petty bourgeois ultra left infantile disorder

[Charles Brown <BrownBingb@xxxxxxx>]

From: "Tahir Wood" <twood@xxxxxxxxx>


CB: Lenin did subtitle _Leftwing Communism_ "an infantile disorder".
There is no "psychoanalysis" in the book that I recall, but I always
thought that was a sort of half humorous and polite way of saying "you
all act crazy".

Tahir: Yes radical abstention from bourgeois parliamentary politics is
really a worrying form of psychosis, isn't it?

CB: Since it was half-humorous, maybe it was only a neurosis.

It depended on the concrete situation. In Russia , when the main
struggle was against Czarist absolutism and for democratic changes,
yea it was politically worrisome.  In Germany , when there were lots
of Social Democratic legislators, participation could foster
opportunism as in WWI.




Given that the phenomenon of the current day ,similar folks does seem
immature often, Lenin might have had a psychoanalytic insight on this.

Tahir: No I'm afraid he had other purposes in writing that appalling
pamphlet.

CB: Due tell. ( us about your fears)

This means that this type will proabably always be part of the radical
mix.

Tahir: You bet, and maybe more than you'll want.

Hell, I'm sure there's some petit bourgeois, ultra-leftism in me. So,
we might as well figure out a general method of damage control , both
in the movement and in ourselves. It really is not surprising that a
certain percentage of every generation alienated by capitalism , and
then aware, and then angered by the shock of their awareness of how
much they and others are being screwed, would go a little nuts about
it, overdo it, act out a somewhat distorted Marxism or other radical
anti-capitalist ideology. As I say, I know I have.

Tahir: Yes we all know what an utter distortion of Marx radical
anti-capitalism really is, don't we?

CB: Oh, that was meant to be "distorted Marxism or distorted other
radical anti-capitalist ideology".  I think you must be anal: Anal
Communism, an asshole's disorder.


But hey times have changed, judging from your remarks, Charles. If
this were the '20s you would have us all in jail, instead of just
giving us the benefit of your paternalistic good nature.

^^^^^^^
CB: I wouldn't vote for putting you all in jail.  Depends on what you
do.  Being an asshole wouldn't be automatic jail time or
anything. However, it would be up to the People's Courts and the
workers have their own ways of discipline.