Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 18:51:02 -0600 (MDT)
From: kcampbel-AT-csf.colorado.edu (CyberMarx)
Subject: Re: Collecting up links


I have to come to terms with this now. And I'd appreciate some input the
rest of you.

In running a historical archive, which features influential Marxists in
history, can we seriously consider leaving out Stalin and Mao? Stalin's
writings are pretty tiresome, but I was sent a copy of one of his works,
nicely laid out. I believe I have to create a J. Stalin web page. 

Likewise Mao (who writes much better).

Once we accept that, then does it not make sense to include any party that
wants to call itself Red?

When I was drawing up that example list, the groupings I wrote first were
the action ones: labor, students, farmers, etc. Red parties are a bit
easier. Then there is the big "socialist" lump. Or maybe it should just be a
"political organizations" lump. Or political parties...

Any organization that wants to claim some acknowledgement of Uncle Karl in
its thinking should, technically, be welcome. However, I do agree with David
that anytime you start listing little organizations, you have a danger of
getting into their polemics. That is why I lean more toward just a big
grouping for "political organizations" rather than starting to put a
tendency label beside them -- the more attention you give toward that, the
more you have to get involved and argue. And I ain't gonna argue with anyone
about this particular issue, I got enough to do...

As I said, I'd really like a bit of input.

Many people have asked about listings, so I thinks its a service worth
providing.

Ken.

>I think this had ought to be well thought out. For example, do we link
every group 
>that claims to be Marxist? Do we put a "Stalin" link next to a "Trotsky"
link...or 
>even include a "Stalin" link?If not, why not (I could give a thousand
reasons) but 
>our users might wonder. While I might not think that Mao was a Marxist worth 
>pointing to (I don't), there are, perhaps, Maoists who use the Archive but
might 
>wonder if we don't include a "Mao" link.
>
>It could get somewhat dicy.
>
>Just a thought,
>David