From a former editor of one of the better M-L publications
of the 70's, "Theoretical Review." As Paul Costello, Saba here
wrote many good pieces including a defense of punk rock. (Only
Bruce Dancis in Socialist Review and Dave Craig in Marxism Today
and Robert Cristgau in the Village Voice come to mind as other
lefties writing in the left press on Punk). One more note on
Theoretical Review, for Althusserian neo-Maoists it was quite
readable. Michael "Howlin' Wolf" Pugliese
>From: PAUL SABA <psaba at neaction.org>
>To: socunity at topica.com
>Date: 7/17/01 10:54:30 AM
>
>Folks,
> This discussion on whether or not to talk openly about historical
>relationships between multi-tendency progressive groups and
campaigns on
>the one hand, and socialist and communist parties and organizations
on the
>other seems to be avoiding the crux of the matter. I'm sure
that all of us
>would agree on the right and duty of Marxists, socialists, communists
etc.
>to actively participate in unions, radical projects, campaigns
and
>organizing efforts. I also presume that we would all agree that
the fact of
>their participation should not be used by others to attack or
marginalize
>either the leftists or the projects themselves.
>
> The hard question is this. When leftists conduct themselves
in a
>manipulative, dishonest or otherwise unprincipled fashion in
such
>organizations, etc., or, by such methods, effectively come to
dominate
>them, or use their participation to conduct campaigns against
ideological
>adversaries, what should be the appropriate response from others
on the
>left? This discussion about the Teamsters, for example, isn't
about whether
>the CP or former Trotskyists should working in or for the union,
but about
>the political nature and objectives of the work itself.
>
> Maybe we need to discuss the possibility of an agreed upon
set of
>principles for how members of left parties should work in what
used to be
>called "mass organizations." If the groups participating in
this list (and
>others) could develop such principles and distribute them widely,
it might
>make it easier to set standards and hold individuals and organizations
>accountable for their actions. Maybe then we could begin to
overcome the
>terrible legacy of elitism, secrecy and manipulation that continues
to
>plague us.
>
> Paul
>--
>
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