Re: [Marxism] NYT: Obama Defends Reaching Out to Chavez

[D OC <donaloc@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is touching upon issues which I do not want to develop hugely. But I feel 
motivated by one thought which I think clear enough to post about.

 

I have not read Obama's books, but I have read those by his 'mentor', Saul 
Alinsky. They are very similar to those propounded by post-marxist radicals 
like Negri-Hardt. They are based not on a marxist conception of the state or 
even historical materialism - in fact they are either a radical denial of those 
ideologies or based on a post-modern conception of political struggle.

 

Despite this, however, Alinsky's approach enables significant progress to be 
made in empowering communities to stand up for themselves, but this agenda of 
empowerment occurs *within* the inherent limitations of the capitalist system 
(that is the critical bit). In Alinsky's case, he progressed from popular 
democratic struggles to an agenda to seek to influence business through 
shareholder pressure - a natural enough progression I think.

 

The logic is to co-opt the class struggle in a manner that does not overthrow 
the fundamentals - almost social partnership of a more radical sort.

 

This approach will be much easier to sell in the context of weakening US 
hegemony - both domestically and to third world struggles and can be used to 
great effect internationally.

 

In summary, I see the logic of Obama's cooptive approach inherent within 
Alinsky's post-modernist radicalism.

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