Re: [Marxism] Just what part of 'Workers of the World, Unite!' didn't you understand?

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Josh wrote:
> The last 30 years have seen these perspectives fail miserably - it's
> hard to exaggerate the extent to which they have failed.  This, not
> the stupidity of this or that left group, nor the structure of the
> groups, or the programmes of the groups, is the _KEY_ to understanding
> what people on this list complain constantly about - sectarianism,
> disunity, etc.  It overshadows the whole fucking thing, it has
> structured it and pushed it forward inexorably.

Josh, US'ers constitute either a minority or a small majority on this list.
There are, for example, at least 15 Turks--based on my knowledge of Turkish
names. In Turkey the class struggle is far more advanced than it is in the
USA, with a guerrilla struggle simmering in the Eastern regions. We are
trying to solve a *general* problem here, which is what it means to
construct a vanguard party. This means, first of all, understanding Lenin
in context and not as a chef from the Revolutionary Food Network with a
recipe for organizations at all times and all places. It doesn't matter if
the ISO has 1000 members and Solidarity has 100. Solidarity is still
correct to *put the Russian questions on the back burner*. After all, the
goal is not to build a group of a thousand members but to make a
revolution. Calling on Marxists to accept Tony Cliff's writings (or Sam
Marcy et al) as holy writ is a surefire way to build a sect. It is not as
if sects can't do good things. They can. What they can't do is lead
revolutions. In a period of growing class contradictions and war, it is
essential to see our way clear through that.


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