DJP
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I still think you’re making assumptions that aren’t in the text.
Perhaps write a letter to the Standard so that PJS can reply?
“Then I wonder how do you see society being organised? Because without the state to distribute law, protect those from exploitation and to prevent the re-establishment of capitalism, all myself see is a chaotic system were those who are able to gain power rule.”
I think this is a matter of semantics. When socialists speak of a “stateless” society they are not talking about the absence of a body that would fulfill the functions mentioned above.
What they are talking about is the form of this body. Instead of being something above society, that functions to preserve minority rule – “a state” – this body would be something that has become absorbed into the whole of society, for example through the use of mandated and recallable delegates and through an increase in democratic participation.
“Comrade Delta affair? What’s that?”
They tried to cover up an incident of rape involving one of their leaders.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Smith_(activist)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Workers_Party_(UK)#Internal_crisis_over_allegations_of_rape
I think the SWP has a greatly reduced presence on university campuses since the Comrade Delta affair.
But shouldn’t this thread be about the Liberal Democrats? Reform is still small fry compared to them.
“I was mocked at university when students found out I was a socialist.”
When did you go to university? The 1920’s?
The text reads well, but I wonder if it could have benefited from some graphical touches and the addition of material in audio and visual format too. Perhaps a clearer conversion goal would have been good. What are you trying to get visitors to do? What would count as a success?
I found having to keep clicking ‘next’ a bit annoying, but maybe it works to split the text up.
Ollman also felt the need to deflate ‘dialectics’ of the magical thinking and mysticism that it became associated with:
“Dialectics is not a rock-ribbed triad of thesis-antithesis-synthesis that serves as an all-purpose explanation; nor does it provide a formula that enables us to prove or predict anything; nor is it the motor force of history. The dialectic, as such, explains nothing, proves nothing, predicts nothing, and causes nothing to happen” (Dance of the Dialectic, pg 12)
“Dialectics” is just a word that has become overinflated. I don’t think it makes much sense to talk about being “for” or “against” it.
It just refers to a movement or development of something through the pull and push of opposing forces or arguments.
For example, the writings of Plato are “dialectical” in that they take the form of a dialogue, with the arguments developing through the exchanges of the characters.
In Capital (page 102 Penguin edition) Marx says that his method of *presentation* is dialectical, meaning that it is presented as an unfolding and development of relations.
He also says that the way he conducted his research was different. That is, he had to gather and analyse material by reading classical political economy, government reports, and newspaper articles etc. Only after the material was gathered could he begin to work out the connections and relations between it all.
This Facebook post highlights an interesting section of Trump’s speech where he outlines his reasoning for persuing tariffs.
https://www.facebook.com/1122868148/posts/10234800853378739/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
“If you’ve not seen it, then, to a certain extent, here, chapter starting on page 116?”
Thanks this looks interesting
“Would the situation have changed much since Robert Michels wrote his book on political parties, based mainly on the SPD”
Yes, there could be some relevant material in this. Will have to get a copy and look through.
In the writings of Kautsky he thinks that working-class participation in parliamentary politics would have a ‘prefigurative’ effect, to use some of today’s parlance. I just wanted to see to what extent this actually follows through to the internal structure of the SDP and USPD.
Incidentally, I’m wanting to find the same kind of information about the Canadian ‘impossibilist’ parties too.
Was just scanning through and saw this.
“The working class cannot be “better off”. They can either be slaves or free.”
I think the SPGB has been using radical republican tropes all the way through it’s existence, even if it may not have consciously labelled them as such.
https://www.marxists.org/archive/young-harry/1953/workers_betteroff.htm
Robin, perhaps it would have been better to use a source other than the Daily Mail? You know the mods at Wikipedia have disallowed it due to its regular unreliability.
With regards to ‘lesser evil’ voting. Yes, I agree if this is something that is pursued all the time, it will lead to a gradual drift away from what you want. But in politics context is everything. Suggesting that a course of action should be followed all the time, regardless of context, is just moralism. I think this is as close as you can get to a context where there clearly was a greater evil. And now democracy (which is essential for the achievement of socialism) in the US *is* under threat.
If you’re looking for an aphorism, how about; “the perfect is the enemy of the good”.
