From: Jim Devine Carrol Cox wrote: > Only Marx never made that claim. > > You can't get to heaven in a rocking chair, and that's the ?essential > hope of unMarxian socialists who speak of capitalism destroying itself. > > If you don't hit it, it won't fall.
Well, it does mean something if a non-Marxist (and non-Leftist) suggests that capitalism is self-destructive. In any event, Marx's theory does suggest that capitalism is self-destructive. What he didn't say was that capitalism would automatically be replaced by socialism or communism. He said that capitalism created its own grave-diggers (the working class). What he didn't say was that capitalism will automatically be buried. Instead, just as a cocaine addict can be self-destructive without being destroyed, capitalism can recover (after suffering and struggle). Roubini's sense of the phrase "self-destructive" fits with this conception. BTW, this business of "non-Marxian" reminds me of the old phrase "unAmerican" (which has recently been revived by Teabaggers). It suggests nothing but a dogmatic mindset. We can't learn from other thinkers? or from experience? -- ^^^^^^^^ CB: Economists who do not have a Marxist theory can factually corroborate claims by Marx or those who have a Marxist theory of political economy. However, non-Marxist theoretical concepts can also distort or neutralize Marxist analysis. Marxism is not eclectic. It doesn't mix with other theories. Intellectual pluralism most often distorts Marxism. This is the real significance of Marx's famous joke tht he was not a Marxist. The analogy to Tea Baggers' UnAmerican usage doesn't work. Marx insisting that his theory is a discipline is not like the Tea Party demagogy concering patriotism. In fact, concerning the Emergency Financial Manager law ( Dictator law) in Michigan., I testified at the legislature calling tht law "UnAmerican" as it deprives local electorates of their votes for local officials, and allows an unelected person to take over the powers of elected officials. That is unAmerican and the Tea Party is unAmerican in that regard.. The left should claim patriotism for supporting America's pro-working class and democratic laws and principles. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
