[lbo-talk] Limits of Criticism, was Mitchel's interview with two Platypus organizers

[Chris Doss]

I think you're responding to Carrol, not me, but I don't know if it's right to call the Bolsheviks a mass party until they took power. Party membership was pretty small prior to that IIRC.

Your general point is right though I think.

----- Original Message ----
From: Bhaskar Sunkara <bhaskar.sunkara at gmail.com>
To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
Sent: Fri, April 2, 2010 7:57:55 AM
Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Limits of Criticism, was Mitchel's interview with two Platypus organizers

I actually meant to reply to Carrol's other post, but your point is
completely right.  Any future formation needs to be pluralist and allow for
free discussion, the permanent formation of factions, etc.  I also don't
understand the dichotomy between the mass and the vanguard party.
The Bolshevik's were both, no?  What of the German SDP upon, while Lenin
and co. modeled their party, didn't it represent the most advanced elements
of the German working class?  Were not all of these 2nd international
formations "pluralist"?  Ever read Lars Lih's *Lenin Rediscovered* or
Macnair's *Revolutionary Strategy*?