File spoon-archives/marxism-international.archive/marxism-international_1996/96-12-02.045, message 22


Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 14:46:35 +1000
From: rws-AT-comserver.canberra.edu.au (Rob Schaap)
Subject: M-I: Re: Wondering About Workers' Power


Adam wrote:  I think this points to a reason why things this time are
different from 1968 and after : the ruling class simply cannot afford a
long period of concessions in order to maintain its rule. These concessions
are after all precisely the things that governments all over Europe are
trying to dismantle.

[Absolutely right!  The impotency of the state, to perform functions of
amelioration and legitimation, is, I think, the SALIENT dynamic of our
time.  Here lies the genesis of a fundamental confrontation that capitalism
can neither avoid, nor win in terms of its own political economy.  And the
objective interests of the middle classes, the sexes, diverse national
populations,  the unemployed (30% world-wide, says Chris!), and the working
classes are converging and entrenching themselves.  Something big must come
of this!]

Adam also wrote:  Of course, our side has taken a right battering, and we
have not completely recovered from it. And, the collapse
of the left makes it easier for the extreme right to grow.

[Right again!  Just as there is evidence of intensifying socialist
assertiveness, so is there of the rise of fascism/nationalism (this bit
could have been written in the Germany or Italy of the twenties, couldn't
it?  And there lies the guts of the challenge, as a crisis of equal
magnitude - and perhaps greater significance - beckons.)  As I've been
shrieking for weeks, what comes of all this is not yet written!  We need
numbers *now* of people well versed in socialism - who blame system and not
other workers, who apprehend the global dimension of their hopes and
responsibilities.  

History shows us a desperate proletariat is powerful indeed.  If the other
side gets 'em first, we'll find out things can actually get worse than they
are now.  And serves us right.

We live in interesting times ...       

I'm away for a few days - best wishes to all, Rob]





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