=
×

Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Head To Head
Log In
Register
U-Know! Forum »
Voting for the lesser of two evils
Log In to post a reply
114 messages
Topic View: Flat | Threaded
necropolist
necropolist
1689 posts

guarding vans
Sep 04, 2002, 11:33
i dont wanna start off a pointless debate about vanguardism (really really i don't) but...

i totally agree with your point that no one has all the answers, and we shouldn't trust anyone who says they do. but not even vanguardists actually say that. 'learning from the class' is a central tenet of most marxist groups. now of course there are very very real questions about whether they actually do that - some are better than others,some are worse, but i don't think it is true that they have NO interest in learning from others. and it holds the other way round too, the vanguardists DO have a lot of positive things to give to the campaigns they are involved in that others would not do.

'The party' is suppossed to be the 'memory of the class', and far better than anyone else i think it is the far left that act in that way, that do recall previous struggles and try to learn from them, and apply lessons from them seriously. Which is vital for making sure struggles win. Rejecting the politics of an organisation has often (at least in the groups i've been involved in) led to people dismissing everything that members of that organisation have to say. Which is at least as bad (probably worse imo) than what the groups are being accused of themselves. Frequently 'anarchistic' rejection of anything the SWP (in particular) say or do, is a moronic and destructive influence which has fucked up lots of groups (equally the swp insisting only they can lead the struggle has fucked up a lot of groups too, wouldn't deny that for a minute)

but we can, and should, learn from the vanguardists, there experoiences are jusr as real and valid as anyone elses

and, just a little one, as i said before, i dont think its power that corrupts, its the utter LACK of power that corrupts, the impotence that follows from thinking you can change things, but actually can't drives people loony, and they try to do anything to hold on to whatever pathetic simulation of power they can.
In reply to:
Re: Voting for the lesser of two evils (Merrick)		 Replies:
In the guard's van (Merrick)
Re: guarding vans (grufty jim)
Topic Outline:
U-Know! Forum Index