Genuine question
Edit: change the title from “Why can Socialist Market Economy be categorized as socialism, and why is NEP categorized as state capitalism?” to “Why can Socialist Market Economy be categorized as socialism meanwhile NEP is categorized as state capitalism?”
The answer is simple, state capitalism isnt a thing, the term mean literally nothing. NEP was just socialism in a particular place at a particular time doing what needed to be done to develop the productive forces, if something like it existed today it would probably be called market socialism the term just wasnt in use then if it even existed, and also market socialism probably doesnt sound as bad as state capitalism and the whole state capitalism is something “left “communist”” came up with to insult the USSR.
Seriously state capitalism is a completely useless term, its so poorly defined it describes nothing and people should really stop using it.
It does have a meaning but yeah its kinda missleading, most people just assume is “state doing capitalism” when it just means that the state holds all the political power under a DotP not the capitalist class.
lets take the example of france and china, under the first definition, “state doing capitalism”, both France and China could fall into that category since both have important SOEs and operate under a market economy.
But under the second definition, only China can be categorized as a state capitalist since even though capitalists exist in China, they hold no political power.
I didn’t know Lenin was left communist?
Correct me if i am wrong but im pretty sure Lenin originally said that in defense of the USSR and it policies in the face of criticism by left communist, he didnt originate the term nor the criticisms associated with it.
My point is state capitalism is not necessarily useless term exclusive to left {anti-communists} like you indicate it is. It’s also a matter of life description.
That being said, fine, market socialist