[Marxism] Italy: Communists Move Beyond Communism

[James Zarichny <zarichny@xxxxxxxxx>]


Italy: Communists Move Beyond Communism
By Il Manifesto
<http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/3227/1/162/>

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FB: Regarding the first aspect, the big shift, the
corporate media tend to be misleading about this. It
may be right to term it the completion of a political
phase, which, as part of the movement of the European
left, is a major shift. However, in terms of political
culture as a whole, it does not constitute a major
shift. On this plane, we are still awaiting the
radical break with capitalism that is needed for such
a shift to occur. Also, since this idea is a
politically subjective one, there is a certain
rashness in promulgating it. I view the ?shift? as
part of the process involved in founding the Italian
wing of the Party of the European Left. In terms of
political culture, the shift can be seen in terms of
the development of certain points of discontinuity.
The inspiration is always the same: extracting from
the tough core of the anti-capitalist critique a basis
on which to rebuild a political culture and theory of
transformation, i.e. the overcoming of capitalism.
Therefore, our first task is to make a complete break
with Stalinism.Why is this break necessary? Because it
is a definite encumbrance to the process of
transformation.

Q: But isn?t the break with Stalinism an anachronism?

FB: Perhaps you think so, but I believe it's still
very relevant. I think that Stalinism is a political
approach that constantly self-reproduces and threatens
politics permanently. Every time we strive for change,
there is a factor that constantly looms over us, now
for a century or more, and that is the stress on the
attainment of power, and all the arrogance and
autonomy of politics.

Q: But it's a fact that whenever you are faced with a
real shift, there?s a hard fight.

FB: Fine. But that doesn't mean that military methods
are required, as still seems to happen sometimes. The
truth of this can be seen in the fact that the echo of
Stalinism continues to resound in what we call
orthodoxy. However, I by no means feel that this is
just an external problem, one that exists only
elsewhere. I feel it's inside us as well; it's a very
strong vice.

Q: But perhaps in certain situations it is a
necessity.

FB: I don't think so at all. I think that would be a
catastrophe.And I strongly believe that we must
include the idea of transformation as a basic element
of the process. We must return to the idea of
?critical participation? instead of relying on the
dominance of large-scale organized forces.

Q: To put it another way: democracy instead of
communism?

FB: Let?s describe it as "democracy through
transformation." The meaning is not democracy "instead
of" but rather "moving towards" communism. But then
there
is the question of non-violence.


Q: I disagree with you on that issue because violence
is part of society; it?s part of the way things are.

FB: So is capitalism, and that's why I want to
overcome it.

Q: But we don't live in a world where everyone is
good.

FB: I agree, but it?s up to us to be different.

Q: Right, but once you are part of the government, how
will your principles of non-violence be used to deal
with the forces that practice violence by means of the
state and the military?

FB: I think that today, with all the alienation and
exploitation that exists, we are moving toward a real
crisis of civilization. For me, it is a crisis brought
on by capitalism and its focus on total competition,
so that it now faces a real risk of implosion. In the
face of this, the idea of Europe and a Mediterranean
where the cross-fertilization of cultures can take
place is fundamental. To accomplish this, war must be
banned structurally; it must be made taboo.

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