File spoon-archives/marxism-news.archive/marxism-news_1998/marxism-news.9804, message 60


Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 20:38:17 -0600
From: Hans Ehrbar <ehrbar-AT-keynes.econ.utah.edu>
Subject: Re: M-NEWS: Reflections from the left in Brisbane and Melbourne



The most recent message sent out on marxism-news contained
excerpts from several messages from marxism-thaxis and
marxism-international compiled by Hugh Rodwell.  Hugh
introduced his compilation with the following editorial
comment:


> Here are some reflections from Gary in Brisbane and Jeff in Melbourne. Both
> demonstrate, to different degrees, the gulf between the traditional left
> and the working class. To me it seems Gary is closer to the needed fusion
> between socialist forces and the working class than Jeff. Tony H's reports
> show the way the fusion is actually proceeding. To me the problem at the
> root of all these doubts and uncertainties lies in the view that many of
> the left develop in "quieter" times that the working class has either been
> annihilated or finally pacified or just plain bought off -- in other words
> that there is no hope of any socialist change coming from the working
> class. No wonder such sceptics find it hard to adjust when the class shows
> its real character -- like now. This makes it pretty clear that the
> tradtional left is not the place to look for a correct perspective on
> either the working class (and its economic and political potential) or
> socialism itself. This in turn means any leadership coming (by default??)
> from the traditional left will be inadequate to the real tasks of
> developing a socialist alternative to capitalism.

In response to this, Louis Proyect wrote:

> THIS FUCKING SHIT HAS NO BUSINESS ON MARXISM-NEWS. IT'S BAD ENOUGH WE HAVE
> TO HEAR RODWELL'S SECTARIAN GARBAGE ON OTHER VIEWS. MARXISM-NEWS IS FOR
> NEWS, NOT EDITORIALIZING OF THIS TYPE. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, RODWELL SHOULD
> BE BANNED PERMANENTLY FROM USING MARXISM-NEWS.


Marxism-news is a moderated list, and nothing is sent out
without the consent of the moderator, which at the present
time is me, Hans Ehrbar.  I see this therefore not so much
as a critique of Hugh Rodwell but a critique of my
selection among the submissions to marxism-news.  I would like
to have feedback also from others about how they feel
regarding editorial content on marxism-news.  We have had
news items together with brief editorial comments in the
past.  Marxism-news depends on you contributing or
forwarding news items, and in the past I have had no
problems with contributors occassionally writing a few lines
of comment about the news they were forwarding.  But I am
open to your suggestions in this respect and also how to
improve marxism-news in other respects.


Here are a few ideas how marxism-news could be developed
otherwise:

(a) perhaps we should make a list marxism-news-rejects which
has all those submissions which were submitted to
marxism-news but not approved.  In this way everybody who
cares about it can check up on the selection of articles
forwarded to marxism-news and give input if they
feel the choices that were made are not good.

(b) I would very much like to enlarge the editorial team for
marxism-news.  One person is not enough.  Whenever I don't
get to a computer for a day or two, marxism-news falls behind.
I would also like to include experts on the different areas:
experts on the EZLN, experts on Ireland, experts on
Bougainville, etc.  Such experts are probably already
subscribed to other mailing lists, and they would forward
relevant material to marxism-news.  Any volunteers willing
to help in the selection of articles to be sent to
marxism-news, please send a message to
marx-administration-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu

Hans Ehrbar.

ehrbar-AT-econ.utah.edu

   

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