Hope you're not suggesting that because the workers' movement (or lack thereof) in the US has been sclerotic for the past 25-30 years, that ideals of radical economic, workplace, etc., democracy should be abandoned. (Actually, I dunno if you even embrace those ideals to begin with, but those are ones I hold.)
A fine essay you sent to the list by George Orwell on power-worship complained about folks who saw current trends as indicative of permanent ones. Maybe the workers' movement sucks now, but that doesn't mean some kind of Chavez-ian strong man-ism is the answer, either. (Sorry for that clumsy phrasing there.) The lefty messiah thing ain't my bag!
-B.
Doug Henwood wrote:
"Hmmm, well, like the last 25-30 years of history? The workers' movement hasn't been racking up the victories of late."
Angelus Novus wrote:
"Whatever happened to workers' councils and the supression of the law of value?"
Yoshie wrote:
"That's why I think Venezuela should be the model for Iran and other countries."