right and this hyper-correct argument gets twisted even more by sectarians when
it is directed at movements of the oppressed or movements objectively in
support of them. Thus some, instead of showing solidarity, insolently ranted
and raved at Quakers protesting the Christmas bombing of Vietnam since
"marxists" don't do that or support milquetoast pacifism that "opposes war in
general". But were the Quakers in that instance opposing war in general and if
they were, in what specific context were they doing it? Moreover, unlike their
sectarian critics, at least they were doing something besides heaping derision
and mockery on the peoples struggle in the manner of snide rich schoolboys and
their little intellectual games which shows, to borrow a phrase from Bob
Avakian, "their utter rightism".
> Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:04:12 -0400
> From: saboca...@gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Marxism] Post
> To: t...@hotmail.com
>
> Ambrose Andrews wrote:
>
>
> Ruling classes have never in all of recorded human history paid the
> slightest attention to pacifist or moral pleadings to peacefully give
> up their wealth and power. Pacifists consequently direct their appeals
> to the oppressed, which disarms and weakens successful resistance and
> contributes to the maintenance of the system which causes war.
>
>
> This is an ahistorical argument that does not take into account
> specific examples of nonviolent resistance as a tactical form of
> struggle, which, I would argue, is the closest marxists have ever come
> to pacifism as such. In other words, sometimes marxists have supported
> tactical non-violence, but not pacifism as an ethic. Just to give two
> examples off the top of my head, the refusal to fight among the troops
> during the Vietnam War had considerable consequences for the ruling
> class, as did the Civil-Rights movement., both of which were in the
> main non-violent movements. Of course, there was quite a bit of
> fragging by the troops as well, and many Civil Rights organizers kept
> weapons in their homes for protection. In any event, in addition to
> the citation provided by Andrews, Caudwell also has a Marxist critique
> of pacifism which can be read here:
>
> http://www.marxists.org/archive/caudwell/1935/pacifism-violence.htm
>
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