[Marxism] Walter's comments and Jorge Martin's reporting on the Bolivia situation

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

IWalter writes:


Whoever Jorge Martin is, he probably doesn't have a Bolivian
passport and, thus, wouldn't be able to provide the essential
leadership to the workers, poor peasants and revolutionary
intellectuals. Apparently no one in Bolivia is following his
strategic and tactical advice, since no one in Bolivia gets
a serious quotation.




WI think Walter misses the point of my submission of this article by
Jorge Martin, which was not to open debate number 3,000 of the
cookie-cutter sectarian line for struggles in every country, but his
reportage which indicates that a section of the oppressed in Bolivia,
the trade union movement -- where traditional leftist and even
sectarian currents have had long influence -- have set off on a course
that, he says, aims at capturing power along lines that could
counterpose it to a large section of the peasant movement.  If he is
telling the truth, the top leaders of the unions and Evo MOrales
differ over this course.

The statement "noone in Bolivia is following his strategic and
tactical advice" may be true and Martin might not challenge it, but,
if he is to be believed, a section of the working class, facing
continued misery and oppression which has not yet begun to be
decisively resolved, is moving to try to resolve it.  Frankly, as my
comments indicate, I am concerned about the convergence of their
course with certain ultraleft traditions, which I noted, on workers
insurrection without an alliance with the peasantry and on the
counterposition of the people's assembly to the constituent
assembly(though I know that the similarities alone do not PROVE them
wrong).

I am also troubled by the view, indicated in Martin's assertions and
quotations, that all concerned recognize that Morales is likely to be
elected president, but proceed as though this prospect meant nothing
to the masses of workers and peasants.  I rather think they would
place many hopes in it.

Contrary to the myths that sectarianism and ultraleftism can never
count for anything in the real labor movement, I think these have been
problems, off nd on, in Bolivia for a long time (and from time to time
in other countries as well).

Of course, maybe Martin is fantasizing and maybe the stands he claims
labor leaders are taking are a fiction.

I would like to hear from anyone who knows the Bolivian situation
better than I do about this.
Fred Feldman


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