Re: [Marxism] The two souls of socialism

[Einde O'Callaghan <einde@xxxxxx>]

Joaquín Bustelo wrote:

<snip>
> This does, I grant you, handily resolve all sorts of wicked
> contradictions. There is no need, for example, to study in detail and on
> its own terms the Soviet state and its evolution

I can only assume that this statement is based on ignorance of the
theoretical work of political tradition to which Alex Callinicos
belongs. Starting with Tony Cliff's "The Nature of Stalinist Russia",
first published in 1948, theoreticians of the IS tradition have produced
detailed studies of state capitalism in general and of particular
countries, e.g. Chris Harman's various studies of Poland during the
1970s and 1980s. Other studies include Nigel Harris's "Mandate of
Heaven" (on China, written in the immediate post-Mao period), Mike
Haynes on market socialism and class relations in the Soviet union, Andy
Zebrowski and Colin Barker on Solidarity in Poland and the
post-solidarity development or Alex Callinicos own "Revenge of History"
on the events of 1989 - I could go on. Unfortunately, most of these
aren't available on-line but I think I can safely say that it is a total
misconception to allege that the IS tradition is based on ignoring the
"need ... to study in detail and on its own terms the Soviet state and
its evolution".

Einde O'Callaghan

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