[Marxism] Structural imperatives versus bad intentions

[Angelus Novus <fuerdenkommunismus@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Philip Stein <ggps@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

 
> Perhaps this is a bit of a change of subject but I
> find it hard to not get
> the impression that the Marxist¹s of the list are
> acting as left
> gatekeepers (perhaps in a conspiratorial manner) to
> block any information
> that the cause of the destruction of the three
> towers 

I don't wish to go against the moderator's wishes by
dwelling upon this topic, but I feel compelled to
respond to this.

Marx's enterprise was the critique of determinate
forms of social organization which compel individuals
to act in ways that conform to the logic of the
system.  With his theory of the fetish character of
the commodity, Marx uncovered a social structure whose
imperatives individual subjects are forced to follow,
regardless of their subjective intentions.

With conspiracy theories concerning September 11th,
absolutely nothing is gained in terms of insights into
the functioning of the capitalist system, the
nation-state system, imperialism, etc.  Instead of
understanding the WTC terrorist acts as an emergent
property of the system of capital accumulation, such
an event is assumed to be somehow "exceptional", the
result of the intentions of a few bad people.

Disregarding the truth content of the various
speculations concerning what happened that morning,
absolutely *nothing* is gained by such speculation. 
What we should be attempting is to formulate a
materialist critique of the circumstances which make
such events possible.

As Louis notes, it is no mere coincidence that so many
conspiracy theorists are rightists and anti-semites. 
Such speculation is wholly consistent with a fascist
worldview.  Instead of viewing capitalist violence as
structural, one views such acts as exceptional
intrusions into an otherwise healthy reality.




      
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