Date: Fri, 24 Nov 1995 03:28:22 +0100
From: Mauro junior <mauro.jr-AT-iol.it>
Subject: Re: Value of Gramsci (Jim and Chegitz)


I don't remember to have called Gramsci a stalinist. If I did I was wrong,
because Gramsci had no time enough to be stalinist and he was able to
criticize something he knew (when he was in prison) about Russia. But I
mantain that Gramsci was much more idealist than marxist. I hope to be able
in few days to upload an article (in English) which can enlight you about
my/our thought on Gramsci.
For the hyper-esteemers of Gramsci I'll say here just 3 facts.
1st fact. Gramsci in 1918 wrote an article on his Ordine Nuovo titled "La
rivoluzione contro il Capitale". In this article Gramsci judged the russian
revolution as a refutation of the political content of The Capital by Marx:
the revolution in a backward country!?!? With this article Gramsci showed
(once more) his incomprehension of the marxism and his substantial
disagreement with Lenin.
2nd fact His theory on the factory councils was that those councils could
educate to socialism inside and during the capitalist mode of production and
they could be some of the means for gaining the famous "hegemony". The Left
led by Bordiga had to fight against this idealistic point of view which was
actually denying the need for the communist party, until suddendly, in
september 1921, Gramsci drop his theory for supporting the idea of the party.
3rd fact. During the years 1922-1924 the CP of Italy was polemicizing with
the International on a) the united front; b)the unification with the
lefts-reformist (i Terzini)- supported by the Komintern and opposed by the
CP. Gramsci had nothing to say on it. All the positions had been taken by
the Executive Commettee composed by Bordiga and... the bordigists on the
lines decided by the Rome II Congress (Tesi di Roma).In the Como Conference
the left has still the large majority of the party. But here Gramsci started
to outline his centre faction.

I\we mantain that Gramsci has been the typical idealist, sensitive
intellectual who under the pressure of the great historical processes like
the proletarian revolution in Russia adhere to the communist political
organisation  and who gains the leading position when the retreat starts and
the degeneration of the same party begins. Nothing more, but nothing less.
Rev. greetings
Mauro Junior
Tel  (-39)02/35.51.275 fax (-39)02/33.200.101



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