/leftypol/ - Leftist Politically Incorrect

After reading Marxist literature, studying the history of Marxist states, and interacting with self-proclaimed Marxists, I've come to the conclusion that "Marxist" as a term isn't particularly useful.

In common usage, it describes a number of largely distinct ideologies and forms of political and economic organization that are connected by genealogy and geopolitics. China under Mao was a very different beast than China under Xi, and yet they're both seen as Communist because the latter came from the former, and the former had its basis in the Soviet Union under Stalin had its basis in the Soviet Union under Lenin had its basis in the writings of Marx and Engels. And this is just one state (technically two, but you get the point); looking at the bigger picture, things are even more variable based on time and place.

This isn't to talk ill of China or the Soviet Union by the way, I admire both greatly. My issue is more that "I'm a Marxist" isn't a phrase that tells anyone much of anything unless it's heavily qualified.