"Carrol Cox" <[email protected]> wrote: 

> The concept of "intermediate steps" is simply an expression the Idea of 
> Progress -- which is at the very core of capitalist ideology. 

I don't think there is a capitalist ideology. Capitalism originated as emergent 
property 
of the mercantile economy without anyone proposing it as an economic system. 

> There is no ratchet effect in history. 

I think we see that all the time with science and technical advances. But, many 
advances in society can be rescinded. 

> This does _not_ mean that the struggle for reforms" (e.g., " reducing the 
> amount of 
> surplus value that goes to capital") is not essential; it does mean that such 
> reforms 
> do not advance us one step towards socialism but _merely_ buttress the 
> potential 
> strength of the working class -- or, more precisely, head off the reduction 
> of workers 
> to one level mass of wretches incapable of any higher struggle. 

How will we recognize when we have attained socialism? Or, is socialism a 
moving 
target? 

-- 
Ron 

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