Ralph,
I have a confession: I haven't read all parts of Meszaros' Beyond
Capital carefully myself. Much more a case of cherry-picking (although
some parts--especially where he draws upon the Grundrisse-- closely).
The editors of Historical Materialism asked me to review it (when I
passed through London in 1995, I think), and I said I would if he
reviewed mine. Definitely a bad deal---over 1000 pages of heavy stuff vs
what was at that time about 180 of relative froth. Nothing came of it.
It's too bad that it hasn't been reviewed seriously (if that's true) but
it hasn't really suffered-- ie., it is a very well-known book. Chavez
was introduced to Meszaros by Jorge Giordani, who supervised his masters
work in prison, was a professor of planning and served as planning
minister for many years; Giordani was a student at IDS at Sussex (of
Dudley Seers) and met Meszaros (with whom he remains close) there. I
don't know the circumstances in which the book was (badly) translated in
Venezuela.
Offhand, I can't remember writing to you in relation to your comment
on a book by Marta. If it was her 'Elements of Historical Materialism'
you saw in translation, we've agreed not to discuss that (given my views
on the 'Marxism' of Althusser, her teacher). She is very pedagogical and
effective in her writing--- a reason why many of her books were the
introduction to marxism for many Latin American militants. (She's done
several more in the last year.) As for any influence we may have here,
we keep plugging away but I can't say anything sticks.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to Meszaros' new book and will have a
few things out in MR (including a new booklet completed for distribution
here); my book on socialism keeps getting interrupted.
cheers,
michael
ps. how did Chavez find the time to read Beyond Capital? He doesn't sleep.
Ralph Johansen wrote:
michael a. lebowitz wrote:
Ralph Johansen wrote:
I apologize to Mike Lebowitz for mistakenly referring to him as Daniel
Lebowitz. I have read his Build it Now, where he discusses Chavez's
appreciation of Meszaros's Archimedian Point, having to do with the
necessity to realize the significance of focusing on the concept of
exchange of activities, determined by communal needs and
purposes - rather than on exchange of things, commodities - as the
fulcrum of fundamental change. I haven't yet read Lebowitz's Beyond
Capital.
If you've made your way through Meszaros' 'Beyond Capital' ('mas alla
del Capital'), you'll find my 'Beyond CAPITAL' (mas alla de El
Capital') a snap! BTW, a mindblower but Chavez has really been into
the former (and gave Fidel a copy).
m
How can I express directly to Hugo Chavez how astounding and hopeful I
find the fact that he, with all the challenges he faces and the time
they occupy, has managed to find the space and the needed
concentration to absorb Meszaros's book and to have seen how it bears
on what he is trying to do? And of course, I can understand how much
your input must have on what is taking place there. The task seems
almost insuperable, and I fervently hope that you will all stay the
course. By the way, I once several years ago wrote a note to Lou's
list saying that I had found the translation I had read years before
of Marta Harnecker's summary of Marx's work "catechetical" or words to
that effect. You wrote me, asking who the hell I was, and I didn't at
the time connect you with Marta. While I couldn't change what I said,
I certainly appreciate what both you and Marta have been doing, over
many years unflaggingly, and certainly I greatly respect your
dedication and the range of your intellectual and practical
comprehension.
My wife Michele Driscoll (a "red diaper baby") has just said to me - I
paraphrase roughly - that she's not surprised when I say that the only
responses I received to my remarks about Meszaros were from you and an
economist at a college founded by the Society of Jesus. I mean, in the
elapsed thirteen years, as far as I've been able to locate, not even
so much as a colorable critique! She says that I am fortunate in that
I was born 84 years ago, somewhat before the accelerating blight, and
that I had as a career the practice of law and what that entails in
being forced to concentrate on the abstract and its relation to the
concrete; that anyone who came of age in the past number of years,
with all the numbing distraction and cognitive dissonance in their
lives, would not be likely to find either the time or the interest or
the comprehension to stay with Meszaros's work. Or the works of Marx.
She recounted how incomprehensible her students found extracts she had
given to her class on Marx's concept of alienation. And that I should
not blame her or them. She thinks that Meszaros may be viewed
historically as too dense and arcane for his time and not sufficiently
appreciative of how opaque his works as he has presented them must
seem to his contemporaries. While I am not sure how universal that
condition is, especially given what other efforts I see being made,
the understanding shown by you and Chavez and a few others on the
left, I see her point.
I would like to put out a readable appreciation of Beyond Capital
soon, in both of its manifestations. Although my background may not
equip me for the task, it's badly needed and I am going to try. I look
forward to Meszaros's coming book, as well as whatever you and Marta
produce.
Best wishes,
Ralph
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--
Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6
Director, Programme in 'Transformative Practice and Human Development'
Centro Internacional Miranda, P.H.
Residencias Anauco Suites, Parque Central, final Av. Bolivar
Caracas, Venezuela
fax: 0212 5768274/0212 5777231
http//:centrointernacionalmiranda.gob.ve
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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