Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 07:57:52 +0200 (MET DST)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: Re: M-G: RE: Marxism and the Third World


reynaldo writes;
>While there is merit in understanding the workings of imperialism by 
>those living in the belly of the beast (westerners in advanced capitalist 
>economies),  the question is:  when will western Marxists stop blabbing 
>about revolution and not really doing anything about it?  
>
>Class struggle in industrial economies has been relegated to the 
>sidelight with the spreading of labor aristocracy.  Workers in the west 
>seem content with vacations (in Southern France, in sunny Spain, etc. for 
>western Europeans and elsewhere for U.S., Aussie, or N.Z. workers).  They 
>are happy with having relatively decent homes (compared with their 
>counterparts in the underdeveloped areas of the south) with compact 
>discs, laser discs, cars, microwave ovens, etc.  They seek economistic 
>reforms with the capitalists and may even not see any affinity with their 
>southern counterparts (many of whom are children and women who work in 
>sweatshops and may be the producers of many of the commodities used by 
>the workers of the North).  Western Marxist academics write articles and 
>lecture about Marxism and earn their living by doing so.  
>
>The greateast link to the revolutionary process in the world today is 
>found in the national liberation movements in the southern areas.  People 
>do not just mouth Marxism and quote the most erudite sections of the 
>Grundrisse, the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts, the German 
>Ideology, the Capital, and all.  They fight imperialism with their life 
>and limbs on a daily basis.  
>
>In the Philippines, for example, medical doctors, students, teachers and 
>the revolutionary democratic section of the petty bourgeoisie join hands 
>with the peasantry, proletariat, indigenous peoples, women, fisherfolk, 
>streetchildren, prostituted children in their struggle against 
>imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism.  For doing so, ten 
>thousand people have been tortured under Marcos (see class suit in 
>Hawaii); villages have been bombed under Corazon Aquino; and communities 
>were displaced under President Ramos of today.  Fearless, these 
>revolutionary Marxists continue the struggle today.  Teachers (fondly and 
>prestigiously referred to as Professors "more appropriately") count among 
>the revolutionaries who have been arrested, imprisoned, tortured, 
>psychologically abused, and killed.  There are even revolutionary 
>priests, nuns, ministers, pastors, novices, seminarians, and Moslems.  
>The Philippine revolution of today is where Christianity (Catholicism, 
>Protestantism), Islam, and Animism (spirit beliefs of indigenous peoples) 
>meet.  There are many women leaders of the revolution.  Some were raped 
>or tortured;  others were martyred.  
>
>It's about time to stop talking and talking about revolution.  One cannot 
>believe in revolution in words but do nothing in deeds.  If not now, 
>when?  If not you, who else?  The time is now.  The people who must move 
>into revolution are those who claim to be revolutionary Marxists in the 
>first place.  
>
>While change is no guarantee of improvement, where there is no change, 
>there can be no progress.  Act now.
>
>Don't just talk about revolution.  Do it!
>

Rinaldo; there is a lot of truth in this letter. However the last point 
about doing it now is not as simple as you thing. And it is directly 
connected to places like the Phillipines and the national liberation movements.

But the point is not just doing it, but having a revolutionary party and 
revolutionary International to do it with and that in regards to any place 
on the planet we live. It is interlinked. Without a revolutionary 
International which links the cadre in the Phillipines for example with the 
cadre in the United States and Berlin it will be pretty difficult to succeed 
any where. And then there is a question of strategy and program that has to 
be worked out. It appears that starting this discussion about them or us in 
marxists and communist circles is not going to solve the problems. We need a 
world party and Communist International that can link the struggles on this 
planet
and move them forward and this has to be done with a revolutionary program 
and a correct strategy.

We have to stop thinking in terms of my country, my party, my turf, my part 
of the world vs the rest. We have to begin from the interests of poor and 
working class people everywhere and moving the struggle forward despite the 
uneven development.

Bob Malecki