I actually think the most relvant points from a marxist
perspective are not those relating to value, but rather
political questions relating to the state. If the state
exists to uphold private property relations and the
corporate forms that these take in "late capitalist"
society, then I really get mental blockage in response to
those arguments that claim that "we" can do something
outside of altering these rather formidable power relations.
You see I don't really have so much of a quibble about the
empirical questions (not that they're not important) - I
accept that the existence of this list is premised on the
notion of an impending ecological, economic and energy
crisis of huge proportions. I am pessimistic (and cynical)
in the extreme regarding the actually existing democratic
system as a context in which to make the utterly fundamental
changes that are needed to create a material human community
out of all this. And on the state marxist theory is
particularly strong. Let us remember (those of us who care
about such things) that marxism is a political project much
more than an economic theory. The ball for me is really in
the court of those who deny the role of the state-corporate
power complex in stopping "us" from doing anything about the
crisis that we are here to discuss. Descriptive stuff, which
Mark is particularly strong on, is important but so is the
political project. My take on the state and power draws me
towards a position that is radical in the full sense of the
word. My attention wanders when people argue that "we" can
do something to change the course of history and then I find
out that they mean voting for a particular candidate rather
than another one, or buying this product rather than that
one in the supermarket. Let's focus on the art of the
possible in a serious way from time to time. (And Mark I
seem to recall you saying something that we should expect a
gender angle from you sometime soon - I think this is
crucial. As I've said the population stuff and the science
and technology stuff must link to this particular political
hook sooner rather than later.)
Tahir
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