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

[Carrol Cox]

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