Re: Re: the great game

[Carrol Cox <cbcox@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ian Murray wrote:
>
>[CLIP]
> >
> > By ERIC S. MARGOLIS,
> >
> > where geopolitics and oil are
> concerned, there are no friends, only competitors and enemies.
>
> ==============
>
> Well isn't that the real problem; the incessant reproduction of the
> paranoid style of international politics.

No. The problem are the  fundamental social relations that generate
(necessarily I should think) such a paranoid style. After subtracting
all that Lenin got wrong in _Imperialism: The Latest Stage of
Capitalism_, one is left with the core that imperialism (and
inter-imperialist conflict of varying degrees of intensity) is not a set
of policies but the mode of existence of advanced capitalism. The
"style" is in this case inseparable from the content -- or perhaps it is
not even correct to label as a "style" what you describe here, it is an
inseparable part of the substance of international politics. At the
"stylistic" level contrast the different 'partners' to the dance.


 This assures our species and
> many others of slow motion armageddon. With all due respect to it's
> entanglement with race and class, I dare say this is a big gender
> problem

A problem, yes, but I think you misplace all three -- class, race,
gender. I would say the conflict over these (and other 'items' as well)
_within_ the working class is part (or close to all) of the solution.
That is, in an actual confrontation between working class and capital,
the working class will win. The first and last line of defense of
capitalism is the fragmentation of the working class, and its
subordination to class-collaborationist leadership _and_ consciousness.

Gaining public suport for various specific imperialist adventures is
certainly made easier (perhaps made possible) by the power of male
supremacy. But male supremacy does not _cause_ those adventures. Rather
they shape themselves in a number of ways, appeal to male attitudes
being one of them

I don't have the slightest idea just how in particular these intra-class
struggles are to be organized and waged.

Carrol
>
> Ian