Marxism as Theory and movement

[Randy Steindorf]

I don't think Bernstein every rejected the downfall of capitalism.  The 
question was whether socialism could be achieved through reform of 
capitalism or whether a revolutionary reconstitution of society was 
necessary.  The abolition of the system of wage-labor requires the 
wage-laborer to take over the means of production which he works. How can 
this be done by government reforms, that is the passing of laws which 
abolish the title to private property in the means of production? Only if 
the working class is in control of the state making the laws.  Bernstein 
thought this could be done through the electoral process.  Luxemburg, 
following Marx, thought the existing state had to be broken up and 
reconstituted in a form that assured the abolition of private in the means 
of production and the system of wage-labor, as veiled forced labor.

rs


>From: "Justin Schwartz" <jkschw at hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
>To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
>Subject: Re: Marxism as Theory and movement
>Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 19:45:55 +0000
>
>
>>
>>
>>Eric Dorkin wrote: Help me out here, and I am not being a smart ass.
>>But, isn't the point behind "marxism" that it is inevitable?  And if so,
>>isn;t the issue a matter or "when," not "if?"
>>
>>No. Ever heard the phrase "socialism or barbarism," or from the
>>Communist Manifesto: "mutual ruin of the contending classes." Or
>>Gramsci, "pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will." Capitalism
>>was itself not inevitable: the assumption that it is/was is derivative
>>from the metaphysical concept of Progress, a core bourgeois illusion.
>>
>>Carrol
>
>
>This is too easy Carrol. Marx is inconsistently inevitabilistic: "Their 
>fsll
>[the bourgeoisie's] and the victory of the proletariat arer equally
>inevitable." (From The Manifeso, same document as produces the common ruin
>formulation). And much Marxism--including Luxemburg! has been
>inevitabilistic. That, along which parlaimentary gradualism, was her main
>point of contention with Bernstein--he rejected the inevitable downfall of
>capitalism. Of course there area lso noninevitabilsitic strains in Marx and
>Marxism. But if "progress: is a core boirgeosi illusion, it is one deeply
>adhered to by Marx. jks
>
>
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