File spoon-archives/marxism-international.archive/marxism-international_1996/96-11-25.113, message 62


Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 09:11:11 -0000
From: Adam Rose <Adam-AT-pmel.com>
Subject: M-I: Smugness and smugability was : RE: The proletarian revolution and the renegade MacLennan



> Ah Adam - there is so much in this.  We would need to argue it out 
for hours
> over a pint or two or three or...
> But let me say that I reject the charge of vulgar Marxism.  

I thought you might !

> Of course the bourgeoisie can act irrationally, possibly by 
definition,
> but they will only take that step if the crisis they face is one of 
total
> negation as it was in the 1930s. 

There is no such thing as rationality for capitalists. The heart of 
capitalism
is irrational. One capitalist invests to increase his own rate of 
profit, but this
necessarily reduces every capitalists rate of profit, including his 
own.
You say Australian capital is increasingly integrated with Asian 
capital.
But the flip side to integration is competition. Australian based 
capitals will be 
competing with Asian based capitals for market share. Integration and 
competition
are two sides of the same process. So what is "rational" for Australian 
capital ?
This question becomes even harder to answer when you factor in the arms
race in S.E Asia.

> Now I believe the economy determines in the last instance and I 
believe that
> the ideas of the ruling class rule. I am sure that I do not need to 
give you
> page references from the above. None of these ideas came from 
Kautsky,
> young Rose.

Your analysis of Hanson would lead you to argue that she will never 
wobble
back again, to open racism. I would argue the complete opposite, that 
the
underlying economic crisis means that an openly racist political party 
would
be extremely "rational" for the capitalists. Of course I can't predict 
whether
this would be lead by Hanson or someone else. And of course, the 
crucial
mediating factor is the class struggle itself : during the French 
strikes last
year, Le Pen was completely marginalised. The Trade Union leaders have 
kept control since then. Now the FN is winning an alarmingly high 
percentage
of votes, not just in the South but also around Paris.


Last month, I was the only contender for smug bastard of the month.
Gary is now giving me some competition.

However, I should point out that "So far, 279 people have joined [ the
Socialist Workers Party ] in November : 17 . . . in Manchester".

I think I'm still in the lead.

PS. Gary MacLennan is 102.

Adam.

PPS I have changed mail tools. If the format of my posts seems 
knackered,
please mail me privately.

Adam Rose
SWP
Manchester
Britain





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