En relación a [L-I] On Centrism Today.,
el 12 Jan 01, a las 21:05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] dijo:
> ... we have to understand
> the most basic, the most essential contradiction in its essence; that is,
> centrism wavers between reform and revolution. It means in fact, that when there
> is no relatively consistent, all-rounded genuine Marxist organisation - when
> there is no revolutionary pole of attraction to which all the best sincere
> revolutionaries would gravitate - then where is the material base of the
> revolutionary side of the wavering between reform and revolution. It exists not
> as a material force, but as an historically derived aspiration. And wishful
> thinking is not much of a material force.
What I do not like too much in the above is the reference to the "relatively
consistent, all-rounded genuine Marxist organisation". I know Leon Trotsky
himself spoke in this terms, but it is not the "scientific" (in the sense of
research for the ultimate, _material_ origin of facts of politics and
consciousness) explanation Steve is looking after.
I would rather try to establish the _general social conditions_ upon which
large tracts of the worker's movements develop a wavering policy, conditions
which IMHO should place not so much the stress on the existence of a political
organization (Luxemburgist to the rotten marrow, I always tend to believe that
there will appear an organization when reality claims for it --kidding, not
serious, but not completely so!) but on the inertia of the core class of
socialist revolution, that is the working class, and its difficulties in
actually _transforming itself_ in the sense that our tasks require.
In fact, the working class can be integrated to the capitalist system, as it
actually has been for decades in the core countries. But this integration
cannot deny the fact that, existentially, this class is the negation of
anything that is human by the system. So that it takes the form of a rebellious
integration, thus, centrism. Then, since I differ in the diagnosis, I tend to
differ in the prescription. Steve says:
>
> To understand this a Marxist must grasp the one fundamental of Marxist
> philosophy; must understand Marx's 'Thesis on Feuerbach', or Lenin's
> 'Materialism & Empirio Criticism'; must know deeply that deeds expose the
> truth behind words, as being determines consciousness; must know the Marxist
> theory of knowledge.
I find the above exceedingly idealistic. Of course that one must understand the
tools that will work with. I am a frequent (mis?)quoter of the _Theses_ myself,
so that I am not proposing anything that denies the general thrust of the idea
expressed above. But this will not enable us to understand "centrism", not more
than learning how to use an adjustable spanner will allow us to repair _that_
particular bolt in a jet engine.
I guess that, centrist as it may look (and Lou Proyect has stated this bluntly
on a post within this thread), the way to understand "centrism" not as a narrow
political phenomenon but as a concrete social and political issue which
involves masses of millions does not pass through the staunch adherence to the
basic books and ideas. It passes through meddling with actual people in actual
world, with learning the history behind our present, with betting to
organizative and political projects which may take all of us (and of course,
this "us" is still under construction, but it will certainly include those who
decide to launch themselves on this program) to power and socialism.
Centrism, if anything, and I don't care if I am not in agreement with Leon
Trotsky here (though I am sure that if the Old Man were alive he would
devilishly smile and support me), means not so much a _party_ that is not to
the height of its own historic task. It means a _class_ which is not to the
height of its own historic task.
Néstor Miguel Gorojovsky
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
_______________________________________________
Leninist-International mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To change your options or unsubscribe go to:
http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
