Re: [Marxism] The SWP was Wrong about the Peace and Freedom Party, and Socialist Viewpoint ...

[Bonnie Weinstein <giobon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Anthony,

You yourself said that the Green Party is not democratic--that is runs on
the least common denominator of consensus. That means, that the party can
act only on what everyone agrees to. This is another tactic used to prevent
majority rule. The ability of the majority to make and carry out a decision
is a primal and fundamental element of human democracy and the key to
changing the future.

Without it there is no democracy and without democracy--the majority of the
worlds working class being able to carry out its wishes--the working class
has no power. Democracy is an indelible part of worker's power.

Without democracy in the Green party, even if I were to convince the
majority--even the overwhelming majority of Greens to become a working-class
based, anti-capitalist organization--the majority would not be allowed to
carry out its own decisions. The funds would dry up instantly.

The structure of the party itself prohibits me from participating.

Workers today feel impotent as a result of capitalism pulling every vestige
of democracy from their plate in life.

Democracy in capitalist countries means one gets to vote for one wealthy
liar or another--for one wealthy representative of the ruling capitalist
class or another or one "kissing cousin"-bureaucrat to the boss or the
other--that's why Marx calls it a "capitalist dictatorship."

The majority doesn't rule or even have a say in the decisions the U.S.
Capitalist dictatorship-government makes or the policies the capitalists
carry out. They don't vote on whether to go to war; pay taxes; levy taxes on
the rich; improve schools (they get to say they want to improve schools,
etc., but not the right to do it); they don't have a say on what to study in
school (except college, and still you have to adhere to a proscribed
program); they don't have a right to go to college unless they can afford
it; they don't have a say on how much money they will earn--they have to
fight for every penny or be at the mercy of the boss who makes all such
decisions in the workplace. Profit comes above everything.

The workplace is not a democratic environment. Schools are not a democratic
environment; our elections are certainly not democratic; in fact, there is
no democracy in our lives at all! There is no democracy left in workers' own
organizations! It takes money to win title in a labor union these days! Why,
most workers don't even get to see their contract before they have to vote
on it! They have to take the word of the "Gettlefingers" and the "Sterns"
and trust in their recommendations and the recommendations of the corporate
advisors they hire to "negotiate" with the boss--being sure of keeping any
details of the discussion secret from both the public and their own
membership--it's happening right now in Auto.

Of course, they accept all these things as a fait accompli. That's
capitalism's specialty--aborting democracy at every step.

Now, I didn't know about the consensus thing in the Greens. But I will wager
to bet a few other details. I bet that the Greens get most of their money
from those who want the party to put pressure the Democrats and nothing
else. And I would bet that those are the very people who are so keen on
"consensus" decision-making.

This is what is fundamentally wrong with the Greens and why it makes it
impossible to function democratically within it. The people with the most
money rule! How is that ultimately different than working inside the
Democratic party itself?

Both are counter-productive to our goal of allowing the majority of the
world's working class to rule in their own interests and on their own
behalf. They think that that is an impossibility--workers are too stupid to
do that; and we, Marxists, say that it is only the workers and their allies
who have the power--in their democratic unity and solidarity--to save
humanity from certain destruction because workers are the only ones with the
where-with-all and know-how to get the job done!

What good is a party that says the opposite to workers by its very
infrastructure and organization and functioning?

That's why we need a revolution, so that the majority can rule in their own
defense and in their own interests because those interests are in the best
interests of all of humanity! It's fundamental, primal, inherent. Rule by a
tiny minority over the overwhelming majority is not democratic. It is its
antithesis!

The essence of communism is majority rule. I just don't understand the
wide-spread confusion among the left. Never have I seen so many ways to
avoid democratic decision-making--in unions, in community groups, in
political and sometimes even radical organizations--and especially in the
current antiwar movement. The one thing everyone tries to avoid is one
person, one vote and majority rule--it seems to be taboo! The closest we
have gotten today is one-organization, one-vote, which leaves out everyone
not organized into an organization--the overwhelming majority of
people--having no vote in the decision-making process!

Mass actions in the streets are a profound expression of democracy. As
Marxists, I think our primary task is to organize democratically so that we
may set the example of how well democracy really works to serve the
interests of the majority of people.

I can't, in all good conscience, promote an organization that didn't believe
in democratic decision-making at all. Nor would it do any good to
participate in it.

I hope there will be a party formed that I can work with. If the Greens had
a sudden, massive influx of workers; if they changed their decision-making
to majority rule, then I would reconsider it.

But your argument, that the Greens are already on the ballot, etc., is the
same argument you could give to join the Democratic party and "work within
it."

But, without a semblance of a democratic structure, the same people rule
both parties.

Our job is to show the difference between democracy and capitalist rule by
the almighty dollar!

We only have the two choices--capitalism or true democracy, i.e., democratic
majority rule. And that ain't something the capitalists are going to give
us. That's something we are going to have to take hold of and implement
ourselves, on behalf of ourselves and in the interests of all.

Comradely,

Bonnie Weinstein, www.socialistviewpoint.org






On 9/4/07 7:39 PM, "Anthony Boynton" <northbogota@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I think Bonnie Weinstein's passion for socialism would
> be great inside the Green Party. Socialist Viewpoint
> is repeating the mistakes of the SWP, and of Socialist
> Action, in relation to electoral politics. Who leads
> the Greens, and wherer they lead them, depends upon
> who is in the Greens...
> 
> It is a political structure of capitalist society,
> grudgingly allowed by the capitalist class to allow
> voters to vent steam.... just like protest
> demonstrations that you love so much. It is not more
> revolutionary, nor less reformist.
> 
> It is an avenue to mobilize the most advanced of the
> masses - the beer drinking, dope smoking, football
> fan, not-very-Marxist, masses into struggle. It is the
> avenue more of them will take as their first step in
> fighting back.
> 
> Why do you want to just let the jerks of the
> Demo-Greens lead them by default?
> 
> Why don't you fight to lead them?
> 
> I'm talking to you, Bonnie.
> 
> All the best, Anthony
> 
> PS: The Green's are SPECTACULARLY
> 
> 
>      
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> ______Ready for the edge of your seat?
> Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.
> http://tv.yahoo.com/
> 
> ________________________________________________
> YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
> Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism


________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism