- Capitalism and Alternatives -

So what is this a veiled attack on reform?

Posted by: Lark ( Next Fear ) on September 27, 1999 at 01:29:08:

In Reply to: Waiting For Godot's return. posted by Red Deathy on September 20, 1999 at 20:30:08:

:
: Reformist and Possiblist stand on a bleak existential wasteland.

: Reformist:Lets build socialism.
: Possiblist:Yes, lets.

: They go no-where, and instead try to reform capitalism.

I assume possibilism is all the varients of progressive politics that dont correlate with your party line.

: I'd leave possiblism by teh wayside, but I cannot help but attack it- as can be seen above, the Godot example is more of an indictment of Possiblism than impossiblism- it is possiblism that goes no-where, and instead tries to work within a rotten system. To work within the system means to accept its logic (Government by the Minority, Minority ownership, etc.) and means that inevitably it will be found that the system cannot be made to work for the majority- minimum wages, maximum hours, union rights, are all of no-avail.

Oh, right it is. People who act "possibilism" which is, I take it, reformism, are advocating a cause so remote that it is a deception. you asked why should be seek to make things more comfortable for everyone and draw parallels with the abolitionists and slavery in America but did the Slaves that appealed for the revocation of slavery in this setting prefer slavery to freedom?

After all I think you find there are a lot more working-class conservative clubs than Working class SPGB clubs, what is really impossibilist is trying to achieve even moderate reforms when the left fringe looks like it's abandoned excentricity for complete insanity.

: I was once a possiblist, a Labourite (libertarian socialist), but I realised, eventually, that all these running battles are pointless, unless we rid oursaelves of teh main cause.

Veiled attack on NJ or the other democratic/parliamentary socialists.

: Green Values aren't worth a damn unless they have a decent system to enact them- and if teh greens are serious about their values, they should only have one policy- instead of a battery of legal reforms to be made via the state, they should simply enact direct local and full democracy- a revolutionary platform. As it is they are dooming themselves to failure.

Not so veiled attack on the likes of SDF.

: Possiblism isn't just a mistake, or being too cool headed, it is *actively* and directly a hinderance to socialism- it is a self-fulfilling prophecy- one that makes socialism impossible.

Interestingly enough I'd have thought that activist democracy, where individuals fully participate in the relative democracy that exists, was beneficial to socialism because it inspires the civic republicanism that is required and politicises society etc. Politics is part of the good life and people, such as, yourself who are anxious to abolish it are mistaken.

: There is another self-fulfilling prophecy, one that makes socilaism possible itself, and that is to renounce reform, and campiagn and vote solely for socialism.

Vote in order for someone to do something for you? Unless people actually campaign and fight for reform and recognise it as an achievement then it will be jeopardised the next time opposition with popular mandates arise. I think your also mistaken about reform, or at least reFORM, I prefer the term RECONSTRUCTION by gradual means. I'd also like to clarify that the gradual has, in historical terms, proved to be the PERMANENT.

Capitalism wasnt brought about by a sudden revolution so it can not be transformed by one, it was brought about by slow motion cultural, political, social and ethical coups, it was because of the exact same unvaluing of the potential of the status quo to effect radical change that Thatcherism and Reganism triumphed (and they did triumph, we now live in a society without credible opposition).


Follow Ups:

None.

The Debating Room Post a Followup