Date: Wed, 23 Oct 96 10:39:25 GMT
From: Adam Rose <adam-AT-pmel.com>
Subject: Re: M-I: Re: Community & Class



Rob writes:
> 
> G'day again.
> Justin Schwarz is on to something useful, I think
>

I have to say I didn't really understand Rob's last post, so
I'd like to ask him to expand / clarify what he means.

The whole forces / relations of production, "core" relations
vs "non core" relations, forces + relations = base, superstructure
= "the rest", is really complicated, and can get rather abstract.
I have my views on this sort of thing but I would never pretend
to be an expert.

But when Rob argues that perhaps we should concentrate more on
"sociology" , I think he may be saying simply that a version
of Marxist politics which centres itself on the workplace, as
mine does, is inadequate. This is a slightly more concrete 
debate . . .

But the tradition which I regard as the classical Marxist tradition
has never disregarded "superstructure" or "sociology". Starting with
Marx + Engels, there is a long history of theoretical and practical
activity re: religion, nation, sex and sexuality. It's just the
discussion of these issues has centered on how to achieve working 
class unity and socialist revolution, given such and such configuration
of productive forces, social relations, and "superstructural" factors.

????

Adam.



Adam Rose
SWP
Manchester
UK


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