Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 02:12:00 -0500 (EST)
Subject: M-TH: Re: [PEN-L:9144] Final thoughts on utopianism (fwd)



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 19:19:45 +0000
From: Karl Carlile <joseph-AT-indigo.ie>
To: pen-l-AT-anthrax.ecst.csuchico.edu
Cc: marxism-thaxis-AT-jefferson.village.virginia.edu, ma-AT-indigo.ie
Subject: Re: [PEN-L:9144] Final thoughts on utopianism

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LOUIS P: What I would no longer do is classify them as examples of
Marxist thought, which has its object the critique of capitalist
society in order to facilitate its destruction. 

KARL: Your posting on Utopianism was interesting. However you seem to
take it for granted that marxism itself is not another form of
utopianism

For me it is a view that needs to be questioned, reexamined and
discussed. Well over a hundred years after marxism as a political
philosophy has come into being there has not been any socialist
society in existence. There is no revolutionary marxist movement in
existence. The developed imperialist societies are no nearer to
having a revolutionary working class movement than they were in
Marx's day (perhaps even less so). Class consciousness among the
industrial working class of the so-called core economies is
non-existent. In general the elements that one might describe as
marxist are in general politically insignificant, minuscule,
fragmented, sectarian. and in how they organize their relationships
with each other less than comradely to say the least. Many of these
marxist organizations are analogous to the many contemporary
christian sects that exist today in the way in which individuals are
integrated into them and in the way in which these sects relate to
each other.

As evidenced on the marxism mailing lists the basis for a calm
rational sustained discussion is non-existent. Hardly any of the
subscribers are prepared to tease out problems without resorting to
abuse, sectarianism or empty rhetoric. Just because individuals who
claim to be marxists differ in experience and political
understanding does not mean that they cannot exchange views in a
rational way and thereby gain from the experience 

In general academic marxism fares no better. It is concerned more 
with the book and lecture industry more in terms of the enhancement of 
the individual academic marxologist. In short for them marxism is a 
career and petty bourgeois lifestyle. Just think about it! Despite 
the thousand of books and papers published by academic marxism there 
is still not one academic marxist who can explain why and how 
sub-Saharan Africa is so "underdeveloped." There is not one academic 
marxist able to analyse and outline the character of contemporary 
society.

Let's face it! Marxism is non-existent as a political force. And yet 
there are so many so- called marxists who unquestioningly  take 
it for granted that marxism is not a utopian political philosophy.


                                      




                          Yours etc.,
                                     Karl   




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