Re: [OPE] Political strategies of the American Left

From: Dave Zachariah (davez@kth.se)
Date: Fri Aug 22 2008 - 05:32:18 EDT


2008/8/21 GERALD LEVY <gerald_a_levy@msn.com>
>
> The labor movement in the US  is certainly weaker and more divided now
> than it has been at any point in my life. There are precious little signs
> that this is going to turn around anytime soon.

I think this has been a growing problem at least since the 1970s. In
the advanced capitalist countries the biggest enemy of the Left has
been its internal conflicts. It has yet to find an effective form of
political organisation based on the principle of "unite the many to
defeat the few" which can manage differences of opinion without the
endless splitting and rivalries.


> History should teach us, though, that pre-revolutionary situations can
> emerge in social formations rather quickly. How many thought that
> there was a realistic prospect for revolutionary action in Russia in
> 1900?  Yet, five years later .... It's also the case, historically, that
> radicalization and revolutionary movements tend to spread internationally -
> especially after  a success.

You can certainly have brief periods of riots or even upheavals but
not much progressive change can result from growing discontent and
unrest unless there are organisations already in place that can grow
into political forces of action. That, at least, is a lesson from US
history.

//Dave Z
_______________________________________________
ope mailing list
ope@lists.csuchico.edu
https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/ope


This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sun Aug 31 2008 - 00:00:07 EDT