[Marxism] Re.: Marx as Left of the Marxists

[Chris Brady <cdbrady@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Oh, Mark, why bother?

Juriaan boasts that he has advanced beyond Marxism, and Tony claims he
likes that socialist ?attitude? while he himself remains a Marxist
albeit a Marxist morphing with
 a n a r c h y .

At least they say so, finally. Which begs, um, what question?  Well,
what ever.

I suspect that the problems some folks have with Marxism stem from their
perception of some revolutionary socialist or communist parties and
their cultish followers as representative of Marxism.  Note the ?some?.
I am by no means making blanket denunciations.

I recall being part of a university labor group that had a fairly clever
member who was from the Spartacist League.  He brought in another guy,
and they set up a presentation, through the labor group, on Mumia abu
Jamal, with videos and books, and also Workers Vanguard newspapers and
pamphlets and Trotsky?s tome on the Russian Revolution for sale.

A week later they alerted the group that a couple of special speakers, a
man and a woman, were coming up from California and we should check them
out.  I forget what the subject of the talk was but afterwards we met up
in a tavern, the whole group of us, with the Spartacist speakers from
out of town.  Apparently they had been forewarned about my work on
Monthly Review subjects because at one point the woman turned to me and
asked quite boldly, even coldly: ?And what are you, some kind of
Stalinist?  Or a Maoist??  But she didn?t mean it as a question.  She
meant to shut me out, and she turned her back to me in such a way to
leave me physically positioned behind her and her comrade who had also
adjusted his body.  They had actually cornered the rest of the group,
whom they flattered and asked leading questions to feel them out.  It
seemed to me that their primary interest was the younger members who had
as yet not formed any political awareness or positions, and who were
still malleable, I guess, as far as they saw it.  They were recruiting.

They really didn?t see me as a fellow Marxist, say in a different
branch--but as a competitor, or even an enemy.  My ecumenical Marxism
was at odds with their sectarian variety.  I must be frank, though,
because I still believe that their ideological underpinnings are
Marxist, however narrow their operational strategies.  This may pose a
conundrum for purists, but shouldn?t for those who recognize that
Marxism is one thing, Marxists are others and shouldn?t be generalized,
and parties are another--and certainly the most fallible agency, but the
people are everything.  Ultimately, however, parties are also the most
potent agency for the masses, and we must come to terms with the
socialist and/or communist party problem.

I do NOT suggest the internet or discussion list is the best forum for
the formulation of any such party, or affiliation with such.  Take note
of the political times around us, for goodness? sakes.  Nonetheless, the
internet and lists like this one are ideal venues for the discussion of
theory and exchanges of ideas and news.  And which also admits
participants that contradict, oppose, dismiss or otherwise discount the
underlying reason for this particular list?s existence, and essence.


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