[Marxism] Is there a left, left. -A brief response.

[Badili Jones <badili@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The article reflects on a certain amount of sadness and despair that some 
radicals who lived through this period of Regan and company have arrived at. 
Our lives are short but the move toward justice and liberation and yes 
socialism is long. I think for those of us who have eyes to see, there are 
major cracks appearing in the edifice constructed by the most extreme right of 
the bourgeoisie. Will that have any impact on the hegemony established by the 
bourgeoisie as a whole remains to be seen. Will there be space for the working 
class to make progress?
   
  There is a left, left but it is fragmented and in crisis.
   
  Much despair comes from those who cannot see the forests for the trees. They 
see the struggles around them and hear the voices of those in their families, 
their workplaces etc. We shouldn't stop in trying to raise their consciousness. 
The article recognizes that there is a growing opposition to the war. Also 
there has been spontaneous organization around issues such as the Jena 6 and 
other issues. Leftists quit as it's kept have been involved in these struggles. 
Are we running in the forefront waving the bright red banner of socialism. No. 
Many of us are in the trenches organizing and yes there is a missing element.
   
  I disagree with the implication that leftist should stop talking to each 
other. Indeed the forums and means of communication among the left are probably 
insufficient. 
   
  We need to have a long term and strategic view of what's going on. We are not 
about to tip the balance overnight and yet things can shift and start moving 
rapidly. I agree whole heartedly what Marta Harneker said in her book which I 
believe is out in English under the title of Rebuilding the Left. The left is 
not prepared to confront the realities of the current, chaotic, situation of 
late capitalism today. The left has to confront the need to unite itself, 
organize itself, in order to confront in a more systematic way what we are up 
against. 
   
  That does not mean the forming of a new revolutionary party tomorrow, or even 
in the near future. It does mean that we have to develop a current where the 
ideas and views that present an alternative to capitalism become more central 
to the the struggles that people are engaged in. That does mean a greater need 
to continue to build left centers of gravity where people looking for 
alternatives can find some support and yes engage with like minded people.  
   
  The right did one thing which we don't seen to get is that the did unite and 
educate their cadre core. They constructed their thank tanks and conferences 
and got their  folks "on message" so to speak. Just that effort allowed them to 
do what they have done and it has taken almost a whole generation to crumble 
it. That's not all. I don't want to make it simplistic. The solution is not 
just trying to bring together the "usual suspects" but a more far ranging 
project that has both quantitative and qualitative ramifications.
   
  I have had the opportunity to talk to some young leftists who are doing some 
amazing base building work around the country.  I think that they are grasping 
that in order to expand and deepen their work that elements of the left will 
have to build a greater unity.  Of course in the global south there are 
certainly hopeful signs.
   
  There is some hope even in the dark night.
   
  http://freedomroad.org/images/stories/PDF/wwil.pdf
   


Badili Jones
________________________________________________
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