Re: [OPE-L] The Paris Commune, the State, and Venezuela

["michael a. lebowitz" <mlebowit@xxxxxx>]

At 17:29 15/05/2005, jerry wrote:
> Most anarchists wouldn't agree that the Paris Commune was a state.

If you've read John's book, tell me what you think he means by the state
and its relation to the Commune; he made efforts to ground his argument in
Marx but I don't recall any mention.

What is most important is not whether one supports Chavez.  What
> is important is that in the ongoing class conflicts in Venezuela, one
> takes the side of the poor and working class against bourgeois
> forces and the reaction.  I.e. the critical question is: which side of
> the barricades are you on?    I  have no fear that John H or  other
> autonomists (or anarchists, for that matter) will find themselves on the
> wrong side of the barricades in Venezuela.  Do you really think that if
> there was another coup attempt or an imperialist provocation that
> John  would be indifferent or on the wrong side?

Haven't the slightest idea. There are anarchists and self-defined
marxist-leninists in opposition (the latter were in the opposition
coalition)./m

Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6

Currently based in Venezuela. Can be reached at
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Departamento 601
Parque Central, Zona Postal 1010, Oficina 1
Caracas, Venezuela
(58-212) 573-4111
fax: (58-212) 573-7724