Date: Sat, 30 Nov 1996 16:22:32 +0100 (MET)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: M-I: To the "American Marxists"...


Dear Friends!

Recently L.Proyect actually put on paper some of his thoughts and attentions 
about an reorganisation of the broad left in America. Unfortunately i 
deleted the letter thinking that I would not waste a letter to M-I in 
answering this stuff. But at the same time was curious too see if anybody 
would address this stuff. As things have calmed down, obviously the 
americans have gone home to their relatives to eat Turkey
I think that it actually is important enough to address.

His assertion as I remember from the letter is that American Marxists have 
to go back to 1776 and the declaration of Independence and things like the 
Bill of Rights in order to build something in the United States. Something 
along those lines anyway. 

Naturally the war of Independence from a Marxist perspective is certainly 
defensible and also the Bill of Rights. However, I do not think that this 
kind of stuff can lay the basis for reorganising the left. In fact I thing 
it is at best a liquidation of any kind of serious struggle to build a 
marxist current and Bolshevik party in the United States. Under the pressure 
of the decline of the left Internationally and more specifically the 
destruction of Stalinism as a political force, but also the leap of the 
Social Democracy into the camp of the bougeoisie, our so called "marxist" 
intelligensia are looking for new roads to travel. Unfortunately the new 
road is not new at all but a clone version of a political line belonging to 
the camp of both the Social Democracy and even more so the Stalinist school 
of politics albeit in a clone and neo-Stalinist form. It is also a 
capitulation to the present right wing atomsphere that pervades the 
political scene especially in America after the fall of the former Soviet Union.

In fact the political thrust of Proyect's assertions actually,(although he 
does not state it openly) is in fact a clone version of a bougeois 
democratic movement in America for democracy along the lines of patriotism, 
democratic rights, and popular front politics. I mean who could possibly be 
against the "Declaration of Independence"? And in the final analisis a back 
handed support to the stage theory of revolution! I mean I can understand 
this coming from third world maoists (even if they are wrong) but to raise 
issues like this in America as Proyect does is hair raising!

Because unfortunately America has gone far beyond any kind of struggle for 
democratic rights although in certain instances they are certainly 
defensible. But in fact has been one of the major imperialist powers of the 
western world that has built its empire on the blood of millions upon 
millions of poor and working class people.

So getting out the whistles and drums is hardly the way forward. In fact 
this kind of stuff is ultimately to the right of the Labor Party and in fact 
sound like some antics that even Gus Hall would even back down from. 
Although who knows perhaps this will be the Euro-Communist version of 
Stalinisn in the United States!

The enormous pressure created by the American bougeoisie and its allies in 
cheering what they think is the defeat of Communism, which i thing is in 
fact an opening of the door for intervention by the Bolshevik Leninists for 
the first time in decades and great opportunities, has effected the left and 
it appears especially intellectuals like L Proyect. Although he has spent a 
life time on the new left this latest is a cry of desperation of finding or 
building a movement along the Stalinist conception of democratic stages of 
revolution. And this in America! What a shame that intellectuals like Louis 
in their desperation in confronting the new situation Internationally have 
turned towards a clone form of American wrapped Stalinism and Menshevism.

It is not the Bill of Rights nor the Delaration of independence that 
leftists should be claiming for their banner! It is proletarian 
Internationalism and struggles in solidarity with the poor and working class 
on this planet is what is needed. In the United States and independent 
workers party has to be constructed in opposition to the twin parties of 
capitalism on a program of politics that moves the workers towards 
independant political power.

Not popularlist patriotic crap like Mr. Proyect is claiming to be the way 
forward. It is and expression, in the final analisis of a desperate petty 
bougeois intellectual who's trajectory is towards capitulating to American 
chavinism, isolationism and preparations for the next imperialist confrontation.

Against this marxists in the United States must struggle for the DEFEAT of 
its own bougeoisie. And L. Proyects line is in the exact opposite direction.

Against capitulation to chauvinism and patriotism!

Against a cloned form of American Stalinist stage treory of revolution!

It is not "yankee doodle" but the song "The International" that is needed.

For the creation of and American Bolshevik Party in a reforged revolutionary 
Communist International!

Warm Regards
Bob Malecki

 




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