[lbo-talk] Re: working class? (and other responses)

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Wed Oct 19 07:55:17 PDT 2005


Bill Bartlett
> You're missing something obvious, the concept of class is not merely
> a social analysis designed to justify a claim, or for its own sake.
> The primary purpose is to work out whose interests are objectively
> reconcilable, as a theoretical basis for organisation. Class
> analysis, in other words is a practical issue of concern, the very
> foundation of working class organisation. In the sense that you can't
> even begin the task or organising the working class if you have no
> idea what it is and if you get the class analysis wrong the
> organisation you build on these foundations will probably collapse.

No, I do not. I believe I mentioned the practical aspect of the notion of class for organizing - but I also said I do not think that the 19th century concept of class will be a very effective organizing tool today. I think this view is consistent with the reality of the labor movement (or rather what is left of it) today.

I also sense a certain contradiction in your views. On the one hand, you seem to yearn for a totalizing military-like organization of all people who have objectively common class interest (which btw would scare the living shit out of me if it became reality). On the other hand, your coop example suggests organizational differentiation of people with different interests - which seems to be a much more realistic position.

Now, if you cannot unite people in a relatively small cooperative (btw, my coop has the same problem, renters seek mainly short term housing that is conveniently located and do not give a flying fuck about the coop's governance and long term interests) - what do you think are the chances of organizing a 100+ million people who sell their labour power for a living in this country?

Wojtek



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