Re: [Marxism] Class, Party, and Organization

[Greg McDonald <sabocat59@xxxxxxx>]

Given the fact that the working classes of advanced imperialist
 > countries have not constituted a class conscious movement for quite
 > some time, and may not for some time in the future, would it not be
 > more instructive to focus our energies (those of us living in the
 > belly of the beast),  on solidarity work?
 >
 > Greg McDonald

Louis wrote:

<I have problems with the notion of "focusing our energies". It evokes a
kind of missionary approach to workers that was symbolized by the SWP's
use of the term "colonizing industry":>

'Focusing energies' is just a figure of speech.  And there is nothing  
'missionary' behind the idea. As a veteran of numerous CISPES  
campaigns in the 1980's, we were quite clear on the idea that  
solidarity meant doing what was needed for the Salvadorans, what they  
asked us to do, and after debate among ourselves, with all respect  
and as equals in the struggle, with the understanding that their  
collective ass was on the line. Not to minimize the fact that we lost  
people as well. So just as a point of clarification, your answer  
seems to be no, there is no need to throw the baby out with the bath  
water and just do solidarity work, that there exists a potential to  
build left parties in the USA and other imperialist countries, it's  
just a question of the organizational framework being broad rather  
than narrow, and without all the hoops. That's fine, but don't  
project onto me your SWP baggage.

Greg
________________________________________________
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