Date: Mon, 04 May 1998 11:02:51 -0400
From: "Charles Brown" <charlesb-AT-CNCL.ci.detroit.mi.us>
Subject: Re: M-TH: A touchy-feely-globalist-syndicalist response:



Howdy do colleague Waterman,
   I have a couple of FRIENDLY questions
and comments regarding your post below:


P. Waterman-
And, although I have spent most of my adolescent and adult life
criticising the reformist labour internationals, I do find them now
producing quite radically new and forceful analysis and strategy in
confrontation with it.


Chas.- What is some of the radically new and forceful
analysis ? Do you include the current national
AFL-CIO leadership in this ?

P.Waterman-
 I also feel obliged to
say that I find it more worthwhile discussing these new ideas (with
which I have major disagreements) than those couched in a
terminology, and contained within a view of the world, that were old
when I was young (long time ago, mate).

 Chas. - If you are referring to the terminology and
view of the world of
classical Marxism, do you think it is possible to
 develop this terminology to analyze the newest
developments of world capitalism, similarly to the way
Lenin developed Marx's terminology in the
shift to imperialism in 1916 ? For example, the
transnationalization of the dictatorship of the
bourgeoisie is readily explainable with the classical
concepts of monopoly, etc. with some logical
extrapolations : a new contradiction between national
and transnational capital, revolution in transportation
and communication giving the world bourgeoisie
a temporary new advantage over the newly, even
more objectively WORLD class proletariat, et al. ?


P. Waterman-
Oh, yes, just in case anyone thinks I dismiss the old labour
internationalism, and the internationalism of Marx, I have in my book
a chapter devoted to this. Here, as elsewhere, I follow Marx's
favourite dictum: doubt everything. And remember his words about
Marxism: I am not a Marxist.


 Chas. - Ha ha ! Was that Marx's favourite ?  I thought he
was a critic more than a skeptic. Practical-critical activity
was his thing.  Of course, Lenin was not shy about calling
himself a Marxist .

   In struggle,

 Charles Brown




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