Re: [Marxism] Class status of the military?

["Carlos A. Rivera" <cerejota@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl Webb" <carlwebb@xxxxxxxxx>


> Did Marx or Lenin write about this issue?

Indeed. And Engels, don't forget Engels... who supported conscription.

The Prussian Military Question and the German Workers' Party (Engels)
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1865/02/12.htm

Marx's comment on it:
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1865/03/17.htm

The Military Program of the Proletarian Revolution (Lenin)
http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/miliprog/index.htm

In general terms, Marxism has viewed conscription as the proletarization of
warfare, and hence, a Good Thing. It was putting weapons and training in the
hands of the proletariat, which then could use them against their masters.

The USA is unique, because of the Vietnam War, as a place were the majority
of the revolutionary socialists oppose the draft to a point of principle.
Which I don't think is entirely wrong in the context of the USA, but is
unorthodox in terms of MEL. For example, in Puerto Rico we oppose it because
its a colonial draft, yet there is no consensus on the view for a standing
army in a Republic.

In general, conscription in center countries was abolished by Cold War
social-democratic governments as a way to increase the political reliability
of the troops, as an part of a general "profesionalization" of government.
In places like Italy and Spain, the marxist left in general terms supported
the draft. Some autonomist and "libertarian" variants don't.

Now, some might disagree, so let the games begin!

sks


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