Hi Cde Claire, I was happy when I saw that you were contributing to this discussion but now I notice that there is no response to you yet, so let me add something that from my point of view seems to be getting lost, in the hope of regenerating this (to me) vital dialogue.
I do think that one must have a strategic and explicit goal of reversing the bourgeois bias of universities, just to take them first. But I do not think this boils down to "curriculum". Changing the curriculum and having e.g. "The Critique of the Gotha Programme" and/or "The State and Revolution" taught by the incumbent academics, excluding a few like yourself, will not get us very far beyond a massive academic argy-bargy in the groves of academe. When I propose that students should take the initiative and organise classes on Freirean lines, I am not proposing a stop-gap or a blackmail that would only last until the curriculum changed and the establishment took up the task "officially". I am proposing a permanent revolution. I am proposing that by the act of students initiating classes, the whole nature of the university changes, or actually reverts back to what it was supposed to be in Aristotle's time: a gathering of peers, whose only individual status was given by the recognition of their peers (a "degree"). In Freirean terms that translates as "the teachers must be learners and the learners must be teachers". Which does *not* mean "liberty hall", or anything like the Chinese Cultural Revolution. It means that all are potentially subjects, but leadership is a matter of fact. Freire needs to be closely and repeatedly studied, together with practice, and it is hard work, but the result is a living body of cultural criticism and educational criticism, without the existence of which no further qualitative change will be possible. VC On 4 January 2011 17:25, claire <[email protected]> wrote: > I don’t think the statement says that drinking expensive whisky makes you > an exploiter. It says that only exploiters (‘the rich’) can afford expensive > whiskey. > > > > Regarding curriculum changes – of course! But I don’t want to teach a > radical curriculum to rich kids alone, what’s the point? convert the > bourgeoisie? Really, we need our universities to be flooded with proletarian > students. There is no reason that we should give in to the pressure to > quietly adjust the size of the universities to the shrinking needs of > capital for human resource managers. True dat proletarian students also get > tied to careerism. In fact proletarian students may be tied all the more > tightly by their class origin. Whole families rode out of the townships on > the advance of some of those bright black youngsters who were snapped up by > capital into their human resources and management machinery in the 15 after > the end of apartheid. The openings for poorer students to advance like this > are restricting again - capitalism only has room in the middle for a limited > number of people, and now these kinds of posts have been > politically-corrected. The economic crisis may shrink them further. > Nevertheless a few will always make it through the class filter, so there > remains enormous pressure on students from poorer backgrounds to take > ‘career’ oriented courses and get into the corporate world quickly. This is > why the SASCO statement is right to drag employment and etc etc into the > picture. The system *is* rigged, not by bourgeois curriculum alone but by > the pressures on students from broader society. > > > > What we shouldn’t forget is that the particular pressures on proletarian > students can be explosive, and open up insights about what’s wrong with the > world. However when you’re a tiny minority in a strange new middle class > world, it is easy to read those pressures as individual failure - your own > shameful working class secret - and it’s hard to resist the pressure from > home because you’re one of the few from your class who got this chance. You > work at conforming. That’s different when you know lots of students like > yourself. All the big education struggles around the world seem to come > after an expansion of education drawing in more proletarian students. > Without proletarian students, there’s no proletarian student movement. > Without a prole student movement, not much hope of a new curriculum, not > much chance to build an alternative pushing against careerism…. > > > > Claire > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Dominic Tweedie > *Sent:* Tuesday, January 04, 2011 7:52 AM > > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [YCLSA Discussion] SASCO Says make yourselves a happy new > year > > > > > > A Vanguarding New Year to you, Cde George and to all on this forum. > > > > Concerning the SASCO comrades' statement, I would like to see more > qualitative critique from them, as opposed to comparisons. > > > > I don't think that saying that somebody's whiskey is more expensive than > the one you are drinking makes that person an exploiter, while you with your > relatively cheaper whiskey are not an exploiter, although millions can't > afford any whiskey at all. That is not a strong argument. > > > > Especially in the field of education, one would like to see a qualitative > critique coming from the supposed users, clients or beneficiaries of the > system - the students and their leaders. It would not be for the first time > in this country. I think such a critique is overdue. > > > > In 1976 the protest was to be taught in languages other than Afrikaans. > Now, the struggle should be to be taught ideology other than bourgeois > ideology. > > > > It is fine to say that no student should be excluded from institutions for > lack of funds, but what are these institutions doing with these students? > Mostly, they are reproducing bourgeois class relations. Mostly, they are > pushing out some commodified human beings, plus a lot of rejected human > beings. > > > > It is not o.k. for the students to take the educational "product" > unexamined. > > > > I would like to hear more about students and their organisations taking > initiative to do the political education that the universities and schools > do not do. > > > > On a day when students rejoice at their inclusion (while another proportion > cannot rejoice), is it not right to ask what they are being included into? > > > > What is the "sub-text" of the matric/degree/doctorate route? How many of > those who win acceptance in this way turn out to be capable of making a > revolutionary contribution to society? And how many, on the contrary, are > lost to us and tied for life to the bourgeoisie? Is it not the case that the > system is rigged to produce the latter outcome, even among the rejects? > Because it makes everybody to be pointing in the one direction, whether they > are going to win, or lose. > > > > I torpedo. I submarine. I dive, hoping I have scored a hit. > > > > VC > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 3 January 2011 23:29, George Raphela <[email protected]> wrote: > > Indeed KG, that message is powerful. atleast a different view on this > socalled HOLYDAYS, I don't know what is holy about them. Every time there is > always an assessment of how much profit has been made during that period. > Who are the really beneficiaries of these things after all. > > > > It should be our task to expose these capitalist tendencies at all time as > more importantly as young Marxist - Leninist under this system and SASCO is > starting to do that. > > > > *Socialism in our life time *(YCL) > > > > > > On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 1:06 PM, Kanego, Clarence Thete <[email protected]> > wrote: > > The Members, Leaders in lower structures and Convocants of SASCO and the > entire MDM must be proud of your work Cdes Mandlana and Ndamase. Foward with > uncompromising and unapologetic Marxism-Leninism! Your message is indeed > powerful! > > > > On Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 9:44 PM, Cedric Gina <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Viva internationalism > > Sent from my iPad > > > On 30 Dec 2010, at 7:30 PM, "Richard Neva" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Lazola, It took a lifetime of working in a state penitentiary in America > to know all about racism. I left there in retirement and always got out > safe because I spent time listening to the inmates and empathizing with > them. America is a lock up country and poor people of color are the target > as elsewhere. I am so glad I found your web site and hope to contribute > soon. I too am a Marxist Communist and I support the world revolution of the > poor dispossessed. I want to learn more about Africa and maybe visit some > day and join you in your daily struggle for survival! I am with you in > heart and spirit! Comrade Richard > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cedric Gina" <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Cc: "yclsa-eom-forum" <[email protected]> > > Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 10:15 AM > > Subject: Re: [YCLSA Discussion] SASCO Says make yourselves a happy new > year > > > > > > Powerful > > > > Sent from my iPad > > > > On 30 Dec 2010, at 2:31 PM, Lazola Ndamase <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> Don’t just wish for a happy new year: Fight for it > >> > >> 30 December 2010 > >> > >> Coming from a year of World Cup joy and tears for lack of Free > >> Education, it is not surprising that we are eager to celebrate the end > >> of 2010 and mark the beginning of 2011. We, those of the poor, bear > >> the scars of financial exclusions, grinding poverty, unemployment and > >> disease of the past year. We have, in the same year, seen the rise of > >> the sushi elite, Tenderpreneurs, the new tendency with its > >> anti-communism, taste for lavish lifestyles even by the most > >> left-leaning of Ministers, thousands of unemployed thrown into the > >> streets and thousands of students spewed into street corners by an > >> ever intransigent higher education system. Things must not be allowed > >> to go on in this way in 2011. > >> > >> In the past year alone, we have also seen restrained but heroic > >> working class struggles – from the Free Education campaign mounted by > >> thousands of students at the beginning of the year to the public > >> service strike mid-year. The past year alone, has fixed the matter > >> firmly in the eyes of all who do not deliberately close their eyes > >> that the state cannot and will never be an impartial referee in > >> ongoing class struggles, it takes one side and that has been the side > >> of the rich capitalist class in the past year. If 2011 has to be a > >> happy new-year, a radical shift is needed. > >> > >> We will not only wish a happy new year to the working class and the > >> poor, but will pose a challenge which we believe will lead to a REALLY > >> happy new year for the poor. We call on the working class to make 2011 > >> a happy new year through taking power with their own hands by fighting > >> for: free education, increased access to institutions of higher > >> learning, better salaries, full employment, better and more houses, > >> nationalization – not bailouts, but most importantly to defeat > >> capitalism and abolish private property. If the working class and poor > >> do not fight for the realization of these, 2011 will certainly NOT be > >> a happy new year but will once more be a year of disappointment and > >> dashed dreams. > >> > >> As we drink cheap whiskies and beers, we should gaze up towards the > >> rich as they down expensive whiskies and tell ourselves that they do > >> so at the expense of the majority. As we are squashed in > >> accident-prone overloaded taxis to the beach, we should look to the > >> expensive air-conditioned German cars driven by the rich and tell > >> ourselves those are products of the sweat of the working class whose > >> hard-work it cannot enjoy. As we braai our Christmas meat leftovers, > >> we should look at the Sushi enjoyed by the rich and tell ourselves > >> this will not take place the next year. As we enjoy our little savings > >> of the past year, we should watch the rich buy willy-nilly with no > >> limit with the money it stole from the working class as profits and > >> tell ourselves this could have been used for free education. > >> > >> We will tell ourselves in the new year that we will not only wish for > >> a happy new year, but we will fight for it. We will ensure that we > >> destroy all that ensures that we remain poor and cannot afford basic > >> necessities. We will ensure, like those who fought apartheid that we > >> will fight for a better economic and educational future, one that will > >> be filled with happy new years’, one after the other, without the need > >> for consistent wishes at the beginning of every year. As a start, our > >> organization will launch a most ferocious free education campaign from > >> the moment institutions open with a determination that no student must > >> be excluded from institutions for lack of funds. The achievement of > >> all these goals to us will constitute a truly happy new year. > >> > >> Nonetheless, we wish everybody a happy and prosperous new year. > >> > >> For details Contact > >> Mbulelo Mandlana (President) > >> 071 879 3408 > >> > >> Or > >> > >> Lazola Ndamase (Secretary General) > >> 082 679 8718 > >> > >> -- > >> You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > >> Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply > to this message. > >> You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > >> To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email > [email protected] . You don't have to put > anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the > message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address > (repeat): [email protected] . > > > > -- > > You are subscribed. 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All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address > (repeat): [email protected] . > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > > > -- > George Raphela > Limpopo SACP > Provincial Organiser > 073 964 5829 > or > 079 059 8865 > > -- > > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > > > > -- > Blog at: http://domza.blogspot.com/ > Communist University web site at: http://amadlandawonye.wikispaces.com/ > Subscribe for free e-mail updates at: > http://groups.google.com/group/Communist-University/ > Library of documents (CU "CD") at: http://cu.domza.net/ > [email protected] > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. 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