Re: M-TH: Workers Action
On Mon, 19 Jun 2000, George Pennefather wrote: What kind of group are or were the WIL? They were Labour party entrists, affiliated with USec I think. They emerged from the WRP after it broke up. --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---
Re: M-TH: Communism gains acceptance in Japan
At 12:43 18/06/00 -0400, you wrote: Communism gains acceptance in Japan Economic problems turn voters away from mainstream parties By Sharon Moshavi, Globe Correspondent, 6/18/2000 Interesting article and hopeful, if old prejudices are dying out. But the developments here must be qualified in many ways. They sound similar to the gradual relative rise in respect and acceptability for the Communist Party of Italy. That went hand in hand with developments in Eurocommunism, and also with changes of name. Although the official policy is not to change the name of the CPJ, it is not surprising the question has come up. The article is accompanied by many protestations against anything that may sound like the dictatorship of the proletariat. Ultimately force lies behind much of politics. Tactically and strategically I am sure the CPJ is right not to imply it will be the first to use force. But from this bourgeois report it could be more explicit about how it is going to neutralise the force of the enemy. It appears to be attracting votes as a sort of protest party concentrating on local activism. It sounds the equivalent in English terms of a cross between the Liberal Democrats and Ken Livingstone. Gathering together all the threads of discontent is a strategy which has Lenin's stamp of approval, and they appear to be occupying a viable niche here, but it is not really communism. Or is it? The report is reminiscent of the situation which Marx and Lenin described in the early 1840's in Germany when all different strata called themselves communists. The CPJ seems to be angling for a return to that sort of acceptance. After all Jesus was a communist, and different sorts of communists have surfaced in different social conditions throughout history. How does the CPJ deal with class contradictions, and finance capital? Chris Burford London --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---
M-TH: OAS protest in Detroit
OAS protest in Detroit Special to the World DETROIT, Mich. * A crowd gathered at Hart Plaza here last week to show support for those protesting against the Organization of American States (OAS) meetings being held across the border in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. About 500 demonstrators marched down Woodward Ave. and joined another 500 gathered at the plaza. More than 4,000 police with mace, dogs and helicopters surrounded the demonstrators. "There are several hundred people here today to show their solidarity with the people throughout the western hemisphere," said Dave Elsila, a member of Newspaper Guild Local 22, "to make sure that any agreement that is signed protects the environment as well as the workers out here," A speaker for the Green Party told the crowd he was committed to non-violence, but at every-day events he sees violence committed by the state powers: city hall and county, state and federal governments. He said the OAS is another effort at globalization. "Globalization is about taking our democratic rights away and giving all to the corporations. It is about a few getting rich while the many suffer poverty." Jason Wade, of Local 58 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, accused the city leaders of spending over $5 million on police for this event instead of repairing and reopening nine schools that have been closed. "Trade is going to have the effect of harmonizing relations and the problem is do we harmonize them upwards or downwards," said Dan McCarthy, president of UAW Local 417. "Those of the OAS have an agenda for harmonizing things downward. We can't have that. We need high wages and a pro-worker strategy if we are to experience any fairness." --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---
M-TH: M-INTRO: Trying to Understand Praxis
One of the larger lists in marxism space is marxism-intro. It has over 200 s*bscr*bers. It is still hosted by the spoon collective. It is usually silent except when I teach my email class about Marx's Capital (the next one is going to begin in September.) The participants at marxism-intro want to have a discussion. Pseudonym GALEN asked a question which I was unable to answer. It is not exactly intro, but it might be a good start of a discussion. I am appending his question below. If you know an answer, please come over to marxism intro, i.e., send the message subscribe marxism-intro to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and get involved. This list is an excellent opportunity to share some marxist thinking with interested newcomers. BTW, those on marxism-intro who want to get off can follow the same procedure, just use "unsubscribe" instead of "subscribe" Hans Ehrbar. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Here is GALEN's question about praxis: Hello all, I have been thinking and reading about Marxism(s) lately. Some concepts I get right away, but other concepts take time to understand. At this point I have some questions about a topic that seems deceptively simple, praxis. Perhaps some of you could help me. First, I am wondering what praxis is according to Marx (and where is the discussion located)? Why was it important to him? Was it immediately related to revolution? I am also wondering how the notion of praxis has changed since Marx? That is, are there different kinds of Marxist praxis and what brought about any changes in the concept? And finally, how does praxis relate to the here and now? For example, are teaching, reading, or theorizing praxis? Or when does action become praxis? Thanks, Galen --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---
