[YCLSA Discussion] Re: Marx or Marxism? [CU781]

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:11:06 -0800

Comrades of the YCLSA Discussion Forum,

Here, below, is a response to the CU post "Marx or Marxism", all the way from Harvard, USA.

When I got Dick Levins' message I wrote  to thank him, and to ask if I could subscribe him to this YCLSA forum, post his message here, and debate it here. He agreed at once, saying he would be delighted.

I do have a point of view on this which I will not post immediately. At least let me say that Cde Dick has gone straight to the heart of the matter.

I know that there are fervent supporters of "dialectical materialism" in our Party. Here is strong support for you, comrades. Do please support your point of view.

Alternatively, by all means lambaste the question of "dialectical materialism". We are not a dogmatic party. We are not a religion. Everything must be justifiable.

Read below what the comrade from Harvard has written, and respond, comrades. This is an opportunity for us.

Best,

VC


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Richard Levins <[email protected]>
Date: 2009/11/4
Subject: Re: [CU781] [Communist University] Marx or Marxism?
To: [email protected]


Dear comrades,

I would like to propose an alternative view of dialectical materialism:

  1. The term combines the criticism of mechanistic materialism and idealism and therefore is a fair description of what Marx and Engels accomplished in philosophy.
  2. It was hijacked in the USSR to provide apologetics for decisions taken for other reasons. In Soviet scientific writings we find two levels of dialectical materialism: a formalistic kowtowing to dogma in the introductions of books, but also a more subtle infusion of dialectical thinking in the body of the work. This lead to more holistic and dynamic thinking in fields such as evolution, ecology, soil science, fisheries, etc.(we are all more familiar with the horrors committed in its name in genetics).
  3. It is worth rescuing the term from Stalin at a time when science is showing more religious infiltrations and fragmentation and it is necessary to fight on two fronts: against reductionist scientism and against mystification.

Best wishes, Dick Levins
 
 

=========================
Richard Levins

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