1) Should one not spend time on policy/strategy/etc. that is 'unrealistic'?
I think that the fact that passage of legislation might be unlikely due to political opposition should not stop one from formulating alternative policy. One never knows when or for what strange reasons political possibilities might open up and to not be prepared if and when that moment comes is unacceptable.
2) Is reform inconsistent with socialist principles?
I believe that there is nothing necessarily inconsistent about short run strategies of radical reform and long run strategies of socialist revolution.
3) Is working 'within the system' contrary to socialist principles?
I believe that radical/progressive/Marxist/etc. folks should be for any program/policy/strategy that may reduce human suffering (with the usual exceptions, etc.), regardless of whether it operates 'inside' or 'outside' the 'system'.
I also believe that the boundaries of the 'system' are a lot less clear and obvious than it often seems to be assumed.
4) What is better, truly working for radical reform or refusing to be involved with anything short of complete destruction of capitalism, but not actually working in any concrete way for the latter?
I hope that anyone who rejects any and all reform is truly racking their brain formulating the noncapitalist alternative and designing strategies for its acheivement. Because I do think that a living wage, a guaranteed job with good wage-benefits, etc., would make some people's lives a little less worse off. And there is no reason why people's suffering shouldn't be a little less until post-capitalist society arrives.
5) Are there better ways of lessening human suffering until we get to socialist society than any program/strategy that depends on the 'state'? Are these exclusive of dependence on the state?
My feeling is that simultaneous multiple strategies are best. The Black Liberation struggle in the U.S. is a good example of an alternative to the "either/or" view/approach (as are many of the Liberation movements in Africa and elsewhere).
I don't know if any of this addresses any of the issues you meant to bring out with your quotes. I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Mat
From: Kelley Walker [mailto:kelley at interpactinc.com]
>"The German Workers' party, in order to pave the way
>to the solution of the social question, demands the
>establishment of producers' co-operative societies with
>state aid under the democratic control of the toiling people.
>The producers' co-operative societies are to be called into
>being for industry and agriculture on such a scale that the
>socialist organization of the total labor will arise from them."
etc.