Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 08:53:27 -0500 (EST)
From: Louis N Proyect <lnp3-AT-columbia.edu>
Subject: M-I: Reply to AM


On Mon, 23 Dec 1996, AM wrote:

> Louis N Proyect wrote:
> > One of the great damages of Stalinism and Trotskyism both has been its
> > tendency to force intellectuals to look at society in a one-dimensional
> > manner. 
> 
> I'm sory for my ignorance, but what's the meaning of this
> "one-dimensional manner", if any?
> 

Louis: This means identifying the class-struggle as one centering over the
fight for jobs, wages, working-conditions, etc. It would ignore other
social relations that are not directly linked to the work-site. This has
been called "workerism". For a more rounded view of class oppression, I
would recommend Engels' "Conditions of the Working-Class in England" which
talks about housing, disease, sexual oppression, etc. Gramsci was also
very accomplished in this type of approach, as was CLR James. (Gramsci was
an Italian Marxist of the 1920s; James was a black Trotskyist originally
>from Trinidad who had brilliant insights about black consciousness,
popular culture, etc.)

> > The rebirth of classical Marxism has the potential to restore
> > Marxism to its original multifaceted character (David Harvey, Mike Davis,
> > James O'Connon, Ellen Meiksins Wood, Leo Panitch, etc.)
> > 
> 
> The rebirth (?) of classical Marxism is what? Some intelectual work made
> by these gentlemans, whom I don't know? And again, what's the "original
> multifaceted character" is all about? I denote the
> "one-dimensional/multifaced" opposition, but of what?
> 
> Or it's like the song says, "it's only words..."
> 

Louis: AM, I am sorry if these names are obscure to you. They are
contributors to the following journals: Socialist Register; Capitalism,
Nature and Socialism; Monthly Review. These are important because they are
"classical" Marxist in orientation. This means that they emphasize class.

By the way, are you related to PM?




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