Marxism aims to abolish the state and liberalism does not ( was Food ...)
"Justin Schwartz" <jkschw at hotmail.com>
>Since you asked . . .
>
>If Rawls is right,
>
>
>CB: "If", meaning you are uncertain, agnostic, skeptical, lukewarm about
>this ? Do you believe it enough to act on it ?
The last question is the right one for a pragmatist. Yes, I do.
^^^^^^^^^
CB: Would seem to me that you pragmatist should give credit to Marx as having developed this before the pragmatist philosophers. See the activist materialist of Theses on Feuerbach. In general , the liberal and skeptical attacks on Marxism as dogmatic fail to understand this point of connection between some degree of certainty of theory and it unity with practice. The world cannot be changed without moving masses. An idea only becomes a material force when it grips the masses. The masses will not be moved by an intelligentsia that is "iffy" about its theory. Iffy theory will not unite with real world practice.
Of course, practice is also a test of theory. So, that theory must be revisited based on the lessons of practice.
In general, pragmatists should term this link between theory and practice Marxist , to give due credit, and to counter anti-Marxism.
^^^^^^
> the correct principles of justice make the right to
>equal, maximally extensive freedom, first of all negative freedom, prior
>over other rights, including fair equality of opportunity and realtive
>economic equality. The state is supposed to guarantee basic rights by
>protecting them in law.
>>CB:
>
>So, in your scheme , there is no contemplation of the end of the state,as
>in Marx's theory ? You don't see the state ending with the end of class
>exploitative society, as Marxists do ?
>
That is correct. You know this from our debates on the necessity of law in a communist society.
^^^^^^^
CB: On this you should acknowledge more often than you do that your liberal ideology contemplates the need for permanent repression and use of force and Marxism does not. Whereas , the general impression you give is that somehow your theory is less repressive than Marxism's theory.
Marxism is closer to left anarchism than liberalism. Marxism has more faith than liberalism in the ability of people to live without a state repressive apparatus.
Marxism aims to abolish the state and Liberalism does not !