Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 13:05:20 GMT
Subject: M-TH: Re: Forwarded from Leninlist


I do not understand Mark's in forwarding this post 
(presumably by him or someone with whom he sympathises) to 
thaxis. 

If he really means the following:


>>
The plain, simple and unarguable fact is that Stalin defended socialism
He made mistakes and committed crimes in the process. 
<<


then there would be the possibility of some dialogue of a non-
defensive nature with some people, but not necessarily on this
list. Particularly if he means by the word "crimes" that there
were indeed grave problems of socialist legality then that is 
the start of saying what they were, how they should be avoided,
and to recognise the positive achievements of building 
socialism without confusing either important issue.

But if the comments made about the hopelessness of the
debate on marxism-international represent his position, then
it is likely they apply to thaxis as well.

One other point seems to be central to his incorrect positon:

>>
bourgeois human rights
and freedoms and parliamentary politics are a hypocritical charade.<<

There is a lot of hypocrisy associated with capitalism undoubtedly,
and I personally agree the two party system is in many ways
a surface charade, 
but to dismiss bourgeois rights as purely (?) a hypocritical charade
is neither a marxist nor a leninist position. In particular in
some ways it is especially not a leninist position, who developed
a detailed analysis of the part played by the struggle for
democratic rights both in the struggle for national liberation
and the struggle for socialism. But if discussing bourgeois
rights is conciliating with the charade of the 
bourgeoisie then that severely restricts the possibility of 
debate. Which is what the forwarded post seems to say.
I do not understand why it was forwarded to this list.


Chris Burford



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