File spoon-archives/marxism-international.archive/marxism-international_1996/96-11-25.113, message 9


Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 12:49:21 -0500
From: bookmarks <106163.77-AT-CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Re: M-I: Broken records


        I wasn't going to reply to this (especially after reading Louis
Godema's excellent corrective), but rereading Louis P's comments it does
raise questions I'd like answers to from other people.
        1) Louis says he wants a seminar "where no-one's mind is made up
*beforehand*". Is this possible? Surely any marxist comes to any discussion
with their minds made up about at least some basic questions:
I am/am not a Trotskyist; I do/do not think Russia was one socialist/a
workers' state/whatever; and so on ad infinitum. When I've come across
similar comment at conferences in Britain, what's usually meant is:  we
don't want anyone whose mind is made up differently from ours. Far from
opening up discussion, it closes it off. is that what  M-I is about? is
that what M-I should be about?
        2) My remarks about the books on Cuba were a touch tongue in cheek,
but: is this advertising? is this a bad thing? i thought all I was doing
was saying a resource was available. Louis P disapproves; someone else
wrote to me asking for a catalogue, so we're tied 1-1 at the bottom of the
first. Any other opinions?
        3) This one's for Louis Proyect, but other answers welcome: given
that you accept that Cuban workers played no substantial role in the 1959
revolution, and given that you argued that Castro was right not to focus on
the working class, how do you then justify characterising it as a
proletarian revolution? This is a genuine, serious question, and I'd
appreciate a genuine, serious (non-abusive) answer.

Charlie Hore, Bookmarks  


     --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---


   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005