The answer, it seems to me, isn't found in Judt's "reassuring fatalism of the old left narrative," with its capitalist hobgoblins and proletarian revolutionaries. It lies in erecting a more effective barrier between the economy and politics, between capitalism and democracy. That way, we as consumers can enjoy the benefits of the former, as informed by the citizen values we express in the latter. Yet to accomplish this will require more than campaign-finance and lobbying reform, because such fixes are so readily undone. We will need to practice democratic citizenship with as much zeal as we practice consumerism, and elect leaders who inspire us to do so. Judt may call this project "humdrum" but I see it as the only way forward.
*********************************
If we had ham, we'd have ham and eggs, if we had eggs....another bourgeois pipe dream. A proletariat with the consciousness to practice their "democratic citizenship" would most likely see themselves as producers, rather than mere consumers of the economy they create. Consequently, their "democratic citizenship" would be exercised over the political-economy, instead of restricting itself to electing the pre-selected candidates favourable to the continued rule of Captial.
Mike B)
http://www.iww.org.au/node/10 "Would you have freedom from wage-slavery.." Joe Hill http://www.iww.org/en/join
Make the switch to the world's best email. Get the new Yahoo!7 Mail now. www.yahoo7.com.au/worldsbestemail