[lbo-talk] Robert Fitch and Derek C. Bok

Marvin Gandall marvgandall at videotron.ca
Sun Mar 12 11:41:57 PST 2006


I don't want to get into an extended debate over what was admittedly a broad generalization which, however, I think holds: a) the level of mass struggle has been much lower for our generation than preceding ones; b) the far left has been disproportionately campus-based rather than in the unions and mass parties as it once was, an effect of the integration of these institutions into the system; c) the outcome of our discussions usually only have intellectual consequences affecting small groups; we're not typically leaders of mass movements whose judgements have serious material consequences for larger numbers of people. It's not unnatural that in these circumstances the power of ideas would be exaggerated and the structural limitations on putting those ideas into practice would be underestimated. At least, that's how it seems to me.

I don't think this is in contradiction to your statement that leftists have been deeply involved in the antiwar, environmental, women's and other movements, nor is it the case that all leftists are "idealists" and "voluntarists" by virtue of not having experienced working class political life. But having been involved in both campus-based movements and working-class organizations, I can assure you there is a difference, and it does affect your perspective.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Carrol Cox" <cbcox at ilstu.edu> To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org> Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 1:57 PM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Robert Fitch and Derek C. Bok


>
>
> Marvin Gandall wrote:
>>
>>
>> But I think there is a structural explanation for this phenomenon as
>> well:
>> the current left, such as remains, is largely isolated from mass
>> struggles,
>
> Wherever anything distantly resembling mass struggle occurs in the u.s.
> at this time, the current left is fully integrated into those struggles.
> I can't imagine what you are talking about here.
>
> Carrol
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list