From: Paul Bullock (paulbullock@EBMS-LTD.CO.UK)
Date: Thu Jan 01 2004 - 14:27:40 EST
RAKESH, MY COMMENTS BELOW: ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rakesh Bhandari" <rakeshb@STANFORD.EDU> To: <OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU> Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 6:41 PM Subject: Re: (OPE-L) Re: Paresh Chattopadhyay 'Capital, The Progenitor of Socialism' > Dear Paul, > > You write: > > > > > >Indeed the articles try not only to show the machinations of imperialism, > >the comprador bourgeoisie etc but the real dificulties that the government > >has is managing a capitalist economy, and imdeed the welcoming of foreign > >investment by it. > > right. And in part because his disruption of the state oil company > has led to the need for it. ( THIS IS A PREPOSTEROUS VIEW UNLESS YOU KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN VENEZUELA, IN WHICH CASE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO RETURN TO STUDY THE FACTS . WHO CALLED FOR THE LOCK OUT? WHO LEAD THE 'STRIKE' OF MANAGERS AND TECHNICIANS ? WHO AIMED TO USE THE INDUSTRY TO DESTROY THE GOVERNMENT?) Is he a neo-liberal in Bolivar's clothes? > > > >Nowhere is the ' idea that OPEC, with the coopration of Chavez, > >set the price of oil' to be found in an absolute form. > > > But Chavez does declare that he will end Venezuela's role as biggest > scab of OPEC and thereby ensure the high price of oil on which a > successful rentier state is dependent. His rhetoric reflects simple > minded demagogic views about the workings of the global oil market. > ( THIS IS YOUR OPINION OF CHAVEZ, HE IS SIMPLE MINDED AND A DEMAGOGUE, I CANNOT CONCUR) > > >However we know that > >US has always attempted to destroy any rentier arrangement.... > > > Actually even though Cyrus debunked this leftist mythology, many > still do believe that the US orchestrated the 4x of oil prices in the > 70s. So it is not widely accepted that the US has always attempted to > destroy any rentier arrangement. Moreover, the US destabilization of > Iraq suggests more than anything that the US wanted to reduce the > supply of oil so as to bolster the rentier arrangements in Saudi > Arabia and keep the price of oil within that $20-30 band. I don't > think this was in any way the intent of the US, but it seems more > likely than the US attempting to destroy rentier arrangments. > > > > >there has > >always been a battle between Rent and Profit over surplus value. > >I do not know what you mean by the phrase that discussing such a battle > >' is simply simple-minded and wrong', it is an historical reality. > > > >As far as your 18,000 'workers' are concerned they were nothing more than > >the wealthy, high paid managers, saboteurs ( workers were actually killed by > >the Chamber of Commerce gang when trying to work, and active sabotage > >of equipment took place), plus the labour aristocrats etc... > > This is simply untrue. The unions in general have not been > enthusiastic about Chavez; the steel workers were on the fence, from > what I can make out.( THE ISSUE HERE THEN IS 'WHAT YOU CAN MAKE OUT'... IF MICHAEL HAS THE ENERGY HE MIGHT TELL YOU ABOUT THE CORRUPTION IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THESE UNIONS, THEIRASSOCIATION WITH THE OLIGARCHY THAT PRECEEDED THE CHAVEZ GOVERNMENT ETC, QUITE APART FROM THEIR RELATIVELY SMALL SIZE FROM AN ELECTORAL STANDPOINT) > Not all the protestors against Chavez have been racists and the > wealthy, though they have spear headed opposition. There has been > leftist opposition as well, though Richard Gott simply ignores it in > his accounts. Steven Ellner has been more balanced. THE NATURE OF 'LEFTIST' OPPOSITION NEEDS ANOTHER EXCHANGE. IN FACT IN VENEZUELA ONE LEFT GROUP WAS TO THE FORE IN ATTACKING CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS, AND INVOLVED IN ATTACKING THE CUBAN EMBASSY. THE WORD 'LEFTIST' HAS NO INTRINSIC MERIT FOR ANY ARGUMENT. THERE ARE PLENTY OF SELF PROCLAIMED 'FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE' WHO ARE POLITICALLY COMPLETELY LOST AT BEST FALLING PREY TO THE COMMONEST REACTIONARY VIEWS. > > > > >There is a split in the working class created by imperialism and this has > >be understood....otherwise you'll soon be weeping sympathetically over > >the activities of the AFL-CIO! > > > The labor aristocracy concept in my opinion should be more narrowly > used; it applies to very few workers. ( WHAT ABOUT WELL PAID ACADEMICS, WOULD YOU INCLUDE THOSE? ) I have already discussed this with David Yaffe who has opined that US foreign policy is conducted in the interests of preserving a substantial mass of US workers as labor aristocrats. (ENGELS AND LENIN OF COURSE MADE SIMILAR PERFECTLY SENSIBLE POINTS, AND AMONGST BOURGEOISE WRITERS MOSCA FOR EXAMPLE. WELL FROM THE 'UK' I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT 'IMPERIAL ' AND OTHER SUBSIDIES, FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF TARGETED, PROTESTANT, ( AND SO 'LOYALIST' ) WORKERS ,HAVE BEEN FUNDAMENTAL IN MAINTAINING POLITICAL CONTROL OF NORTHERN IRELAND.) > > Rakesh >
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