In order for one to answer whether the idea of communism is potentially emancipatory it is important to first define what the communist idea is as well as what an emancipatory feature of policy is. To start with the latter, emancipatory theory drawn from its name is the notion that people are means within themselves and not ends to the needs of others. They have agency and should be free to propose the world in which they wish to live in. According to Ramsey 2011:183, the emergence of emancipatory theory was in the 1960’s and 1970’s and it emerged as theory that was opposed to the oppression to the extent that they are marginalised. “Dominance is progressively dehumanizing for both the oppressed and the oppressor, though only the resistance of the oppressed will allow for the possible re-humanization of the oppressors” (Ramsey, 2011:183.) Emancipatory theory is meant to target oppression that consolidated within dominant systems of policy in reality that takes away people’s agency and consciousness.
This essay deals with communism as an idea, this requires effort in departing from the use of communism as an adjective that describes a form of politics, “An entire century of experiences both epic in scope and appalling was required to understand that certain phrases produced by this short-circuiting between the real and the Idea were misconceived.”(Badiou, 2010:13). At this point Badiou requires us to not look at communism in its historical context and use misconceived phrases such as “communist party and communist state”(Badiou, 2010:5), he insists that we must not immediately associate communism with any historical failures for example Stalin’s regime. To associate the Communist idea with such history is to rid it of its original truth and intentions. To begin with Badiou talks about the state and what it should be and what its role should be. From Badiou’s