Re: Re: Peter Dorman and Robin Hahnel (fwd)

[Rob Schaap]

G'day Jim,

>that is, is the problem with the _theory_ or is it with the theory's
>adherent's style?

I don't think it's the theory, Jim.  The way I understand said theory, we
find out what we should do now by reflecting on what's happening in light
of our past practice.  Any advocate of that theory who imposes on the rest
of us an assessment of the progressiveness of our politics, or tells us
what to do - and does so with the moot legitimation afforded by a
particular reading of militants and theorists removed from us by much time
and many kliks - is asking for particularly ruthless criticism in terms of
their own theory, I submit.  I may not quite know what democratic
centralism might look like, but I know a bureaucratically centralist
position when I see one.

Yours,
A proud admirer of P. Dorman and R. Hahnel both.