Re: [Marxism] Stephen Gowans versus Patrick Bond on Zimbabwe

[Steve Palmer <spalmer999@xxxxxxxxx>]

The point is that kleptocracy is the highest stage of neo-colonialism.
Since the nouveau bourgeoisie can't develop the country, they have to enrich
themselves from various handouts from the imperialists, then by rounding on
their erstwhile supporters and bleeding them with various forms of corruption.
Finally, they turn on the imperialists, and do annoying things like this: 

Muagabe Plans to Nationalize All Zimbabwe's Mines
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2006/2006-05-17-05.asp

There's nothing particularly progressive about this - just Mugabe and co aren't
happy with their current allowance and are grabbing some more - at Pappy's
expense and under an 'anti-imperialist' rhetoric. Fanon and Cabral explained
all this decades ago.


--- Sayan Bhattacharyya <ok.president+marxmail@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On 4/1/07, Michael Karadjis <mkaradjis@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Gowans:
> > ---
> > While there may be an emotional appeal to what Bond
> > has to say, his argument, examined dispassionately, is
> > weak. If Mugabe is the crypto reactionary,
> > pro-imperialist Bond says he is, why are the openly
> > reactionary, imperialists in London and Washington so
> > agitated about Mugabe and his policies?
> > ---
> >
> > Alan B:
> >
> > I have no horse in this race, but I can recognise
> > nonsense when I see it.
> >
> > MK:
> >
> > Yep. Simpleton universe. Who needs Marxism anyway when you can have such
> > profound thoughts from some blogger called Gowans?
> 
> 
> 
> Peter Godwin in the New York Times:
> 
> "In fact, Mr. Mugabe has been a completely consistent leader. It's we who
> have changed. During the cold war, we in the West were so grateful that this
> militant Marxist had instantly become a benign capitalist that we ignored
> his history of political violence within his own party, and intimidation at
> the 1980 elections that brought him to power upon Zimbabwe's independence.
> We supported him in the same way we supported venal leaders like Mobutu Sese
> Seko of Zaire ? our friends simply because they were not Moscow's.[...]"

"I study a lot. That is one of the responsibilities of every revolutionary." 
Hugo Chavez.


 
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