Marvin Gandall Fri Aug 29 08:24:57 MDT 2008 Previous message: [Marxism] How Obama Blew It Next message: [Marxism] How Obama Blew It Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artesian writes: > > Do I think nothing has changed since the "classic" era of Marxism? Better > way to put it is-- has anything changed since the "classic" era of > capitalism and the working class struggles of that era? Indeed it has. > However, the fundamentals of capitalist accumulation remain the > fundamentals > of capitalist accumulation and that means the class struggle remains the > critical component in the social history, and future, of that > accumulation. > Do I know how to break through the layers upon layers of diversion, > reaction, patriotism, prejudice, fear, ignorance that is secreted around > and > in and through this struggle? No. > > I do think that the bourgeoisie have been on an offensive for 35 years. > Literally. After the rate of profit dropped in 1969-70, the bourgeoisie, > led by the US bourgeoisie, geared up and by 1973 they were more than ready > to start hammering away at the living standards, gains, security of the > workers in the advanced countries along with the more bloody, brutal > attacks > on workers in Chile, Argentina for example. > > And I would like to point out, that this "gearing up" and this assault did > not go without responses in the advanced countries-- in the UK with the > end > of the Heath govt. and its replacement by Wilson/Callaghan; in France with > the LIP strike; in Turin; in Portugal with the almost-revoution; and in > the > US, starting as the bourgeoisie geared up with the postal workers strike, > the NYC transit strikes, combat (and there was combat) in the auto > plants.... > > Anyway that took us to... Thatcher, who could not have achieved power if > the > Labor govt. before her had not eviscerated the workers' strikes in the UK; > Reagan and the lost decade around the world (except in China; and the NIEs > of Pacific Asia, where the OPEC price spikes, inflation, recession > dislocated the existing agriculture/rural/economies precipitating > migration > to the cities)... > > I would also point out that the working class in the US is not my father's > working class. It is female, it is immigrant, it is of color, it is > non-union, it is employed in service and retail sectors (which does not > diminish the importance of the industrial workers); and so more than ever, > a > "program" that empowers those workers to remedy discrimination in all > facets > of society is the best, if not the only, way forward. =========================================== This is a more serious reply than Louis' customary defensive crankiness, as was Jim F's brief cite of Engels. I can't see anything I don't substantially agree with. This message has been scanned for malware by SurfControl plc. www.surfcontrol.com _______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list Marxism-Thaxis@lists.econ.utah.edu To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
