Greetings, On Sun, 17 Aug 1997, James Michael Craven wrote: > > Greetings, > > On Sun, 17 Aug 1997, Harry M. Cleaver wrote: > > > > Is Capitalism Sustainable? Let's hope not, or rather let's do our best to > > > make sure that it continues to be able to sustain itself for as short a > > > time as possible. "Sustainable Capitalism" is a nightmare.(That includes > > > "sustainable development" because "development" has always meant > > > capitalist development.) Economists, as a rule, don't worry about whether > > > or not it is sustainable in theory; they are hard at work doing their best > > > to make it so for as long as possible. What do you expect? It's what > > > economics has always been about. For one take on "sustainablity" see url: > > > http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/port.html > > > > > > Harry > > > > > > ........................................................................... > > > Harry Cleaver > > > Department of Economics > > > University of Texas at Austin > > > Austin, Texas 78712-1173 USA > > > Phone Numbers: (hm) (512) 478-8427 > > > (off) (512) 475-8535 Fax:(512) 471-3510 > > > E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Cleaver homepage: > > > http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/index.html > > > Chiapas95 homepage: > > > http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/chiapas95.html > > > Accion Zapatista homepage: > > > http://www.utexas.edu/students/nave/ > > > ........................................................................... > > > > > > > All socio-economic formations, including capitalism, are governed > > by objective laws. karl Marx's theory of surplus value shows that > > capitalism gives rise to its own demise. Speaking dialectically, no > > socio-economic formation lasts forever. > > > > > > Shawgi Tell > > Graduate School of Education > > University at Buffalo > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Response (Jim C): Yes, but... > > It takes more than the "automatic unfolding of the dialectic". It > takes focused, disciplined, concerted, resolute, determined > collective action. It takes theory that illuminates rather than > disorts or obscures essential realities in need of transformation. It > takes unity, but on a principled basis. It takes linking theory and > practice--theory that serves and is tested by concrete practice. It > takes continual self-examination and self-correction on the part of > those seeking transformation. It takes those working for change being > able to relate to, work with, learn from and teach people from > diverse backgrounds with diverse agenda. It takes willingness to > sacrifice all, even loss of one's life, in the service of needed > transformations. It takes uncompromising spirit in the sense of not > being willing to do the bidding of or Faustian deals with those > seeking to prevent needed transformations. It takes intellectuals > doing their work to illuminate and solve concrete problems and/or > take concrete struggles to higher levels rather than using their work > for self-promotion, CV-building or carving out specialized "market > niches". It takes victims uniting with other victims rather than only > worrying about their own narrow agenda or personal victimization. > And it takes much more than what has been listed... > > Jim Craven > > *-------------------------------------------------------------------* > * "Those who take the most from the table,* > * James Craven teach contentment. * > * Dept of Economics Those for whom the taxes are destined, * > * Clark College demand sacrifice. * > * 1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd. Those who eat their fill, * > * Vancouver, Wa. 98663 speak to the hungry, * > * (360) 992-2283 of wonderful times to come. * > * Fax: (360) 992-2863 Those who lead the country into the abyss,* > * [EMAIL PROTECTED] call ruling difficult, * > * for ordinary folk." (Bertolt Brecht) * > * MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION * > > Absolutely. As Stalin clarifies: If it is granted that the proletarian movement has two sides, objective and subjective, then the field of operation of strategy and tactics is undoubtedly limited to the subjective side of the movement. The objective side comprises the processes of development which take place outside of an around the proletariat independently of its will and of the will of its party, processes which, in the final analysis, determine the development of the whole of society. The subjective side comprises the processes which take place within the proletariat as the reflection in the consciousness of the proletariat of the objective processes, accelerating or retarding the latter, but not determining them. The Marxist theory, which primarily studies processes in their development and decline, defines the trend of development and points to the class or classes which are inevitably rising to power, or are inevitably falling, which must fall... "Political Strategy and Tactics of Russian Communists" At this time, the objective conditions for revolution are overripe. The subjective conditions need to be developed further. Shawgi Tell Graduate School of Education University at Buffalo [EMAIL PROTECTED]
