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> On Mar 3, 2020, at 11:18 PM, Louis Proyect via Marxism > <[email protected]> wrote: > > On 3/3/20 10:30 PM, MM via Marxism wrote: >> The point of a Sanders Presidency isn’t that he’s going to usher in >> socialism or even make real inroads towards “structural reforms” (not sure >> what that means, actually), but that he either: >> 1. Makes progress towards reforms that make a real difference in people’s >> lives — healthcare, student debt, union rights — and / or towards reining in >> the fossil fuel industry and its enablers, which would be “not enough but >> better than nothing” in dealing with the ecological emergency(ies); >> or: >> 2. Is visibly and indisputably thwarted by “the establishment” at every turn >> in his efforts to do the kinds of things mentioned in #1 — which will almost >> certainly crystallize a wave of resistance among the millions of young >> people who are putting their hopes in the vision he has articulated as part >> of his campaign, and unleash a wave of civil disobedience the US hasn’t seen >> in decades. >> Either 1. or 2. would be a major step in the right direction. > > That's certainly the expectation of Jacobin/DSA but for those of us still > Quixotic to believe in the need for a socialist revolution, there's an > entirely different agenda that has to do with drawing clear class lines and > gathering together like-minded people for the long haul. > > Voting certainly makes a difference in peoples' lives. For example, I have > indigent relatives who are on Obamacare. It makes a real difference in their > lives. > > But facing monumental threats to the continuing existence of the human race > and life on earth and general, a different kind of tool is needed than the > one wielded by the Sandernistas. It might seem total like self-delusion but > the crisis of revolutionary leadership has to be resolved or else we will end > up like the brontosaurus. The sad history of the left is littered with this kind of misrepresentation and false dichotomy. I didn’t for a moment espouse the DSA / Jacobin line; not in the least. But maybe Lou needs a cheap foil to vent against. Anyone who thinks a second Trump term affords a better opportunity to “draw clear class lines” than would a Sanders presidency is a delusional and dangerous accellerationist. The serious tactical question is how to take advantage of the space a Sanders presidency would afford, under either of the scenarios I mentioned, to draw those “clear class lines” and build the forces necessary for more radical change. That requires political education, among other things, and political education that doesn’t connect with people’s concrete struggles is sectarian cultism. You want people to fight against the system? Give them healthcare and get the debt burden that’s giving them anxiety attacks off their fucking backs. Then tell them there’s more where that came from, including a future for their children, but only if they’re willing to fight like hell for it. And tell them to hold onto each other for dear life because it’s going to be harder than anything they’ve ever done — harder than anything they’ve ever imagined. And there’s homework — lots of homework. But hell, we got Bernie elected despite everything they threw at us, so maybe we can win the rest of it after all. Let’s give it our best shot, and if nothing else let’s go out swinging. That’s what you tell them, or something like that, if you’re interested in “resolving the crisis of revolutionary leadership.” Leadership doesn’t just have an opinion or an analysis; it has a voice. Find that voice. Be that voice. _________________________________________________________ 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
