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

[Marvin Gandall]

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
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>