Marxism sans education/knowledge
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A familiar topic from me…
Can Marxism flower without the vast majority becoming fluent in economics and philosophy?
it seems to me a great many self-identified Marxist’s politics runs far in advance of their understanding* when it comes to economics and philosophy (and I certainly include myself in that). The level of understanding is certainly far more inadequate in the population at large.
Without a good grounding in economics (especially bourgeois economics) how is it possible to adequately favour Marx’s LTV over bourgeois models? Without a solid understanding the LTV is taken on trust. That is no fit basis for the Socialist remaking of society.
That said how realistic is it to expect the vast majority to acquire the requisite level of education to be able to measure the merits of ideas like the LTV and Marginal Theory.etc?
Hope that’s clear.
*When I say in advance I don’t presume to suggest that their politics are ‘good’ or ‘superior’ merely that their politics demand a significant amount of justification and demonstration just as any philosophical world view would.
Some knowledge is required but no degree in economics.
The late I. Rab of the WSPUS suggested that the minimum understanding necessary to be a socialist is:
1. Capitalism can no longer be administered or reformed in the interest of the working class or of society. 2. Capitalism is incapable of eliminating poverty, wars, crises, etc. 3. Socialism can solve the social problems confronting society today, since the material conditions are ripe for socialism, save the lack of a socialist majority.
He adds that to be a member of the WSPUS additional criteria would be an agreed consensus on what is understood by:
a. the conscious, majority, political nature of the socialist revolution; b. Conception of History; c. the Law of Value; d. the Class Struggle; e. attitudes on leadership, reformism, and religion; f. the general nature of socialism as a system of society.
He describes the characteristics of a socialist as a coupling of the head and the heart, theory coupled with action.
Rab explains that a socialist does not necessarily require an academic’s grasp of Marxian economics such as perhaps the distinction between “labour” and “labour power.” After all, Marx himself was at one time guilty of not fully comprehending the difference.
A thought: are all those millions/billions who go along with the capitalist system fluent in economics and philosophy? Then again, do they really go along with it? No, around the world it’s obvious that many protest, demonstrate, etc etc against laws and decisions they don’t agree with. For some of us it took a single extra something to enlighten us – I was one of the ones always protesting about something, demonstrating, boycotting, and it was my luck to stumble upon the SPGB where I, very early on, discovered the ‘moneyless’ aspect of it. That was all I needed after all the years of dissatisfaction with govt after govt – it gave me the perspective I needed to learn more.
I really don’t believe that all socialists have to understand 100% the theory behind the great idea, they just need to be stimulated by what they can see within the principles of the movement to be able to move on to passing on the principles themselves because they believe in them.
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