From: "cwright" <cwright-AT-21stcentury.net>
Subject: Re: AUT: Why People Join Vanguard Organizations?
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 00:46:42 -0500


Its not a question of sectarian.  It is a question of how one sees one's
relation to the class, and IMO the vanguardist is necessarily an elitist
approach which assumes that the 'vanguard' somehow has special access to
special knowledge, developed as 'the program', which it will use to
enlighten the masses.  This makes the intellectual the holder of
revolutionary consciousness, not the workers.  You may want to argue from
that position, but it has nothing at all to do with Marx.  In that sense,
when it comes to Leninists, i could give a damn about their sectarianism.  I
take that for granted.  It is their reactionary theory and practice I have
problems with.

Chris

p.s.  Not everyone joins Left organizations for a social life but the Left
certainly finds many people looking for a place in life, a clicque, and too
many organizations happily provide that because those people are not given
to being independent in thought or action.  But then again, as many people
join because they think that being 'professional revolutionaries' is the
epitome of seriousness, never recognizing that the professional is the
epitome of alienation and the separation of mental from manual labor.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Bailey" <redrich2000-AT-yahoo.com>
To: <aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 2:09 AM
Subject: Re: AUT: Why People Join Vanguard Organizations?


> That is the most patronising bullshit I have ever
> read.
>
> I am a member of a "Vanguardist organisation". I am
> the first to admit that organisations like mine have
> been (and still are) sectarian towards
> anarchist/autonomist groups/individuals. But mirroring
> this sectarianism makes you no better.
>
> I joined because I happen to think that a
> revolutionary party is critical to achieving a
> successful revolution. Disagree if you want but don't
> accuse me of seeking a social circle.
>
> Not everyone who joins initally has this level of
> committment. Most join because it is leninist
> organisations that are usually the most visibly active
> and because they ask people to join them.
>
> Your understanding of how leninist organisations does
> not reflect my experience of the ISO (and I do have
> criticisms of it). Anarchists and Autonomists hate
> nothing more than when leninists group you all
> together worshipping Bakunin and Proudhon. Please do
> not do the same to leninists. We are not all like the
> Spartacist League.
>
> Richard Bailey
>
> ____________________________________________________________
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>
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