[PEN-L:11790] From the Ivory tower

["James Michael Craven" <CRAVJM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

By all accounts the Chinese and Cuban revolutions were extremely
bloody and involved considerable harship and sacrifice. By all
accounts the inherited legacies of imperialism imposed horrible
hardships and contraints. By all accounts there were deep divisions
among classes and strata as well as men and women that held back
effective and disciplined unity. By all accounts forms of patriarchy,
sexism, racism, classism, ageism, homophobia were severe and
constraining. By all accounts the hostility and machinations of the
encircling imperialist powers were severe and ongoing. By all
accounts the "weeds" of capitalism were well entrenched and always
threatening to flare up.

In other words, building Socialism in those countries--and elsewhere--
especially in the context of ongoing and very hostile imperialist
encirclement, dealing with the legacies of the past, tyring to build
a future and trying to balance myriad contradictions, contending
interests, hatreds etc to preserve some kind of unity was/is no easy
matter.

*-------------------------------------------------------------------*
*                           "Those who take the most from the table,*
*  James Craven                teach contentment.                   *
*  Dept of Economics         Those for whom the taxes are destined, *
*  Clark College               demand sacrifice.                    *
*  1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd. Those who eat their fill,              *
*  Vancouver, Wa. 98663        speak to the hungry,                 *
*  (360) 992-2283              of wonderful times to come.          *
*  Fax: (360) 992-2863    Those who lead the country into the abyss,*
*  jcraven@xxxxxxxxx           call ruling difficult,               *
*                              for ordinary folk." (Bertolt Brecht) *
* MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION  *