File spoon-archives/marxism-international.archive/marxism-international_1997/97-03-06.201, message 20


Date:         Tue, 04 Mar 97 09:27:54 EST
From: Walter Daum <WGDCC-AT-CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject:      Re: M-I: Reply to Walter Daum


On Tue, 4 Mar 1997 09:18:35 -0500 (EST) Louis N Proyect said:
>
>Louis: Glad you can find time to come to Zarembka's defense, Walter. Now
>could you find some time to engage me on the organizational question I
>raised the other day?

I plan to, Louis. But I'd like to get a hold of the article on the Morrow-
Cannon debate that you cited. (Scott M. said he'd send a copy.) It also
takes time to respond seriously on a question of substance, so I prefer not
to just dash something off.

>I regard you as a serious political figure, while I am a mere clown given
>to emotional tirades. So I hope you are not above having a discussion with
>me.

No, there is an important question worth debating. In the past I've had
to abandon useful discussions for lackof time, and lists like this quickly
pass on to other matters. But I will try to get back on this one.

>
>I have labeled your party-building model a Zinovievist cariacature of
>Lenin's Bolshevik Party. You, by implication, are the Lenin and Trotsky of
>today in your own eyes since you stand at the head of the nucleus of a
>vanguard party. The nucleus exists in the form of your politically correct
>program. All that needs to be done is to add material and that
>eensy-teensy group of Marxist intellectuals will be in a position to
>topple US capitalism.
>
>This model is complete bullshit, isn't it. Oh, excuse me. I meant to say

Actually, yes, and it's not our position. Our view is that the working
class creates its own party, not some group of Marxist intellectuals,
whether teensy or substantial. That was what I first took issue with
against you and Zeynep. But the vanguard does have to be fought for
even now, when the class as a whole is not revolutionary.

>"complete nonsense." This would be a swell debate. I can never find a
>"Marxist-Leninist" willing to examine this whole question with me. Pretty
>please, won't you step forward. I promise to be a gentleman.

No one asks you to be a gentleman, just political.

Walter Daum


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