Devine, James wrote: If you think about "the power to fire workers, bequeath property to their sons or daughters, sell/strip assets, etc.," you're thinking about a specifically capitalist form of class power. (Did the Pharaoh have the ability to "the power to fire workers, bequeath property to their sons or daughters, sell/strip assets, etc."?) There have been many other kinds of class power in the history of the world. In any event, Kim il Sung seems to have bequeathed North Korea to his son.
Reply: Well, we seem to have a different understanding of class. I consider ownership of the means of production to be crucial. Like a feudal lord owning land, or a Southern Bourbon owning slaves. I didn't consider Jimmy Hoffa to be a member of the ruling class in the USA despite the outward trappings of wealth and power.
--
The Marxism list: www.marxmail.org
