TYhis is, as you would put it, a slander. In your case it's a lie. You know better. We've known each other for over 25 years, scary thought. I'm a socialist, always have been, and don't support retaining capitalism, as you bloody well know. Shall I accuse you of supporting the Stalin terror because you're a communist? As you will see from by definition below, nothing in liberalism as I understand it calls for retaining capitalism. Is socialsim inconsitent with representtaive government, universal syfferagem extensive political and cibil libertues, and the acceptance of basic disagreements about fundamental values? If so, why? HM only implies communism is you believfe in some sort of inevitability thesis that no sane person can accept today. As for revolution, so one has the faintist idea what that means today. I support and particpate in socialist struggles as much as I can, though again it is hard to know what to do in the circumstances.
>
> I am a political liberal. That is a view about the
> proper role and structure of government and about
> the
> place of ultimate values in that government. This is
> relevant to but consistent with historical
> materialism
> -- nothing in saying that representive governent by
> universal sufferage with extensive civil and
> political
> liberties is the best form of government when it is
> possible precludes the explanatory predominance of
> the
> economy, and HM helps explain when it is possible.
>
> ^^^^
> CB; To be a historical materialist, Marx's theory
> and practice, requires
> more than explaining. It requires Communist
> struggle. Liberals can't be
> historical materialists because they don't support
> Communist revolution.
> They support retaining capitalism. The action for
> revolution part is not a
> choice in historical materialism.
>
> ^^^^^
>
>
> Likewise the view that politics inevitably involves
> irreconcilable disgreement about ultimate values, so
> these should not be the basis of political argument,
> is supported by HM for divided societies and not
> inconsistent with it in a hypothetical classless
> society
>
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