- Capitalism and Alternatives -

A Marxist presentation

Posted by: Stoller on January 12, 19100 at 10:44:20:

In Reply to: Abortion - what are your views? posted by Nikhil Jaikumar on January 11, 19100 at 11:02:39:

: What do people in this forum feel about the abortion issue? What have historic Marxist figures and regimes felt about it?
Marx and Engels---to my knowledge---did not address this issue directly. Engels' Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State makes very clear his belief that a woman's body is HERS, and the state should keep its hands off.
The Bolsheviks initiated a policy of free abortion on demand following the 1917 revolution (first governement to do so). Trotsky called abortion-on-demand 'one of [women's] most important civil, political and cultural rights' (The Revolution Betrayed, Doubleday, Doran and Co. 1937, p. 149).
Stalin reversed this policy in the 1930s, making (all) abortion illegal again.
Deduce from those facts what you may.

Follow Ups:

Lao People's Democratic Republic Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA January 12 19100 (19)
- Freedom is absolute Lark January 13 19100 (0)
- One more time Stoller January 12 19100 (17)
  - if it involves us it's got to entail an empowerment of us Lark January 13 19100 (0)
  - The family, in whatever manifestation, is built on love. Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA January 13 19100 (15)
    - More good anecdotal fun... Samuel Day Fassbinder Citizens for Mustard Greens USA January 14 19100 (3)
      - Their coming to us away ha ha, their coming to take us away. Frenchy January 14 19100 (2)
        
        Frenchy's ALREADY a joke: better version Samuel Day Fassbinder Yuk! Yuk! Hee! Hee! January 15 19100 (0)
        
        Frenchy's ALREADY a joke Samuel Day Fassbinder Yuk! Yuk! Hee! Hee! January 15 19100 (0)
    - Having a bad day,NJ? Stoller January 14 19100 (10)
      - Is 'reactionary' your catch-all criticism? Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA January 14 19100 (9)
        
        When it comes to your petty proprietor 'socialism' & patriarchal attitudes, it's the most apt word Stoller January 15 19100 (8)
        
        Names will never hurt me Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA January 16 19100 (7)
        
        My intention is to wake you up, not to hurt you Barry Stoller January 16 19100 (6)
        
        My intention is to humanize your Marxist Socialism Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA January 17 19100 (5)
        
        Your intention, I think, is to petty-bourgeoisify Marxist Socialism Barry Stoller January 18 19100 (3)
        
        Did I say that? Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA January 19 19100 (2)
        
        Clearing things up (?) Barry Stoller January 19 19100 (1)
        
        Last word? Nikhil Jaikumar DSA MA, USA January 21 19100 (0)
        
        On 'duty' to a partner Gee si January 17 19100 (0)
A question Gee si January 12 19100 (1)
- An answer Stoller January 12 19100 (0)