RE: [OPE] Question to Marxologists: Mode of production

Hi Jurriaan:
 
Words such as 'society' and 'culture' are inherently vague, yet
there are societies and cultures (note plural rather than singular),
which include sub-cultures, counter-cultures, alternative cultures, etc.
One can not get from the general concept of 'society' to a specific
understanding of social relationships existing in a given time and place
simply through abstract theory. To think that is possible is a fallacy of
theoreticism, I think.
 
Similarly, 'class' is vague, yet classes exist: its specific meaning in a particular
temporal and spatial context needs to be flushed out with historical and empirical
study. This is one of the tasks of theory. What one needs to avoid
(but Marxists fall into time and again) is the fallacy of assuming that
what is true generally from a theoretical and historical perspective is also
true in each individual case. This is the fallacy of division. By committing
this fallacy one is incapable of grasping the richness and complexity of
class and class divisions, etc.
 
In solidarity, Jerry
 
 

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Received on Fri Sep 5 19:05:03 2008