Re: [Marxism] Re: Class struggle...

["acpollack2@xxxxxxxx" <acpollack2@xxxxxxxx>]

First, re the comparison to Solidarnosc below: In Poland there was a need to 
distinguish between the genuinely pro-worker forces in
the self-management trend in Solidarnosc which called for democratizing the 
workers' state, and the pro-imperialist, counter-revolutionary trend led by 
Walesa and ideologically and materially 
aided by Reagan, Thatcher, the Pope, etc.

In Cuba the task is much simpler: to defend the revolution period. 
Should imperialism sponsor a "mass movement" -- as their planning 
documents already imply -- our task is to smash it. If we think Fidel 
is not organizing that smashing democratically enough in some
respects (which we can't assume beforehand), that's an entirely different 
question and one that I think is unlikely to come up. After
all, the CDR's and other mass organizations, whatever their 
differences with Soviets, and whatever their role or lack thereof
in running the country on a national scale, are still mostly democratic 
workers' organizations and will certainly be at the center
of defending the country.

Now as to the weight of the workers in the Cuban Revolution: first, what were 
the peasants in Fidel's army, chopped liver? Second, take
a look at two recent books (below) on the weight of the urban 
working class movement.

As to why the opinions of the IST matters: their size in Britain, and possible 
obstacles they would put in place of a Cuba solidarity movement should 
Washington intervene (aided and abetted by some
Shachtmanite cothinkers in the US).

Finally, Junaid, try not to use mentally retarded as an epithet. Those
of us with friends and relatives who are mentally retarded don't
take it kindly.
Andy
(a genuine Trotskyist :)

Aldabonazo: Inside the Cuban Revolutionary Underground, 1952-58, by Armando 
Hart; 
http://www.cubanow.net/global/loader.php?secc=10&cont=culture/num7/aldabon.htm 
and http://www.udel.edu/LASP/Vol4-1Staten.html, Inside the Cuban Revolution, 
Fidel Castro and the Urban Underground, by Julia E. Sweig

That's false. I'm talking about mass movements in the mould of 
Solidarity in Poland - genuine revolutionary movements eminating from below. If 
that happens, and you decide to stand with the Stalinist bureaucratic class, 
then that's your prerogative - and you'll have to justify it.


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