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Bukharin's English-language archive is here: http://marxists.org/archive/bukharin/library.htm Most of "Science at the Crossroads" is here: http://www.marxists.org/subject/science/ I say most because it doesn't include Hessen's landmark study, which really must be rectified!!! Anyway if your collective study of Bukharin yields new items to be posted that would be great (even though I'm a vehemently anti-Bukharin Trotskyist). On Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 3:34 PM, jasmine via Marxism < marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote: > ******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ******************** > #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. > #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. > #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. > ***************************************************************** > > I am currently taking notes on Bukharin's interesting, 1930s work: Science > at the Crossroads. This was Bukharin's presentation, with the other > delegates from the USSR, on Science; the document was presented to the > International Congress of the History of Science and Technology. > > The above mentioned title does take some time and effort to unravel and > penetrate esp., considering the historical developments that have taken > place in science since the 1930s. Lenin lauded Bukharin as a theoreticians > of excellence, not without reason. > > To this day the talents of Bukharin are not acknowledged, nor fully > realised, neither have they been fully understood. > > Bukharin's Marxism does critique -the absolutist and Bonapartist aspects > of Stalinism. Though Bukharin's strong expression is subte and oft not > worth the trouble -to the general reader. > > One is bound to consider the context when reading any of Bukharin's > writing. His ideas are subtly spun in a context (the post-civil war, > consolidation of Stalinism, Totskyism, the rising of Fascism and a > depressed global Capitalism of that time). Many would contend that these > factors are similar to our own i.e., considering the similarity with our > current historical condition. > > Any reading has a backdrop of Bukharin's fall, His notorious show trial, > the historical distortions put this promising Marxist, either as an enemy > of the Socialism, painted as an inconsequential Stalinist. > > However a basic reading always traps the reader, as such an approach > obscures Bukharin's unique and original Marxist position. He is obscured in > the conventions and distorted reproductions of the central committee and > others enemies; all with a particular general line. > > A more serious study is needed i.e., towards relooking at this figure; > such a study would bring much new thoughts on many new topics. I find > Bukharin's angle on theory and practice offers up a critique on each and > every hegemon (evident in Gramsci's work) and hence Stalinism. > > The works of Bukharin need to be expanded upon to clarify his teachings > within the limits caused by the consolidation and cementing of a new type > of absolutism (Stalinism). > > All of Bukharin's work have a distinct identity, esp., within the Marxist > corpus; the works do provide a lot of depth, an analysis with a wonderful > emphasis on the validity of sociology, the Historico-materialist slant. > With some effort the text even breaks out and clearly critiques its > stultified Stalinist (the general line of a quasi police state). > > However Science at the Crossroads, like Frederick Engel's Dialectics of > Nature, takes time to reinterpret; both where written in different > historical conditions i.e., before many of today's scientific concepts came > about. Despite this the underlying framework holds ground and can be built > upon. > > There is a essential Marxist kernel that remain, forever i.e., for as long > a particular (hegemonic) scientific interest poses and is claimed as an > absolute form (cloaked in whatever fancy dress). > > Science is held up (o be linked to the production process, thereby the > claim of discoveries as private property i.e., and the reader can consider > various interests (prison, military industrial complex &c.) > > The work can be a tool to look upon the current condition of Science. It > takes time to work through; and esp., to see the work as a Marxist critique > of Stalin's bureaucratic state. > > The figure of Bukharin is blurred, as was Marxism; he has become a > historical distortion. But his works have an interesting Marxist > orientation, they give readers a means to materialise and touch and > realize the potential in Bukharin's ideas, which made this friendly man to > be such a threat. > > My interest in his work has led me to try to get hold of a digital version > of any of his Prison writings esp., How it all Began, and Philosophical > Arabesques. > > I would also like to make contact with any comrades that are interested in > re-establishing, relooking and sharing thoughts on the writings of comrade > Bukharin. > > ... > Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device > > _________________________________________________________ > Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm > Set your options at: > http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/acpollack2%40gmail.com > _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
