Attempts to describe socialism are implicit claims to possess a crystal ball.
^^^^^^ CB: The crystal ball metaphor is not appropriate after the human race had enormous experience with the beginning aspects of socialism in both Communist countries and social democratic governments in capitalist countries during the 20th Century and into the 21st. Britain still has socialized medicine even after Thatcher is dead. The socialized medicine of fully socialized society won't be that much different than what Britain has now. So, the crystal ball image is imprecise. Socialism is not a big mystery in the future. ^^^^ We are struggling for human freedom from capitalist relations; if (which is a bit doubtful) we succeed, those enjoying that freedom will have to work out in their practice what socialism will be. Nothing anyone says or thinks now can constrain their freedom. I would agree with Marx's call for elimination of the watges system (which is just another name for capitalism), but beyond that arguments over what socialism is or should be are merely chatter in the bleachers. ^^^ CB: I'd say there is more of a presaging of socialism in the specific struggles against capitalism going on now than you allow. Socialism derives in part organically from anti-capitalism. ^^^^^^ And usually such chatter is confined to those who are not, at present, doing a damn thing, even joining a local group opposing war or fracking. The one real theoretical breakthrough of the Bolsheviks was that rule that caused the split. I want to generalize it. If you don't belong to some local group, participating in its thinking and action, you don't really have a lot to say. Carrol ^^^^^ CB: I'd say Occupy Wall Street is a new working class party. We r the 99% ! Socialism is the rule of the 99%. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
