Historical Materialism

["Jurriaan Bendien" <J.Bendien@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I've got a good working relationship with China Mieville, who is publishing
an old Mandel translation of mine (on Ernst Bloch) in Historical Materialism
(forthcoming issue on Marxism and the Fantastic, in the "archive" section -
as you know I work as archivist/documentalist at present, some would say
that is the price I pay for too much science fiction).

It came about because I was discussing with Sebastian Budgen, who was asking
for feedback, and being initially rather critical of particular issues of
the journal and (in my view) unjustified flak being directed against Perry
Anderson. Sebastian stayed friendly and said in effect, well why be such a
critical upstart prig, why not be constructive and contribute something to
the journal ? He kind of charmed me, and I contributed the Mandel
translation as a sort of allegory (I haven't got round yet to my own
research in the Marxist sense, as I understand it). Which is to say he was
the better politician, he got me to work with him.

Which is to say anyway that there exists living proof that socialists of
different stripes can work together, even if they disagree about the precise
meaning of what socialism is NOT about (?!).

Historical Materialism is published by Brill Publishers in Holland, the idea
being that the learned Marxist scholars would leave the publishing task to
people who know what they're doing and concentrate on the content. Brill has
a website and publish stuff on-line, but I think that you still may have to
subscribe. So Jim and Louis would be critical of Brill. Nevertheless,
something may be arranged in the future so that HM is more accessible, I
don't know.

I suppose their argument would be, WE  want to publish a good scholarly
journal in difficult times, and YOU are always harping about building the
revolutionary party and the revolutionary movement. So now let us get on
with our job, and you get on with your politics, and maybe we will come
together in the future. In the meantime, it may be possible to arrange
something to make Historical Materialism more accessible on-line, I don't
know, you would have to take it up with Sebastian.

I am happy to be associated with the journal, in a very modest way, since I
think the editorial board are all great people, and I am happy to defend all
of them, even if I don't see eye to eye on specific issues with them. If
that makes me a liberal then so be it.

Louis could sneer at the journal I suppose, but then again he might write
something good and pithy and get it published in the journal. It depends on
what you want in life, I suppose.

All this is far removed I suppose from what's happening in Venezuela and the
Middle East, but I do try to keep up with the mails.

I gotta go.

Cheers

Jurriaan






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