Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 15:00:29 +0100
To: marxism-AT-jefferson.village.virginia.edu
From: m-14970-AT-mailbox.swipnet.se (Hugh Rodwell)
Subject: Re: Jon F's grains of sand & dialectics


Adam writes that he might be missing my point.

I'll put it in question form.

Do you see our present epoch (say 1914 on) as one not just of wars and
revolutions, but also of transition to socialism?

Do you agree that Marx saw capitalism as historically finished in the 1840s?

Do you agree that Marx saw important aspects of a socialist mode of
production coming into place in bourgeois society behind the backs of the
agents of the capitalist economy?

Does this justify Lenin saying that 'Imperialism is capitalism pregnant
with socialism'?

Does this justify Trotsky in characterizing our epoch as the 'Death Agony
of Capitalism'?

Would you say that these points indicate underlying and growing
contradictions in the capitalist mode of production?

If so, would you agree that it's not the easiest thing in the world to make
the link between these underlying contradictions and what's happening on
the surface of society?

Not just for ourselves but even more for contacts with no Marxist schooling
of any kind?

Do you think an earthquake - years of quiescence and hours of violent
convulsion - is a good metaphor for this kind of historical process in
society?

Don't you think that this perspective on the underlying dynamics of
development in capitalist society is helpful in

a) strengthening revolutionary conviction in the attainability of the
abolition of capital and the construction of socialism

b) bringing home the convulsive non-linear and revolutionary character of
historical development

& c) emphasizing the lack of realism and futility of all voluntaristic
projects of social change? (From charity to Social-Democracy to Stalinism)

Do you think optimism and pessimism are useful concepts in the political
struggle?

Do you agree that a collapse of capitalism into barbarism is a possibility?

Do you agree that the single biggest problem facing humanity in its
struggle against a collapse into barbarism is that of proletarian
leadership?

Do you agree that using dialectics is necessary to understand what's
happening in society and how we can change it?

Do you think any of these questions are irrelevant 'educated waffle'? If
so, which ones?

There you go, Adam. A dozen or so questions for you. And since I went to
the trouble of taking you seriously and rephrasing my posting, I'd
appreciate it if you would take the trouble to answer the questions.

Cheers,

Hugh




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