Date: Sun, 26 Nov 1995 13:17:36 -0500
From: UticaRose-AT-aol.com
Subject: Re: Gramsci and Stalinism


In a message dated 95-11-25 12:50:34 EST, leo casey wrote:

>Question 2 (An Issue of Political Analysis):
>Why were crimes of totalitarianism and mass murder (which we give the name
>Stalinism) commited in the name of the Left (Marxism, Socialism), and what
>must we do to ensure that these crimes are not repeated?
>
>
This was the second of two questions which, when reformulated in this
fashion, untangled and clarified an earlier message in which I had identified
Gramsci as a stalinist since, among other things, he supported the 21
conditions, was head of the pci during the 20s and was a supporter of
'democratic centralism' at a time when it was clear (to most) that it was
undemocratic and so centralised as to be an essential building block of
stalinism.

Trying to parse stalinism from leninist marxism of the mid or late 20s is
like trying to listen to someone explain how Pinochet's regime was not normal
capitalism but some aberrant offshoot. The crimes of "totalitarianism and
mass murder" were the crimes of 20th century communism, of marxism-leninism
and of socialism. The "nobody I like could do THAT" reaction of socialists is
simply untenable and incredible. Too many non-party leftists during the 20s,
30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and right up to the August coup were supporters of the
USSR to rely upon denial. There have been fundamental beliefs held by
marxists for a long time which permitted stalin to get away with his
butchery. Gramsci was in Moscow in the mid 20s, very bright and prescient as
we know, and had to have been aware of the "methods" used by the Bolsheviks
which are hallmarks of what we now call stalinism. 

To suggest that Gramsci was ignorant about the inhumane politics of the
Bolsheviks during the 20s does not give him his due as a brilliant observer.

And, yes, Gramsci was just the type of marxist intellectual who looked for
"seeds" and examine pre-figurative social phenomena. How else can you
criticise capitalism from the  vantage point of the coming society ?



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