la revolution

Max Sawicky sawicky at epinet.org
Sat Aug 22 13:38:59 PDT 1998



>
> Paula, I wasn't talking about *all* (perhaps not even most) reforms; I
> was trying to describe a very particular kind of reform in the abstract
> and then argued that the Tobin Tax (as opposed, for example, to
> reversing Clinton's destruction of welfare) was an instance of that kind
> of reform. The trouble with babbling about such reforms as the Tobin Tax
> is that even if we were agreed it was good for the working class, there
> is nothing we could do about it. So for marxists or other progressives

The Tobin tax is a modest reform, as these things go. If we can't do anything about it, we're in worse shape than I thought.


> to babble on about it is not just "counter revolutionary," its "counter
> real reform." The more we let Chris Burford or Max Sawicki suck us into
> these idiotic arguments over nothing that we can possibly affect, the

sigh. defeatism defeatism defeatism.


> less attention we will give to such important concerns as aiding in or
> being part of the unionizing of MacDonald's workers or the destruction
> of the Democratic Party. (And until the Democratic Party is destroyed
> not only will we not win many of those desperately needed reforms, we
> will continue to see the enemy impose on us more and more reforms such
> as the murderous Welfare Reform act of 1996 or the endless war on
> workers' minds that goes under the heading of "War on Drugs."

So capitalism won't let you have a Tobin tax, but it will let you "destroy the Democratic Part," which for you is an essential instrument of its rule?

Incidentally there's already a movement to destroy the Democratic Party. It's called the Republican Party.


>
> Imagine if the Korean workers had their consciousness dominated by Chris
> or Max. Instead of occupying Hyundai in defense of their jobs they would
> be standing cap in hand in the lobby of the Korean Central Bank, begging
> to have a chance to kneel before the Chairman to convince him of the
> truth and beauty of the Tobin Tax.

Any fool can see the value of supporting a strike, unionization, or a factory occupation. What's tough is finding something useful to do in between these events, which means MOST OF THE TIME!


>
> (On the other hand, at the right time such a hopeless gesture of
> submission can be Mao's spark that ignites a prairie file--see Russian
> history of 1904-05.)
>
> Chris and Max have this obsessive, even addictive, need to discuss
> whether this that or the other thing would be a good thing. And that

Yes yes I confess this is true.


> addiction comes very close to making them act as provacateurs. Their

By contrast, "destroying the Democratic Party" would not be the work of provocateurs.

BTW, this is "very close" to cop-baiting.


> reforms are as counter-productive as the Omagh bombing. It is Chris and

Incoming!! Minimum wage increase!!! HMO regulation! Watch your heads!


> Max, not Lou and Mark and I, who most resemble the Sparts. As
> superficially different as they seem, both they and the Sparts share one
> very fundamental trait: let's argue about ghosts so we won't get our
> fingers dirty in the struggle.

My favorite spart slogan:

"ALL INDO-CHINA MUST GO COMMUNIST!"

Now, who does that sound like?

Cheers,

MBS



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