Date: 09 Mar 97 01:35:26 EST
Subject: M-G: middle class


dear boddisatva,

Yes, Boddisatva, we know  Engels was inheritor 
of his parents factories and came from the bourgeoisie.
Yes, of course this meant workers in thes factories were
exploited, created surplus value , etc.. 
But in the bliss of  your moralistic and religious sermonizing , you
for got to point out a few "trifles" 

Firstly , Engels lived in the pre-modern imperialist epoch,
when  capitalist relations had not yet  create 
such a large proletariat sufficient to carry out socialist 
revolution (even though we would support the workers
revolutions  then ,albeit pre-mature.)

Next ,that he inherited his wealth and used most of it 
to support the cause of the proletarian  revolutionary 
groups/struggles/movement  just arising in embryo.

 What would you have  had him do with the wealth/property?
Give it to the priests/monks to save "souls' that you are  apparently
so concerned with?

Finally, Engels the younger was   in the front lines of the 
revolutionary (bourgeois democrat & later proletarian battles
of his day).  Your "bourgeois" name calling is just slander.

In 1848-49 revolts, Engels fought as a brilliant artillery placement
officer in the revolts in 3 or 4 cities of the Prussian 
states and Bavaria in that period of the masses revolutionary
revolts gainst absolutism and social  oppression.
 He was known for courage  and valour in battle,
he feared not the  opposing cannon , musketry ,
or even  the bayonet charge .  Those proletarians who
fought with him had nothing but praise for Herr   Engels
as some of them referred to him.
(He had studied military arts in the university 
and as a revolutionary).

This "bourgeois" Engels that you refer to  had 
numerous death posters and deportation warrants 
put out on him in a 20- years period of  bourgeois /
absolutist reaction following  the 1848-9 revolts/defeats.

Engels  did gain wealth of the factories of his family.
But you slander him  when you say he lived the life
of a capitalist or imply he was just another typical exploiter.
 His actual life was one of much movement 
across Europe  to escape the policemen and the dragoons the
rulers sent after him and other revolutionaries of his day.

Also, as in his powerful  writings on materialism and science,
dialectics, and  european and world history and pre-history,
Engels was surely  pre-scientific as far as your outlook is  concerned.
Perhaps his scathing  attacks and exposures of mysticism 
and religionism , his debunking  of all this "soul" saving
nonsense supported by the rich supporters of religions 
 to keep workers docile is what really infuriates you as you too,
 apparently still  promote these "soul" saving  mummeries.

And you will call Frederick  Engels to account!  Give us a break!


 Win the Class War!
Neil




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