Re: [Marxism] Reply to Marty Jezer

["M. Junaid Alam" <junaidalam@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"PS: Paul Baran was an economist not a historian. "Better Fewer
butBetter" is the title of a piece by Lenin from 1923--a period after
the tide of world revolution had receded rapidly."

Well, it was also the title of an essay written by Paul Baran...under
the pseudonym Historicus, in MR, in the 1950's. This is a fact. Unless
Paul Sweezy was lying.

Anyway, you can bristle all you want Mark, but I am convinced that apart
from the morally principled semi-ABBers, like Chomsky, all those people
running around quoting Chomsky in defense of their mindless full-blown
ABBism are blowhards, not die-hards.

All the typical cliches about  "civic culture" or whatever other
boogeymen bearing down on the poor little unsuspecting "democratic
capacity of the people" is a very convenient method of excusing the
cowardice of the people in question - white middle-class liberals and
professionals who by dint of their ivory tower culture and status are
ensnared by scent of power emitted from a Democratic Party which if in
power will offer them a "seat at the table".

Just because these folks aren't in lockstep with the Republican Party
does not at all mean they are tragically misled or "blinded" radicals of
some sort. On the contrary, what offends them is the *method* and
*openness* of imperialism exhibited by the Republicans,. not the
substance itself. It's no coincidence that the staunchest ABBers are
also the ones who are cowards on the Palestinian question  (remember
that article, "Ralph Nader, Suicide Bomber?"). It's no coincidence that
they are the cowards  of the anti-war movement, slandering the radical
left as anti-American and squeaking out bullshit slogans that went no
further than "Let the UN enforce international law!" or "the war is
illegal". It's no coincidence that they are the cowards who fawn over
and yearn for the glory days of Clintonism, and kept silent during his
criminal enterprises.

So insofar as the sharp blade of events slices off the more or less
cancerous elements of "the left", all the better - in the coming period,
America must witness and give rise to a powerful, confident, radical
left that is led by genuine radicals, not coffeeshop Starbuck
pseudo-socialists like Dissent and Nation cronies. It's not as if these
professionals are the agents or subjects of any revolutionary change -
they and their very role as second-rate apologists for capitalism will
be among its first victims.

_______________________________________________
Marxism mailing list
Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism