF SIN, ITS CONSEQUENCES & SOLUTION | THE WORST POSSIBLE
There is nothing God takes more seriously than sin, yet there is nothing Marxism treats more disdainfully. It treats this superlative reality with mockery and with total rejection, derision, and suppression, which is done both overtly and subtly (cp. Gen 3:1ff). This, of course, includes the gospel, which is the core of Christianity, the main solution to sin, and the key to eternal life with Jesus Christ.
ETERNITY | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxism is 100% focused on what is “seen” and temporary (e.g., materialism; we are all soulless, temporal beings), while mocking, rejecting, or perverting what is of superlative importance—that which is “unseen” and eternal (cp. 2 Cor 4:16-18; Matt 6:19-21; Heb 11; Jn 3:15-18, 36; Rev 20-22).
TREATMENT OF CHRISTIANS & JEWS | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxism has always manifested the most extreme hatred, oppression, and abuse—including mass murder—towards people of faith. This has been especially true of Jews and Christians.
DEPENDENCY | THE WORST POSSIBLE
Marxism inverts God’s perfect design by teaching and demanding 100% dependency on the performance of people (on the government, and on hypocritical elites who gain elite status by condemning elitism) and 0% on God, His Word, and His gospel (cp. Jer 2:13; 17:5-9; Rom 1:25; Col 2:8; Ps 1:1-3).
UNITY OF MARX & JESUS | THE WORST POSSIBLE
There is zero harmony here. It is impossible for Marx and Jesus to have less in common. They are the antithesis of each other in every way. Not only did Karl Marx hate, mock, and reject Jesus and Christianity, but the ideology and the followers of Marx are always excessively hostile toward Jesus, His Word, and His followers (e.g., 2 Cor 6:14ff; Col 2:8; Ps 1:1-3).
Because its ideology and outcomes are beyond evil, “Marxism always fails” does not do justice to reality, nor to the billions of people who have been crushed, oppressed, and murdered by Marxist adherents. To say that Marxism horrifically fails is like saying the Titanic failed to arrive on time, that the Chernobyl nuclear reactor failed to produce power, or that the Nazis failed to love the Jews. This is highly offensive and absurd. It does a great disservice to reality, to the poor souls who suffered and died, to those who loved them, and to those who love the truth.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
- If any other ideology had the track record that Marxism does, how would people normally respond?
- Why, then, are there so many people, in increasing numbers, defending socialism and communism, and excitedly pushing for what always has and always will produce mass destruction and death?
- What has changed? What could possibly explain this inversion of reality in so many people?
- What does this say about the direction we are headed as a nation, and as a worldwide society?
- What can be done to change this course?
- How should sober-minded and objective people respond to the previous list, as well as to Marxism and its adherents?
- What do you suppose are the most common responses of pro-Marxists to the above assessment?
*Excerpt from Jesus Was A Socialist? The Life or Death Truth Everyone Needs To Know About Jesus & Socialism now available at Amazon and Hope For Life
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