[WS:] True, very true. It seems that people see no viable alternative to the status quo anymore.
In this context, it is worth pointing out that while the USSR was anything but perfect, it functioned as a "promised land" outside its borders. It was the embodiment of the idea that an alternative to Anglo-American variant of capitalism is possible. As such it provided inspiration for millions struggling against Anglo-American capitalism.
With the collapse of the USSR, the "promised land" is no more and, and as a Hungarian poet said: "The sun has gone down, but the stars have not appeared. The sky is dark. Nowhere near can one find a light."
It did not matter the the version of socialism that existed in the USSR sucked. As another poet, Constantine Cavafy said: "Always keep Ithaca in your mind. To arrive there is your ultimate goal. But do not hurry the voyage at all. It is better to let it last for many years; and to anchor at the island when you are old, rich with all you have gained on the way, not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage. Without her you would have never set out on the road. She has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you. Wise as you have become, with so much experience, you must already have understood what Ithacas mean."
With the demise of the USSR as a "promised land," and the lack of viable modern alternatives, people turned to medieval religions for inspiration.
Wojtek
On Fri, May 7, 2010 at 11:45 AM, Bhaskar Sunkara <bhaskar.sunkara at gmail.com>wrote:
> Somebody: I know the radical left loves poking at the center-left, but it's
> amusing (and depressing) to me that conservatives continue to make hay out
> of an economic crisis spawned by the indulgences of the financial elite.
>
> Oh that's why capitalism suffers from periodic crises--- the indulgences of
> the financial elite? Wasn't the whole program of New Labour about the "new
> British economy" and maintaining London as the premier financial hub,
> undermining their own social base with deindustrialization in the process.
>
> Somebody: Even in Greece, the radical and anarchist left is, in the end,
> protesting against austerity measures being implemented by an ostensibly
> center-left regime. Not against Greek or European capitalists for getting
> them into this mess to begin with. Now, I support their revolt 100%, but
> it's noteworthy that even there... the working class can only mount a
> revolt
> against the *political class* not against the bourgeoisie per se.
> Capitalism
> remains an impregnable fortress.
>
> This is absurd on so many levels. The working class was protesting cuts
> well, well before the "center-left" took power... at any-rate huge swathes
> Greek working classes' intelligence belong to the Left and not the
> center-left. This is class struggle. The main problems hurting the Left
> in
> Greece and elsewhere are organizational ones and the lack of an alternative
> socio-economic vision, as such the Greek struggle can't help but be
> defensive and rail against the absolute limits of a system that needs to
> reduce its deficit and restore profitability.
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