>The reason why I am writing this is that back home, we, the left (not only
the
>socialists but also the social democrats, excluding third-wayers, and even
the
>tiny groups anarchists, ecologists and the like), are being challenged by the
>counter party to offer an alternative in these days.
>
>Wouldn't it have been nicer if we were better prepared?
>
>Best,
>Sabri
Sabri, the people demonstrating in the streets are not really interested in
a discussion about the feasibilty of socialism versus capitalism, I would
surmise. The single event that seems to have energized the recent posts was
a florist hurling an empty cash register at Ecevit. For the intelligentsia
there will always be intense debates around the tables at American
University in Istanbul and other places where the left has a presence. But
from my standpoint as a Marxist, it seems to me that the challenge is the
same as it is in any society entering a deep social crisis: how to move the
mass movement forward. I would urge you to visit the archives at
www.marxmail.org and review the contributions of Nestor Gorojovsky who was
subbed to PEN-L until certain kinds of static forced him to unsub.
Gorojovsky is an Argentinian socialist who has been active for over 30
years, about the same time as me. Argentina is going through the exact kind
of crisis as Turkey and for many of the same reasons. Nestor's posts to the
list have mostly to do with problems facing the labor movement, which is
key to the Argentinian revolution. A rebel by the name of Moyano has taken
on the bourgeoisie and has attracted support from the clergy and middle
class, which is being impoverished as the same rate as Turkey's
shopkeepers. Socialism will come about only through the consolidation of a
series of success in the mass movement and through bitter struggle. I doubt
that Argentinians in the labor and social movements have much time or
energy to wrestle over market socialism, what went wrong in the USSR, etc.
Unless the workers come to power there, no future is possible. Everything
has to be focused on achieving victories by the trade unions and its
allies. That is the path to a better future.
Louis Proyect
Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org/
