Wojtek S wrote:
Marvin: "by academics not wanting to be mistaken for Marxists"
>
> [WS:] I am not sure about it. If there is any truth in it, is likely
> because marxism often sounds very much like a cult. The words of the
> Prophet are the ultimate test of The Truth, everything else is false
> prophecy or heresy. I do not know that many academics who are
> comfortable with cults.
>
^^^^^^^
CB: It's more that these social science academics have to form their own little academic sects/churches or personality cults to comply with the rule that they publish something "original" with them ( can't be a copycat, as American kids learn early). So, there is a proliferation of bs theories and terminologies. These "schools" are really "storefront churches". Also, as Marv implies, the Cold War on Marxists made it impractical to be a classical Marxist and hold professorships.
The "cult" thing is a cover for this. Marxist don't treat Marx as a religious prophet anymore than biologists treat Darwin as a prophet. Scientific rigorousness is not religious dogmatism. It is a scientific fact, not religious illusion, that class struggle is a fundamental determinant of political , economic and social developments in our society.