>
>> CB: The idea Mills criticizes is actually denial of envy of
>> the rich. We want the proletariat to be consciously envious and act on
>> their envy, pace Nietzsche . Steinbeck claims that Americans entertain
>> an illusion that is sort of the obverse of the one Mills
>> describes:“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see
>> themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily
>> embarrassed millionnaires.”
>
> I maintain we can work with that. It is no compromise of socialist principle to advocate a society in which the benefits and privileges of the capitalist class (excepting of course the right to exploit others) be extended to all. Calling for the rich to be dragged down to the level of the proletariat was never a realistic propaganda tactic.
>
> Bill Bartlett
> Bracknell Tas
^^^^^^^^^
CB: What you say makes sense to me, Bill. It makes a virtue out of the American attitude Steinbeck alleges. Sort of "nothing but the best for the working class" actually. Doug mentioned that well known slogan on facebook .And it is doable for pretty much everybody to live _close_ to the material level of relatively frugal millionaires if yachts and some other luxuries are shared. As to envy, it might be envy on behalf of your class and mates,not individual envy. As you say , bring everybody up, not drag down those at the top. I like how you find the rational kernel in this that I tended to think of negatively.