David wrote:
> Please outline what you think would be the most successful course of action
> for the left and the "masses" in South Africa. I.e., How can they best
> challenge and end the domination of the capitalist ruling class? Be sure to
> include a political and historical context of South Africa to date, as well
> as an analysis of South Africa's position globally.
Chuck writes: Typical question from a typical leninist. I think the people of South Africa should decide these things.
David, response: Not at all. Your initial reply to the critique stated quite clearly what you think "the people" should NOT do (i.e., go to prescribed marches, listen to speeches, organize as a disciplined political party). That's clearly a method of dictating tactics. So, I was just wondering what you'd suggest in the positive, since it seems rather easy to dis whatever's going on in the negative.
This kind of goes without saying, but by criticizing the movements that are actually going on in places, it is very easy to make oneself sound like they are to the left of any political movement out there. (How easy is it, for example, to criticize third-world Stalinst or Maoist movements as despotic and "authoritarian." To me, this kind of thing seems to represent an envy of this type of power, rather than a bonafide mistrust...) Why not suggest viable alternatives, or at the very least seek a grounded explanation for why certain distasteful kinds of movements exist? But, in my opinion, a lot of the folks on this list who engage in that kind of rhetorical tactic seem to either a) ignore repeated requests for suggestions of what should be done in the positive, or b) answer those requests in a reactionary manner (i.e., that "we" should "go back to the land", that trade unions should be broken up by the rank and file, etc.).
--d