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I think it's not possible to understand what happened with ISO or the other different "democratic centralist" groups by simply looking at what they did, how they organized. I think we have to start by considering the period. This includes the influence and power of Stalinism, the softening of class relations and the tightened grip of the union bureaucracy in the US, and the role of the Red Scare. And, don't forget, when class relations tightened up again, starting in the later 1970s, that only led to the union bureaucracy becoming even more craven and their tightening their grip even further! In this difficult situation, the socialist left tended to circle its wagons, to look inward. The influence of Stalinism can also be seen internationally, most clearly, for example in South Africa. It was the SA Communist Party that formed the "left" of the ANC. They were the most "militant" wing. And they also originally opposed the independent organizing of the black South African working class into COSATU. At that time, here in the US, it was impossible to raise any sort of criticism of the ANC without running into denunciations, including from allegedly Trotskyists. Same for criticisms of Mugabe. Same for the guerrilla struggles in Central America. So, we see, how the relative isolation from the working class at home helped allow the ideas of Stalinism to sneak in through the back door. The organizational mistakes mainly (although not entirely) reflected the political mistakes - both of which were tied to the objective situation. I think that without seeing it this way, it will be difficult to more forward. Here, by the way, is something that I wrote on the issue nearly a year ago: https://oaklandsocialist.com/2018/08/29/what-happened-to-revolutionary-socialism/ John Reimann -- *“In politics, abstract terms conceal treachery.” *from "The Black Jacobins" by C. L. R. James Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
