Anarcho-Stalinism (chuck)

Mark Rickling rickling at softhome.net
Tue Aug 6 19:41:23 PDT 2002


From: Chuck Munson <chuck at tao.ca>


> > Right. Working people hate unions because they're not explicitly
> > anti-capitalist. What world do you inhabit?
>
> Damn, I've really gotten under some skins today! People are already
> calling me names without addressing my arguments.
>
> See my answer in the other email to this question.

I've scoured your voluminous posts today and couldn't find an "answer." I still maintain that if you think that workers distrust unions because they're not radical enough then you're grasp on social reality is tenuous, at best. This certainly wasn't my experience working as a union organizer. And, as they say, if the big red plastic nose fits . . . :)


> Oh, give me a break! Capitalists as persons may hate unions, but
> capitalism requires the presence of tamed unions to channel worker anger
> away from strikes and wildcat dissent.

Are you seriously trying to explain away the vast amount of resources bosses expend today fighting union organizing drives with an observation that capitalists may "personally" hate unions? Get that weak-ass shit out of here!


> This is why reformism is so vital to those in power. If workers have a
> place to vent their anger--unions--then they can't organize among
> themselves and resist capitalism.

Is there anything at all that might make you question your deeply held belief that the history of labor in this country is nothing more than a narrative of conservative union leaders selling-out a radical rank-and-file? Personally, I think ordinary Americans have the *potential* to become radicalized, but nothing more than potential, at the present moment. And that unions -- properly reformed! -- are the best vehicle for accomplishing that.

mark



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list