I don't really think Starlight Glimmer's philosophy has anything to do with Marxism. There's an element of equally shared resources, sure, but only because the ability to use those resources is also equal. And those equal ability is the reason Marxism doesn't really apply. Marxism requires individuals of exceptional ability in order to succeed, hence the maxim, "from those according to their ability, to those according to their need."
This is something different. There's a laudable ideal within this philosophy: equal value to society. But this ideal is enforced through a totalitarian and vaguely disturbing regime. It contrasts with the Mane 6's friendship, which succeeds in creating equal value through understanding and embracing the differences that make us special. The fact that it is so similar to Twilight's values, but with a twist of totalitarianism, is owing to the episode's nature as a dystopia, a literary genre wherein a laudable ideal is achieved in a society through increasingly disquieting means. This can either be used to discredit the philosophy with that ideal at its core (Atlas Shrugged, Bioshock), or as a cautionary tale not to let idealism be co-opted by totalitarianism (1984, The Giver). In this case, it seems to be the latter.
This fusing of the ideals of harmony embraced by the show, with a totalitarian mindset, needs a different name from Marxism, or Communism, or any similar thing. It's its own philosophy. Just as totalitarian Communist regimes were often named after the leaders that imposed them (Stalinism, Maoism), I think it makes sense to call this philosophy Glimmerism.
credits
released June 16, 2015
Thanks as always to mlptf2mods for their amazing vocal only audio. This music is all the better for it.
Thanks, as well, to the people who make this show, for inspiring me so much.
