-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: Info guerillas Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 03:01:41 -0700 From: Macdonald Stainsby <mstainsby at tao.ca> Reply-To: marxism at lists.panix.com To: marxism at lists.panix.com References: <Pine.PMDF.3.96.1000426015127.539004121A-100000 at OREGON.UOREGON.EDU>
(snipped)
> Not every revolutionary process automatically succeeds. Some degenerate
> into systems little better than the ones they were supposed to replace,
> and the Left must ask why this happens and how to avoid it in the
> future.
>
> -- Dennis
>
>
I thought about this...but I feel the need to put it very, very bluntly
to
you, Dennis. No one on this list needs to know know your geographical
location; such a response is obviously from one of the countries that I
inhabit, you are a first world leftist, Dennis.
To somehow be able to scoff at the accomplishments of the DPRK from the standards of Imperialist country leftists is a tell tale sign. I work hard a building a thick skin... but this is one I will never get over: the arrogance of first worlders (admittedly like myself) to judge others on how they build revolutions. No doubt that the DPRK is different than Vietnam. How, Dennis? Imagery? How much of your criticisms actually have much to do with what has gone on on the DPRK, and how many have to do with the ravenous nonsense pumped out by Ted Turner?
The idea that the Dprk is somehow even close to as bad as what it would be under Imperialism is very hard to conceive. The country has undergone a long process, whereby almost all moves are designed to ensure continued economic independance. This is something that the RoK can never have without a revolution, or a re-unification (which will only be possible under the cloak of a completely differently set of international relations). The DPRK can have all the faults it wants, but it is not this. Cuba vs. Haiti is a slam dunk for us to discuss, even with the strongest "left" doubters. For some reason, many of the first world left want North Korea to undergo a "transition" like the USSR did before they will see the value in derending sovereignty at any cost. If the sight of a few police make your knees go weak, -without approving of Juche per se-, then I suggest you have to rethink who's side you are actually on.
Macdonald