[Marxism] Re: Andy Coates re recrudensce Schiavo etc.

[<hari.kumar@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello:
Replies to two notes by Les & one from Andy Pollock [?Did I get Andy's naem 
wrong - or are there two Andys].

FIRST NOTE Les:
HK:
>I linked my comment with Les's comment re IT - >since that ALSO carried an 
>implication that all >was hopeless under capital.

Les:
that was your implication, but not exactly mine. i'd like to say there are 
definite worthwhile things to implement within the present system.
unfortunately, the more time i spend working in the medical field, the more i 
find efforts distorted by capital, almost as if medical stuff, by virtue of its 
capacity for yielding high profits, magnifies the distorting influences.
wouldn't you and andy pollack agree on that? and would it be worth you and the 
two andy's and myself and other workers here kicking around the
problems, see if there are areas where organizing or prosteletyzing would be 
helpful?"

REPLY:

I would quite agree that it would be helpful to 'kick around the problems'.

Andy P agrees with this.
Good.

Then Les writes a rather longer note.
I will interject replies down his remarks.

Les:
(1)
"What is occuring to me is whether Lou would be interested in allowing this 
list to include discussions between people working (job
wise) in similar areas, kicking around what they see. ............ and i have 
thought
about creating a sister list that would be such a forum as you seek, at least 
for tech professionals, to start. ............or am i wrong about all this? 
should we be leaving our work lives out of
marxist debates, even theoretical ones???

REPLY
For my part I would be interested. I think it is something that is not 
dissimilar from what Friend Michael does at PEN-L. Why should techies etc; be 
any different?

As for the historical parallels, your grand-father reminds me of the old 
Chartist traditions in the UK. Also of some descriptions in EP Thomson's "The 
Making of Working Class".
But there are more recent parallels also.
In the hey-day of the CPGB there was no shame in being a Red Specialist. Indeed 
the number of specialist studies that were spawned from that milieu were 
remarkable for their far-ranging intellectual enquiry directed at assisting the 
class understanding of developments.
In the UK I was associated in the 70's with 'Needle' - which was pivotal at 
that time for leftists in the health care services. But - it folded under the 
pressures within the CPGB [This is my interpretation anyway]. In Ontario I have 
been closely assoicated with the Medical Reform Group. But this has been 
hesitant to mvoe beyond social-democratic pracitce & policy. There are good 
people in there still. but...
Perhaps the time is ripe for a new Jugular approach.   Good point.

(2) LES:
"well, i'll put it this way: when i read that you and hari kumar work daily in 
the medical profession, my ears perk up, regardless of how different our 
political philosophies and interpretive styles may be (cf Lou's remarks
about Hari)..

REPLY:
Well, it is so rare that Lou notes my views that one is hesitant to correct. 
But, for the record it does my reputation in various milieu, quite some damage 
to be seen as 'coming out of the Maoist movement'. Perhaps out of the Hoxhaist 
movement, but then... not quite 'out of'... Last time I checked I was a fully 
committed Enverist.
This does not detract from the point Lou makes of  the need for a sincere, 
non-sectarian united fornt. [Yes Lou, I know I paraphrased you.
Sorry - but that is how I interpret the point you made!] Anyway, this is just 
to be accurate on my stripes.

(3)
LES:
"i assume there is a danger of elitism here: once you segment into 
"professions", discussions can take on the air of a clique. i do not know 
exactly how to avoid that, but i think there must be a way. most marxists i 
have personally met are eager to be as self-educated as possible in any number 
of fields."

REPLY:
I understand your concern. For some time I was hesitant on this matter. I think 
again - the rather unique contributions that I see on the PEN-List make me 
think this fear is a shibboleth. There Michael has created a forum that is free 
ranging and targeted on one central area within which specialised discussions 
take place. Yet - it is not exclusive & charitably allows diletantes like me to 
listen and even make a fool of myself on from time to time.
Besides how does the movement allows its' cooks to become both artist, 
economist, and politicans at the same time - without expertise(s)?
Cheers,
Hari K



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