Re: [Marxism] Either a socialist revolution or a caricature of revolution

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just because the governments of Cuba, Vietnam, and China all accept one
or another kind of foreign private investment, that doesn´t prove that there
has been a restoration of capitalism there. Capitalism has never been ended
in South Africa, but white minority rule has been ended by black rule, a fact
whose historic importance continues to elude many of its critics, but which
does help explain the ANC's continued support in the face of deteriorating
living conditions in South Africa. Capitalism has never been abolished either
in Brazil, but then, no one has claimed that it has, or I don't know who has

The hostility toward Evo Morales seems also to flow from the fact that he won 
the presidency of Bolivia through a parliamentary election. It seems that some 
of his critics, though they do not say so, think that's not quite cricket and so
they double their quotient of "criticism" to prevent infection from the germs
of bourgeois parliamentary cretinism. While a smaller group express hostility
toward Chavez, I expect that that's also a factor in the hostility of groups 
like Socialist Action and the Spartacists toward the Bolivarian process and it
explains the broader indifference to, or hostility towards, ALBA.

The continued refernce to the Comintern of the 1930s does have a political
significance, however. Redbaiting is redbaiting. The use, furthermore, of the
royal "we" doesn't provide any more organizational muscle when its given the
prefatory introduction of "Speaking for myself"...

Speaking for myself (Walter), I am not appalled by the positions expressed by
others on this list, some of whom I differ with on political questions. 
Disagree-
ment is a normal factor in political life. Intolerance of disagreement is one of
the many things we saw so often in the old Socialist Workers Party of the 
United States of America. Unfortunately, some of its graduates have retained
this chaff along with some of the wheat.


Walter Lippmann
=================================================

Venezuelan Parliament for Revolution

Caracas, Jan 7 (Prensa Latina) Venezuela premiered a new Parliament this week 
fully
made up by partisans of President Hugo Chavez, who said the legislative body 
will
play a decisive role in the changes he leads.

    Each barrier hindering the Revolution's progress should be debunked by a 
law, Chavez said at his first meeting with the 167 deputies from the parties 
integrating
the Alliance for Change.

    The December 4 parliamentarian elections were preceded by a boycott attempt 
of opposition parties that withdrew from the process two days before to avoid a 
resounding defeat.

    Chavez illustrated the restructuring of the Venezuelan legal system with the
Hydrocarbons bill, which enabled the reversion of a privatization process in 
that
sector.

    The project includes a so-called "street Parliament," based on a direct
link among deputies and electors.

    For the Venezuelan dignitary it is important to prevent corruption and other
deviations from reversing the process started in 1999 with his inauguration.

    Chavez has been concerned since the beginning with expansion of official 
social missions that embrace free health and education systems, food subsidies
and creation of jobs, among others.

hr/ymr/mf

================================================
LOUIS PROYECT EXPLAINED:
Speaking for myself, I have been appalled by your refusal to acknowledge 
the depth to which the governments of Brazil, South Africa and China--all 
speaking in the name of the working class--have operated in the interests 
of the capitalist class. That beings out the ferocity in me at least. This 
list is in broad sympathies with Counterpunch, MRZine, Lefthook, et al. 
When you intervene with a political line that is warmed over 1930s 
Comintern, naturally you will cause sparks to fly. The only surprise is 
your (feigned?) surprise at our reaction.





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