From: gerald_a_levy (gerald_a_levy@msn.com)
Date: Tue Mar 11 2003 - 17:01:02 EST
A OPE-L reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, sent the following./ Solidarity, Jerry Re: [OPE-L:8460] Re: Socialism and War Although I know that many, if not most contributors to the list do not consider themselves Marxist, those who do must consider the 11th thesis. During those times when there is little other than politics as usual, one can understand political action taking a second place to theoretical work. Marx himself devoted more time to theoretical work when the periodic upsurges ebbed, though he never absented himself entirely from politics. When such upsurges occurred, however, he joined them, both physically and intellectually. It is no exaggeration to state that madness now reigns and people are organizing to confront that madness. The policies of Bush and company have now alienated not only people all over the world but the governments which represent those people. A recent poll on Fox new had 44% of the respondents agreeing that France is an enemy of the United States. The members of Congress are proposing to develop and have a policy to preemptively use " low yield nuclear weapons." We are about to launch a war which will create thousands more Muslims who feel that they must join the terrorist in attacking the United States. Madness reigns, but such madness has a material base. There is consensus, I believe, that no account exists which explains what material conditions underlie the present madness. At the very least, it would seem that the time has come for those who are capable of providing such an account agree to collectively try to devise a theory to help those directly engaged in the current struggle. This means considering not only abstruse theoretical issues but actual economic facts. As things now stand, it would appear that it will be some time before political economists can justifiably stand above the fray. I want to stress that the only way that a contribution can be made by intellectuals is collectively. In order to act together they must reason together. I would argue that any one who considers themselves a Marxist will recognize this and act accordingly.
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