On Mar 31, 2008, at 4:58 PM, Carrol Cox wrote:
> There is _nothing_ in his core analysis of capitalism which
> _necessitates_ the claim that capitalism has an "historical task." I
> tend to agree with Marx's historical or philosophical claim here, but
> that is all it is, a historical claim, not anything which flows
> _necessarily_ from the nature of capitalism
No. But unlike you, Marx had some - dare I say - faith in the capacity of humans to act collectively to make a better world. And capitalism provides the basis for that action. The "historical task" may make itself known only retrospectively, after such a transformation has been accomplished. But of course if you have a passive and fatalistic view of history and politics then that sense will be lost on you.
Doug