Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1995 13:47:43 -0700
From: JDevine-AT-lmumail.lmu.edu (James Devine)
Subject: Re: left and right swings


for some reason this didn't get posted to the list, so I'll try again.


Scott Marshall writes: >>some time ago there was a post about 
someone who had been a functuionary of the SWP who later turned 
up as a Bircher. I was interested that anyone thought this odd. 
Lenin and Marx both described the process well. The 'middle' 
stratas, including petty bourgois radicals are most influenced by 
the class that is or seems to be in asendency at any particular 
moment. I think that goes a long way in explaining the 
vascillating and often hysterical ups and downs of some on the 
left. The setbacks to socialism was a mighty blow to those 
without a Marxist, independent, working class view.<<

There's some truth to this story, but I've seen another 
dimension. Folks involved in small left groups (or even ones that 
were pretty large at the time, like the CP or the SWP) get 
involved in the mindset that _all other groups_ are traitors to 
the revolution, etc. Then comes the internal faction fight, 
betrayal by the group's leaders, and/or setbacks (heck these 
workers aren't listening to what I'm saying even though I'm 
stating _their_ viewpoint so very clearly!) So people get 
discouraged and decide that their own group and their comrades 
are mucked up, too.  Since all the other groups are pigs, the 
next step is to reject the left as a whole.  And there are these 
friendly rightists who smile at the  ex-leftist so much (and even 
give him or her money sometimes) because he or she can say "I've 
been on the left and I _know_ they're a bunch of poop-heads."  
Besides, these Birchers have a combatitive attitude similar to 
the ex-leftist... 

I've seen or heard of this happening even to folks with "a 
Marxist, independent, working class view."

for socialism from below, 

Jim Devine   jdevine-AT-lmumail.lmu.edu
"A society is rich when material goods, including capital, 
are cheap, and human beings dear."  -- R.H. Tawney.




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