Re: [Marxism] Indo-US Nuclear Deal: EPW Editorial

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Anti-nuclear activism has a real reactionary aspect to it. Knowing full well 
> that elimination of 
> base-load carbon emitting power plants, accounting for at least 40% of all 
> carbon emissions, 
> is impossible with wind and/or solar because of reliability and cost, they 
> seek to destroy the 
> only bases load non-carbon emitting power source. At the end of the say such 
> a program will 
> maintain both poverty and pollution levels, killing thousands.
> 
> David Walters

I don't think that socialists have any business trying to figure out the 
solutions to the energy crisis under capitalism. The worst thing about 
David's intervention on this questions is that it totally ignores the 
question of how all forms of energy production under capitalism are 
riddled with contradictions. Years ago, the batty SWP sect in the US 
used to editorialize on behalf of coal. Their logic, to use the term 
charitably, had to do with endearing itself to the coal miner's union 
which they were colonizing at the time.

Who knows, there might be a role for nuclear power under socialism. But 
right now our focus should be on identifying the *insanity* of energy 
production and usage under capitalism--whatever form it takes. This 
includes the problem of "peak oil", the mega-dams that destroy the 
environment and wreak havoc on poor farmers in their path, nuclear power 
safety issues, global warming, wasteful use of private transportation, 
etc., etc.

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