The Wager (Re: Interview with Noam Chomsky by Radio B92, Belgrade (fwd)

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

>dearest yoshie,
>
>it is precisely because of historical knowledge that i find your 
>speculations truly sad.
>
>1. one of the reasons why the soviet revolution was followed by 
>repression was, in part, because it had seized upon the turmoil of 
>rapid social change in order to advance communism at an inopportune 
>time, or so many critics thought.  marx was asked about this 
>endeavor and he replied: not using a state, though he supported the 
>village mir. i will look up the ref, if you want.
>
>the soviet revolution and its aftermath during the 20s and 30s does 
>not inspire me. that topic is offlimits. 'nuff said.
>
>2. it is funny to read you speculate on this idea that we could 
>possibly successfully manage a revo given that the Pope has said 
>over and over again that we are ill-prepared, that the institutional 
>conditions are not particularly good.

Kelley, I think you are giving a more optimistic interpretation of my 
post than I intended.  I wrote: "A protracted large-scale war of the 
kind that appears to be in the works, with ground troops and all, has 
a potential to destabilize many regimes, unlike a brief 
cruise-missile strike from afar.  It's a danger, but also an 
opportunity, for anyone who seeks to bring about radical social 
change, be it for the left or the right."  Now, look at current 
conditions objectively; which side is better organized -- leftists or 
rightists, here or in the Middle East?

Yoshie