File spoon-archives/marxism-international.archive/marxism-international_1996/96-12-27.212, message 26


Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 15:29:18 +0100 (MET)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: Re: M-I: Re: Workers-Communism


>
>[C'mon, Bob.  Most of us go along with this.  What exactly do you mean when
>you accuse people of 'writing the working class off'?]

Well Rolf, have you been watching the disciussion on MI? 
>
>Bob says later:
>Our Iranian friend accuses the left in general of missing the working class 
>and mostly carrying on sterile debates about historical fights. In a sense 
>this is true if one were to look at the very special conditions that evolved 
>out of the second world war and for our Iranian friend the very special 
>conditions in Iran with the Shah and the oil money. One of the basic 
>problems with the new left is that historically it a student petty-bougeois 
>based movement both in the west and in Iran. This was partially because of 
>the historical domination of the Stalinists and reformists in the workers 
>movement. And partially because of the post war boom economically and the 
>post war baby boom!
>
>[Yes, Bob.  In a most significant sense IT IS TRUE - and often manifest on
>this list too.  I think people like the Lous are on about examining
>precisely this topic, ie. *what are the special conditions that have
>rendered socialism little more than a sterile debate just now*.  I think
>you see them as Stalinists (and I still don't know what Stalinism has come
>to mean these days - unless the 'stage theory' of revolution is what you
>mean - and I'd love more on this, as I also begin to suspect that
>opposition to this doctrine forms a basis for Dave Bedggood's position??)
>trying to come to grips with problems Stalinism itself created, but their
>cyberseminar's focus on the *socio-economic* category - which you mention
>yourself - is unfolding promisingly for mine.  We should keep looking here.
> But then, I am a petit bourgeois baby boomer ...

Proyect in fact is using this discussion to beat his own Neo-Stalinist drum. 
And the real reason behind a lot of this stuff is in fact the demise of 
stalinism as a state power. Thus our lists see a desperate search for 
something to replace this with. Usually I say that people throw out the baby 
with the bath water. But in this case the bather died and babies are still 
swimming around in a desperate attempt to ideologically save them selves 
>from falling into the coffin. 
>
>Perhaps I'm reading the society within which I live all wrong - but a
>vanguard presupposes an army - not just an army of people in whose
>objective interest the vanguard struggles, but an army who knows this.  A
>revolutionary vanguard must come from this army, and the army won't pick
>'em until they know the nature of the struggle they're in.  And right now,
>right here, most of 'em don't.  There's our priority today, I think.  And
>Hekmat's on to this.

Helmat might be aware that the "army" is unaware. The problem is his 
political solution. Where he treats the political traitors of the class as 
anti-imperialist allies.
It is sort of a stage theory of revolution of former Iranian maoists that 
want to put bluejeans on..

>
>Back to the yuletide ale ...
>
>Merry Xmas, Rob.]

Merry Christmas to you Rolf also and naturally the rest of the pack at 
Jefferson Village! I think i will watch a funny movie. Sort of keep in tune 
with the incredible funny things going on at Jefferson village! See you all 
after Christmas...I bet you just can't wait.....

Bob
--------------------------------------------------------

http://www.kmf.org/malecki/

Read the book! Ha Ha Ha McNamara,
Vietnam-My Bellybutton is my Crystalball!

COCKROACH, a zine for poor and workingclass people
NOW ON LINE
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