Re: some thoughts on globalism/imperialism & class (fwd)

-----Original Message-----
From: Ergin Yildizoglu [mailto:ergin.yildizoglu@blueyonder.co.uk]
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2001 3:59 PM
To: Charles J. Reid
Cc: wsn-owner@csf.colorado.edu
Subject: RE: some thoughts on globalism/imperialism & class (fwd)


{SNIP ...]

There is however one almost successful example of the ellimination of a
class in the history: French revolution. But this is a whole different
story...

============
From:CJR

-- Not accomplished without the guillotine, which reinforces my point.

Note also that the European Aristocracy, though with less power, still
exists. The Chinese Aristocracy has -- as far as I know -- been
eliminated, but via the firing squad.

Please keep in mind though that my main point is that it is not possible
to eliminate social classes because all mass societies have
un-eliminateable social classes. One may disappear, but another will
emerge in its place, guaranteeing a multi-class society -- e.g., while
trying to eliminate the bourgeoisie in Cambodia, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge
became the ruling class.

The problem facing us is how to turn multi-class societies into
societies that are fair, just, and value human life. (Taking one
example, the presence in Brazil of death squads that round up and kill
street children is a sign that we have a lot of civilizing work to do to
reduce the power of the entrepreneurial class and raise the power of the
working class, creating a balance of power, as I mentioned in a previous
post.)


//CJR