The Rise and Fall of Marxism: meetings

THE RISE & FALL OF MARXISM

A reappraisal of radical politics in the 20th Century Convenor: Gavin Simpson, (071 737 7582) This series of open discussions is sponsored by Analysis magazine, and aims to provide a forum for people who are interested in the future of Marxist politics. The talks are not 'educationals, and participants are asked to make an active contribution to the discussions.

The main aim of the talks is to consider why Marxism has never been able to separate itself from the changing fortunes of bourgeois ideology and social theory. Marxism first developed as critique and radical synthesis of the best that bourgeois theory could offer. By the late 19th Century, bourgeois thought became conservative, abstract and functionalist. Unfortunately, Marxists showed themselves all too eager to incorporate every fad and fancy of a culture in decay. After 1945 the domination of mainstream ideology over Marxism became complete and 'Marxism' became little more than a vague recognition of 'the class struggle' and an agenda for reform in favour of the 'have-nots'. Why has an ostensibly revolutionary theoretical tradition never able to shake-off the influence of bourgeois ideoogy? The final session proposes that we are not witnessing the 'collapse of Marxism' - there has never been an established Marxist tradition to defeat - but the cor lapse of radicalism. If Marxism can break loose of its traditional subservience it will be able to provide a philosophy and a social theory for the 21st Century. If not, it will follow its bourgeois counterparts into the mire.

Cheap photocoples of most of the material indicated are available. The aim of the first two meetings, under the general heading 'The Politics of Duplicity', is an attempt to show why a thorough reappraisal of Marxism and radical politics in the 20th Century is necessary. British radical politics owes more to William Morris and George Orwell than to Karl Marx, and combines a mixture of a middle class radicalism with a strident evocation militancy and fundamentalism. 1. The Politics of Duplicity: Radicalism 7.30, Monday, 29th March This talk explores the non-Marxist origins of radicalism in Britain, from the dissenting Protestant tradition to today's Green movement. The aim of the discussion is to explain why there has never been a Marxist tradition in Britain. 2. The Politics of Duplicity: British Trotskyism 7.30 Monday 12th April Far from being the successor of Leon Bronstein. British Trotskyism after 1945 represents an adaptation of the traditional preoccupations of British radicalism to the post-war liberal, welfare, consensus.

3. The Rise of Bourgeois and Marxist Thought 7.30, Monday, 26th April The contribution of the English and Scottish Political Economists, Hegel and early French social thoery on the formative years of Marxism will be considered. Though d retum to a 'golden age' is neither possible nor desireable, it will be argued that the future of Marxism depends on its ability to adopt the revolutionary approach of its formative years.

H. Grossmann, The Evolutionist Revolt Against Classical Economics', 'Classical Pot itical Economy and the Problem of Dynamics Lenin, The Three Component Parts of Marxism Marx 8 Engels, extracts from Feuerbach and the End of German Classical Philosophy, The German Ideology A. Skinner, 'Historical Theory' from his A System of Social Science, OUP Aiso useful: L. Colleti, From Rousseau to Lenin; F. A. Hayek. The Counter-Revolution of Science: H. Marcuse, Revolution and Reason; T. I. Ozerman, The Making of Marxist Philosophy; Isaac Rubin, A History of Economic Theary, 4. The Degeneration of Bourgeois and Marxist Thought 1870-1914 7.30, Monday, 10th May During the late 19th Century the emergence of monopoly capitalism and mass working class politics provoked a crisis in bourgeois ideas. Mainstream social theory split into two divergent but complimentary 'schools' which expressed both a romanite reaction against mass politics and 'finance capital", and an uncritical subservience to 'modern society'. The divide persists to this day. On the one hand, the Positivist School stressed a mechanistic world view, bureaucratic rationality. State supervision of the economy, and the 'appliance of science' to social problems. On the other, the 'subjectiv- 'exemplary ists' stressed the role of the individual will.

action' and 'pure politics'. At the end of the 19th Century Marxism was capable of stepping in to the arena as a philosophy which could overcome this divide between Man and Nature, between economics and politics. Tragically, the emergent Marxist tradition itself split into 'mechanistic' and 'voluntatirst' wings. In the conservative wing. Karl Kautsky's 'inexorable laws of capitalist motion' undermined the need for working class politics. On the radical side. Rosa Luxemburg's celebration of the general strike emphasised action to the detriment of understanding. By the eve of the first world war official Marxism was in much the same mess as bourgeois social theory. Both were spent.

C. Antoni, From History to Socioiogy, Merlin L Colleti, Fom Rousseau to Lenin, NLB C. Levy, Socialsm and the Intelligensia, 1880-1914, RKP G Lukacs, The Destruction of Reason, Merlin F. Nietzsche On the Uses and Disadvantages of History' M. Salvadon, Kari Kautsky and the Socialist Revolution 1880-1930, NLB G Sorel, Reflections on Violence, Cam, Mass 1951.

H. Stuart Hughes, Consciousness & Society, OUP M. Weber, extracts from several works.

5. Post-War Bourgeois and Marxist Thought 7.30, Monday, 24th May The main theme of this talk is how the 'new ideologies' which arose out of the post-war liberal consensus affected Marxism. In particular we will examine: a) How the Keynesian-Socialist synthesis in economics and social policy led to a 'statification of radical politics, and eventually its incorporation into bourgeois b) How the negation of class led to the politics of 'new social movements' such as 'student power', 'peoples power'. 'Third Worldism', militant consumerism, the greens, etc. c) How the denial of imperialism shattered Marxism's most solid contribution: political economy.

D. Cohn-Bendit, Obsolete Communism: The Left-Wing Alternative, Penquin A. Gorz, Farewell lo the Working Class, Pluto M. Kidron, Western Capitalism, Penguin.

L. Panich, Working Ciass Polifics in Crisis, Verso 6. The Positivist-Humanist Controversy 7.30, Monday, 7th June Continuing the theme of the previous talk, this session will discuss the rise and fall of Althusserianism as the final moment of the destruction of Marxism. Althusser represented the highest expression of the Stalinist mechanistic world view, a 'Marxism' full of objective processes" devoid of all human consciousness and agency. Once such a world view was exposed as unsustainable, it collapsed into its opposite; unbridled subjectivism and relativism. It is no suprise to find that almost all post-modernist thinkers were once card-carrying Stalinists. It will also be argued that Sartre and E. P. Thompson's defence of Humanism is an inadequate response.

P. Anderson, In the Tracks of Historical Materialism, Verso P. Anderson, The Problems of Westem Marxism, Verso A. Callinicos, Althusser's Marxism. Pluto G. Elliot, Althusser, The Detour of Theory, Versa E. P. Thompson, The Poverty of Thecry, Merlin J. P. Sarre, A Critique of Dialectical Reason, NB S. Timpanaro, On Materialism, NLR 7. End Game: Post-Modernism and Identity 7.30, Monday, 21st June Just as Marxism hit the buffers with Althusser, it will be arqued that Post-Modernism represents the final dissolution of bourgeois social theory, offering only a bleached and arid landscape.

P. Anderson, In the Tracks of Historical Materialism Verso * P. Anderson, The Problems of Western Marxism, Verso * A Callinicos, Against Post Modernism, Polity D. Harvey, The Condition of Post-Modernity, Blackwell F. Lyotard, The Post-Modern Condition MUP H. Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man RKP 8. Marxism in the 21st Century 7.30, Monday 5th July In a necessarily exploratory and suggestive session. this talk will argue that after a detour of almost a hundred years, Marxism will be the philosophy of the 21st Century If it abandons its attachment to a dying culture. It will revitalise itself by a return to both philosophy and economics, by providing a concept of Man and a theory of the world economy, and by explaining how society makes its own future, even in circumstances not of our choosing. If you would like to discuss any aspect of this series of talks please give Gavin Simpson a ring on 071 737 7582.

People without a formal education should in no way feel discouraged from participating. Most of the sessions will be Introduced by experienced teachers who, for the price of a pint, will explain the mysteries of the Universe. All that is necessary is an open mind, a sense of history, and a commitment to do something serious See you soon. All meetings will be held 7.30 pm on alternate Mondays at:

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ANALYSIS

ISSUE No. 1 The Ecology of Green Failure. Alison Costello exposes the reactionary nature of Green ideology and argues that the Green Party is not able to cohere either a stable organization nor an effective strategy.

The Aids Fraud In one of the first studies of its kind Susil Gupta shows that the threat of a generalised Aids epidemic in the West is entirely bogus. The Aids scare is a moral panic. Cuba: Nationalism and Socialism? Javier Gonzalez argues thal Castro's Cuba has never been a model of Socialist democracy or development Do The Right Thing Andrew Chilly examines Marx's theory of knowledge, and argues that an understanding of reality, rather than morality is the only real guide to political action. ISSUE No. 2 It's a Depression! Teny Aren Bran Green, Susil Gupta and Tom Kemp examine the crisis the world economy Booms Busts & the Warking Case Alison Costello casts an empincal eye on the much publicised prosperity of the working class dunng the 1960s Oliver's Twist Brian Turer takes a few shots at the Kennedy Myth and argues thal Slone's move lels Americans off the nock ANL Fixaton Barry O/Brien shows that the Brilish Lefts cosession with Nazis is not anti-racism but an attempt to rebuild its relationship with the liberal middle class The Last Mar Infercew, Francis Fukuyama talks about history, Hegel, and capitalism. Marxism and Subjectivy in a polemical essay: Don Milligan argues that Marxisms mabilty lo understand subjectvity has been its undoing Do Something Now Andrew Chilty examines the Marust theory of history ISSUE No. 3 SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE CRISIS IN BRITAIN 1. The Economic Criss 2 The End of Cowley Man, 3. The Road to War, 4 The Remaking of the English Working Class

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