Re: SWP

[CKates@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 96-02-17 19:15:16 EST, you write:

>5. If you respond to any of the above, please explain why Pathfinder decided
>to
>jump up their prices to that usually accorded to university presses? With
>over
>%75 of the printing done on West St being commercial printing (you all know
>that
>the SWP is one of the largest commercial printers in NY) you think they
would
>lower the prices of the books they'd actually like to sell?
>
>David Walters

All I can say is...$135 for two paperback books on the Comintern!?!? I have
seen older editions. They are approximately 20.00 each. I have never seen a
commercial publisher with such high prices--and this is really saying
something--a lot of university presses actually seem cheaper too! Not that I
would buy books from the SWP to begin with, but if they are really so
interested in reaching out to the working class, why not sell books that
people can actually afford? They stick little stickers (I'm sure you've all
seen them) on the books and raise the price about $30 in one increase. One
older copy of Art Preis's book on the CIO was around the local Borders (not
the new shiny cover version, the dull cover version). Doing research on the
CIO at the time and figuring the thing couldn't cost that much, I picked it
up. The price on the litte gold sticker said 35.95. All  I knew was that I
had no interest in donating $25 to the SWP, so I put it back. I was later
able to buy about 5 books from my beloved International for the same price.

Pathfinder has also claimed that they rescued Marxist books from pulping in
the former USSR. Apparently some SWP people went over there and bought the
books (Progress pubs. M-E-L works) for bargain-basement prices, came back
here and now sells them for over $20 apiece. At non-SWP stores I have seen
the same works for $10 at the most, same editions. They don't gouge on the
Collected Works as much. I simply cannot afford their books. And if I
actually bought one on the Comintern and gave over $40 to the SWP, more on
others, I simply could not look myself in the mirror. Can't you SWP guys just
have a fund drive or something?

Charlotte


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