An OMB memo issued in January of 2025 stated that “The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars…” “Marxist equity”? That struck me rather curiously, what the fuck is Marxist equity? In all my readings by and about Marx I have never run across that term so I did a little googling and discovered that the “equity” in the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) outrage bullshit from the radical right stems from what I call “that Marx quote” — “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs!” Throughout the 20th century that phrase has been taken out of context and erroneously misread, and irony of ironies it’s not even a quote from Marx. That quote is from the SPD’s (Social Democratic Party of Germany) party platform called “The Gotha Program (das Gothaer Programm)”. In Marx’s famous response, “Critique of the Gotha Programme”, he states very clearly in the opening line of the passage containing “that Marx quote” that this is only possible in a future communist society, “In a higher phase of communist society, after the enslaving subordination of the individual to the division of labor”.
This is the actual passage from which that Marx quote is consistently taken out of context [emphasis mine]
In a higher phase of communist society, after the enslaving subordination of the individual to the division of labor, and therewith also the antithesis between mental and physical labor, has vanished; after labor has become not only a means of life but life’s prime want; after the productive forces have also increased with the all-around development of the individual, and all the springs of co-operative wealth flow more abundantly—only then can the narrow horizon of bourgeois right be crossed in its entirety and society inscribe on its banners: From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs
And let’s not forget those Commie Apostles…
34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. (Acts 4:34-35)
