Hinrich Kuhls wrote: > Only your pessimistic view? Or in fact a gloomy non-future for the > free association of labor? > > No thoughts on the fact, "that the credit system will serve as a > powerful lever during the transition from the capitalist mode of > production to the mode of production of associated labour; but only > as one element in connection with other great organic revolutions of > the mode of production itself..." ? > (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1894-c3/ch36.htm) > > I am aware of the low grade of unionization in the US and problems of > the organization of labor. But what knocks me off my feet is the > dicrepancy of writing off unions by large parts of the US left and > not reflecting this fact politically in terms for the transition of > the US society.
Broadly speaking, there are two dimensions to the transition from capitalism to socialism. First, there is the concentration and centralization of capital, in effect moving capitalism toward being a planned society. This process is encouraged by the role of the credit system (the quote from Marx). The second is the growth of the working class as an organized and class-conscious political and economic force. The first seems to be happening, but the second one seems to be working in reverse (except in Wisconsin, so things may change). This is the material origin of the "discrepancy." Without the growth of the working class, the concentration and centralization of capitalism might mean the transition to capitalism with a corporatist state (e.g., Japan or something worse), which is not something to cheer. Further, remember that the defunct USSR was characterized by complete concentration and centralization of capital, the comprehensive socialization of production, complete with a planned economy. Since the working class wasn't strong enough to control the state, the state could in effect set up a whole new exploitative ruling class (or stratum, if you wish). This suggests that it's the second movement -- the rise of the working class as a potential new ruling class -- that's crucial, much more than the first movement -- the centralization of capital. I don't _want to_ write off the US working class, but unfortunately capitalism has in effect written it off for us. To some extent, the labor union bureaucracy has allowed this to happen. -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
