File spoon-archives/marxism-international.archive/marxism-international_1996/96-12-15.190, message 73


Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 13:21:27 +0000
From: Joćo Paulo Monteiro <jpmonteiro-AT-mail.telepac.pt>
Subject: Re: M-I: sectist feuding


Anthony J Caruso wrote:
>
> On Thu, 12 Dec 1996 13:52:05 -0500 (EST) Louis Proyect
> <lnp3-AT-columbia.edu> writes:
> >At 06:14 PM 12/12/96 +0000, you wrote:
>
> >>Advice for the young:
> >>Stop listening to these morons. We've got to buid something totally
> >>anew. Study Marx and Engels very carefully. Some Lenin too - to be
> taken
> >>with a especially critically alert mind. The only split that can teach
> >>you something really important (I would call it the archetypal split)
> >is the Zimmerwald Left's one. But you can read Rosa vs. Bernstein too.
>
>         As far as I know, I can make my own decisions.  I wouldn't call
> *anyone* on this list a moron.  *I* thought (I may be wrong) that we are
> all here to advocate the rights of the *Worker* to be treated humanely
> and to advocate the cause of the Proletariat.  Now, I may be wrong, as I
> said, but this is what I thought the list was for.  A discussion forum.
> Besides, if all of the young threw everything the older "morons" said to
> the wind there would never be *any* order, only chaotic rule.  Remember
> -- we will also be the older "morons" someday!  :-)
>

I am usually respectful and alert to everything someone older and more
experienced as to say to me. Not because I know I'll be old myself
someday, but because I'll problably make less mistakes if I listen to
them.
But what we have here is another situation. I can understand that people
that participated passionately in the great historical movements of
their time will be forever marked by controversies arised by them. But,
when the class struggle urges us to important tasks, we can't allow
ourselves to be paralised by sectist fighting and old account setlings.
If this goes on and on (and I don't mean just in this list), I suppose
we really have to somehow cut ourselves from the experience of the
majority of the older generation. This will no doubt be a violent loss
for us. As V. Bilenkin noted on marxism-general, this can leave those of
us theoretically and ideologically more fragile captive for some time in
bourgeois interpretations of the XX century revolutions.
I believe we must study these revolutions carefully. But, except for
some slogans and catchwords, I haven't read much of real value in all
the sectist literature about them. And what I do see (I may be wrong
myself) is that they are using these catchwards in a stupid and futile
bid for hegemony in the present day miniscule marxist camp.



> It's now time for you to start working with people who have real dirt in
> their nails.
>
>         Sorry.  Again.  I have to say that personally, *I* am on the side
> of the Proletariat.  These people are the blood of every country, the
> backbone of industry.  They are the cogs that keep the wheels turning.
> These are the people with the "real dirt in their nails."  Are you
> calling us bourgeois?
>


I'm not calling anyone a bourgeois. I'm telling we must start working.


=C2ngelo Novo



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


   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005