Re: [OPE-L] Chavez and Marxism

[Gerald_A_Levy@xxxxxxx]

> This is another
> lesson in the fact that those who call themselves Marxists are in no sense
> automatically to be considered effective revolutionaries or even
> considered  as such by others , whatever their own subjective view. ( This
> is particularly the case in academia in my experience) What is important
is
> the deed.

Paul B,

It is even more the case, from my experience, for "leaders" of small,
Marxist  political formations.  So many of these groups believe that they
represent the "vanguard" of the revolution; hence the leaders are the
vanguard
of the vanguard  ... at least in their own minds.  It must be a very "heady"
experience ....  This is one of the reasons that there have been so many
Marxist
cults.  Of course, this is less likely to occur in larger, mass parties
which are
firmly rooted in working-class communities.

> On a number of occasions. Lenin pointed out that the enemies of the
> working class were forced to call themselves Marxists  even to get a
hearing,
> such was the success of  Marx's work.

That was a time long, long ago.

In solidarity, Jerry