[lbo-talk] Bad Times and the Left

Wojtek S wsoko52 at gmail.com
Tue Jul 12 07:12:31 PDT 2011


Ken: "Leftists become enamored of reforming capitalism and the benefits of being in power but then become protectors of capitalism and in bad times sell cuts as a means of defending whatever remains of the welfare state and progressive policies."

[WS:] The last time I checked, radical leftists aiming to wipe out the capitalist state got themselves wiped out by the fascist reaction (cf. Spain and Italy), whereas moderate socialists and social democrats aiming to gain concessions from capitalists achieved a remarkably long lasting, if moderate, institutional successes (e.g. the Scandinavian welfare state - which certainly is not chopped liver.) I understand that bread and butter for the proles are beneath the concern of academic purists or self-styled radicals who do not have to earn their own living - but at least let's be honest about the outcomes, whatever their ideological value.

Disclosure: I work for a living, I have zero capital or trust fund, and I am very partial to welfare state and what it offers (health insurance, unemployment, retirement, etc.) Quite frankly, I do not give a flying fuck about academic wet dreams of a revolution - they do absolutely nothing for me and the people I know or care for.

Wojtek



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