On 7/25/06, Jim Devine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I wrote:
> > > Hizbullah, on the other hand, seems extremely well-organized and
> > motivated. Too bad their ideology is so repugnant.
Carrol:
> I don't think we in the imperialist west can for the time being be picky
> about the ideology of what remains anti-imperialist forces in the
> mideast. It was the U.S. that directly or indirectly destroyed secular
> left forces there, leaving only forces whose "ideology is so repugnant"
> to resist U.S. power and its mideastern extensions.
I'm afraid that Hizbullah (the "party of God") and neoliberal
imperialism are almost two different sides of the same coin.[*] More
accurately, there's a symbiotic relationship between the two. In this
neoliberal stage of imperialism, the main surge is to destroy any
victories that the working class and any progressive nationalist
forces have won, so that business can profit from what used to be the
business of the state (health, education, welfare, etc., etc.) This
doesn't solve -- or even come close to solving -- the human need for
health, education, welfare, etc., so some sort of counter-acting
movement is needed.[**] One of Hizbollah's main sources of power is
its provision of the services that neoliberalism denies to the state.
Neoliberalism needs such forces, though of course its leaders don't
like the form it takes when it involves Hizbullah or Hamas. The
neoliberals want "charity" to take up the slack, complete with all the
negative sides to charity (paternalism, etc.) The necessarily
fragmented -- anti-internationalist -- nature of nationalist/religious
movements such as Hizbullah also serves neoliberalism, since it can
hardly be seen as a global challenge (despite all the stuff about
alliances with Iran and Syria).
Where do they get their money to do welfare work? Iran and Syria?
How much per year?
Is Hizbullah opposed to the state providing welfare or is it providing
welfare because the state refuses to do so and because it allows it to
build a "dual power" structure?
What else does Hizbullah believe in? What other items exist on its
economic agenda? Women's rights? Sexuality?
--
Yoshie
<http://montages.blogspot.com/>
<http://mrzine.org>
<http://monthlyreview.org/>
