It should be possible to have quite an interesting discussion about this. The notion of 'progress' in human history has been an integral part of Marxist thought - of all schools, I think - from the very outset. The advent of capitalism in feudal Europe has generally been seen as representing 'progress' by Marxists, and Marx and Engels were very dismissive in the Manifesto of those socialist currents which looked back to pre-capitalist society for inspiration. 'Socialism' was seen as an economic and social order which would supersede capitalism, building on its achievements. The 20th century communists, who believed that the October revolution in Russia and the societies which sprang - directly or indirectly - from that process represented the advent of socialism, had every reason to regard those states as 'progressive'. That belief may well have been erroneous, but that is a different question. I wonder though - how does the concept of 'progress' fit with the maximalist world view of 'World Socialism'? Can it be reconciled with that current's 'all-or-nothing' politics?