DJP
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“One in the eye, then, for those “left communists” like Internationalist Perspective who reject the whole concept of democracy as capitalist.”
Yes, this is another good angle for demonstrating the differences between those who followed Lenin, which includes left communists, and what Marx actually wrote.
Thanks that is an interesting looking book.
The thrust of “Citizen Marx” is that the republican influence on Marx’s thinking has been largely overlooked. Marx started his political life as a radical republican and when he came over to communism he kept hold of the republican idea of freedom as not being under an uncontrolled power. Because of this his communism was democratic in contrast to the anti-political communism of those before him.
“As for buying books online, one has to check and check again to ensure one is getting a real book, and not a print on demand non-book consisting of photocopied pages glued together.”
As par for the course, you’re a bit out of date with this. All paperback books have always been made by gluing pages together. You’re right that the binding quality of some early print on demand books left something to be desired, but now the quality matches offset books. In fact, they often use higher-quality paper. Most academic titles are now printed on demand but this is no grand problem.
“This is a one-term government.”
It actually makes political sense to do all the unpopular stuff now when the next election is four or five years away. And the rise of Reform is actually a blessing for Labour. If Reform survives until the next election it will split the vote on right.
For one thing the “use of parliament= reformist and extra parliamentary activiy= revolutionary” people have simplicity and romanticism on their side. The revolutionary use of parliament argument requires more explanation, especially since the “socialist” parties that have engaged in parliamentary activiy have tended to be reformist and leadership based.
“I hope this doesn’t mean that he has read “simply cannot” for “cannot simply” as many anti-parliamentarians have, as that was not what Marx meant”
Unfortunately I think your fears will be correct.
Incidentally, the Bernes article I recommended *may* be part of this forthcoming book. I have yet to get access to a table of contents.
“And I am curious about the composition of the group of people with whom you read it.”
It’s the survivors of an online Capital Volume One reading group that started during the pandemic. A mixture of ages and genders, mainly millennials, with no overarching group affiliation.
“If you were to say why no ‘special importance should be attached to’ this would already serve as a needed, however miniature, critique.”
Actually, on the back of recommendations by you and others, I read this text with a group of people a few months back. I’ll post a few paragraphs of thoughts after the festive season is over.
I don’t think any special importance should be attached to that “Fields and Factories” text.
Are others aware of this text from an author also loosely associated with Endnotes?
“So benefit claimants who don’t want to take weight loss injections or pills in order to make them more acceptable to job interviewers won’t get any sympathy from the Socialist Party.”
Who said that?
I was also going to mention the ancient Greek word Οἰκονομικά (Economics), which is the title of a book written by Aristotle (or perhaps a student of his), but YMS beat me to it.
This book is about both market relations and non-market relations.
