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<P>James Devine wrote:
<P>"BTW, I don't think the left/right spectrum is useful except in the
most superficial political analysis."
<P>Jim's labelling as "sectarian" careless use of either "ultra-left" or
"the left/right spectrum" is pretty accurate. There is one (mostly past)
verbal definition and expansion of the terms "left opportunism" (ultraleftism)
and "right opportunism," that if -- I know: a VERY big if -- the definitions
are accepted by all in a discussion, can be illuminating, but only as stating
a proposition to be explored, not as a flat (and in the case of Max's
use this time, stupidly provocative) and final judgment. This definition
of left-opportunism is any political position grounded in an over-estimation
of the strength of the capitalist class and/or underestimation of the strength
of the working class. (In *merely* antiquarian consideration of various
17th & 18th c. English writers I have found this to be a useful metaphor
with which to approach those writers.) The virtue of the definition is
that it forces (or at least should force) a focus on the actual principles
involved in any political course rather stupid dogmatic diktat's such as
Max's in this thread.
<P>In this framework, the judgment of Hitchens, Doug, my position as "ultra-leftism"
would have, developed in detail, to assert something like the following:
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<BLOCKQUOTE>They (ultra-lefts -- say Doug) has such an overwhelming conviction
of the absolute power of the Capitalist Class over its agent, the Democratic
Party, that he is unable to see that in fact that grip is so insecure,
and the strength of the working class so great that that servant (the D.P)
can easily be wrenched from the hands of the Capitalists and Imperialists
and made to serve the interest of the working class. Hence Doug, in pathetic
fear, can only urge the class to draw in its skirts and avoid contagion
from that (fantasy of) overwhelming strenth of the capitalist contagion
which the D.P. spreads on all workers who dare to touch it. Something like
that.</BLOCKQUOTE>
Interestingly enough, I think if pursued this perspective would suggest
that in the quarrel between Doug and Lou P over the possibilities of revolution,
Doug also comes out as ultra-left, in his overestimation of the power of
capital. :-)
<P>Have fun.
<P>Carrol
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