[lbo-talk] Cool quote

[Chuck Grimes]

`The point is that society does not change its institutions as need arises,
the way a mechanic changes his instruments. On the contrary, society
actually takes the institutions which hang upon it as given once for all.
For decades the oppositional criticism is nothing more than a safety valve
for mass dissatisfaction, a condition of the stability of the social
structure. Such in principle, for example, was the significance acquired by
the social-democratic criticism. Entirely exceptional conditions,
independent of the will of persons and parties, are necessary in order to
tear off from discontent the fetters of conservatism, and bring the masses
to insurrection.''

http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1930/hrr/ch00.htm

Guess who? Leon Trotsky, Preface to the History of the Russian Revolution. I
have found every so often I read something from long ago and know damned
well I would have never understood its meaning until now. This one of those.

CG