Re: System change (responding to Moore and Wagar)

Tue, 7 Oct 1997 13:32:14 -0400 (EDT)
wwagar@binghamton.edu

I sent this message out yesterday, but it was returned to me
undelivered. I'm trying again.

Warren

On Mon, 6 Oct 1997 wwagar@binghamton.edu wrote:

> > >
> > Warren-
> >
> > I'm well aware of your novel -- I've read it and found it quite
> > thought-provoking. My reference to utopian novels was a bit of ironic
> > humor.
> >
> > I maintain, though, that just updating the Leninist party on a world scale
> > is not the answer. I don't have the answer, but I'm convinced that it is
> > more complicated than your blueprint implies.
> >
> > I think another of Lenin's contributions might prove more relevant to our
> > situation. He noticed the "spontaneous" formation of soviets, and called
> > attention to this as the basis for an intensification of struggle. I
> > believe that one of the most important roles of intellectuals is to
> > carefully study the forms of resistance that are developing, and then to
> > facilitate their spread, and networking among dispersed centers of
> > resistance in far-flung corners of the world-system. A more modest role,
> > to be sure, but more likely to succeed than attempting to implement
> > outmoded approaches in a top-down fashion.
>
> Richard--
>
> We'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm all for the spontaneous
> emergence of local soviets, but to coordinate their activities worldwide
> is going to take a lot more than "networking." We're talking about
> subverting and replacing the mightiest world-system in history.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Warren
>
>