[PEN-L:11655] Re: Ahmad's critique of third worldism?

[Stephen E Philion <philion@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Lou,

I'm not sure about his going overboard. I recall your using Ahmad's
section on Marx on India when responding to Ricardo not long ago. As Ahmad
notes in his response to critics, the most important sections of the book,
especially the critique of third worldism, take place in the first and
concluding chapter of his book, and I would also argue in his discussion
of Said's 'interpretation' of Marx found in the Chapter on India and
Marx.
Ahmad has, i think, quite reasonably, argued that his critics avoid the
argument made in those sections of the book and focused on his criticisms
of Said.

The reference to his 'sectarianism' I am wary of. Look at the way he opens
his argument against Said, praising and expressing solidarity with the
political struggles that Said has engaged in for his whole life.
Sectarians dare not praise their 'enemies' for much aside from providing
material for their endless attacks.

Steve




On Fri, 24 Sep 1999, Louis Proyect wrote:

> >Jim,
> >What do you think of Aijaz Ahmad's critique of third worldism in his *In
> >Theory* book?
> >
> >Steve
>
> I'm not Jim, but I think that Ahmad went way overboard. In his essay on
> Edward Said, he tries to make the case that "Orientalism" was geared to the
> needs of upwardly mobile Asian students in America and other sectarian
> bullshit like that. He also refers to Christopher Caldwell, the author of
> "Notes of a Dying Culture" as "Erskine" Caldwell, who is the author of
> "Tobacco Road."
>
> Louis Proyect
>
> (http://www.panix.com/~lnp3/marxism.html)
>
>