But again, as in my previous comment, at no point do I suggest that “working class people do not have the capacity to form their own theoretical and political opinions to emancipate themselves”. They obviously do. But material conditions and their effects on our education on certain issues, or our time and energy to dedicate to it, don’t magically disappear for most people because ideally we would like them to, and pointing out that fact is not negating people’s capacities, it’s pointing out that capitalism and imperialism rob us of our opportunities to actualise this potential. Like my mum is sharp as a whip. But she doesnt know shit about geopolitics because she doesnt have the time or energy, and her situation is common.

The only reason I am relatively well-informed on the geopolitical history of Russia and Ukraine is because I was lucky enough to do well in public education and get funding to support it further instead of working full-time.

On the point regarding Chinese academics, you’re obviously correct, but the simple fact that there are Chinese scholars who support Russia’s invasion is not much of an argument outside of what their actual arguments are. Some have better analyses imo, others worse. It also depends on whether or not their analyses are from a socialist or nationalist perspective.

Westerners obviously masters are lecturing the rest of the world on every topic under the sun. We all hopefully know this. But westerners are doing this all the time on this site and people only get in uproar when they dont agree with the take. At the end of the day what matters is whether or not that view is correct. Like I dont give a fuck whether a country’s majority are anti-LGBT or think black people have souls, I’m still gonna say it’s fucking wack, and honestly anything else is cowardice.

Brave of u assume i must be from the west.