Re: [Pen-l] I want to know

[Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx>]

CB: I want to know how this modern American ruling class makes decisions.

Carrol Cox  wrote:
> I think this is a misleading question. The whole structure of u.s. life
> generates a generally positive response to capitalist common sense, and
> the prticular structure of u.s. electoral politics guarantees that
> Congress & the President will be friendly -- in tune with -- one or more
> particular sectors of capital. That means that in general u.s. policy
> will opposethreats to "doing business," and that there will be internal
> battles over policies which favor this rather than that element of
> "business." But there is no machinery even to define precisely who is in
> the "ruling class" and who isn't, or to make  formal j"ruling class"
> decisions.

That's right. I think this is what Gramsci was talking about when he
wrote about "hegemony": in common-sense language (especially as spread
by ruling-class organs such as the mass media) and discussion, the
"public interest" is implicitly identical to the "capitalist class
interest." This is partly because looked at from the inside of the
system (as most people do) and in short-term terms (e.g., when working
people are trying to survive), what's good for the ruling class is
good for us. Heck, if my boss goes broke, that's really bad for me and
my family, so there is some incentive to identify with my boss.

This does not rule out intramural disagreements within the capitalist
class which often correspond to various "public policy" debates about
how to best serve the "public interest" and the exact nature of that
public interest (which, like the capitalist class interest is often
unknown ahead of time).
-- 
Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own
way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante.
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