[lbo-talk] Myth of the Labor Aristocracy & Opportunism

Carrol Cox cbcox at ilstu.edu
Sun Aug 28 08:35:14 PDT 2011


Joseph probably believed he was merely being genial with his friends and with his post reporting on it. But he stumbled on to an error that goes ba kas far as M&E themselves, who gave out this garbage about the the Aristocracy of Labor being bribed with the superprofits of imperialism; Lenin added his ve rsion. There are one or two other vrsions. All garbage. See the article by Charles Post in a recent issue of Historical Materialism.

The theory is false on two counts. First the alleged aristocracy of labaor never got the alleged bribe and the so-called super-profits were not there to offer it. Secondly, it just so happens that virtually _all_ working-class revolutionary movements have been led by that so-called aristocracy of labor.

I share Joseph's feelings about Palestine. I have been involved in solidarity work with the Palestinians for 40+ years. But just because I support that cause I do not like even joking undercutting of the preconditions for building _effective_ support here of the Palestinian cause -- the struggle of the so-called "aristocracy of labor" to defend their so-called "privileges" against the ongoing attack on the u.s. working class (Battle against Austerity). All the moral harangues (tongue-in-cheek or otherwise) will not have an iota of impact on u.s. support for zionism. But strong social movements in the U.S., movements grounded in demandinbg better conditions of life HERE, will _also_ bring pressure to bear on U.S. support of Zionism. Joseph, unintentionall, shit on his own values.

Carrol



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