Editorial: Living Marxism

Living Marxism • 1 Living Marxism As Marxists, we are only too well aware of the stagnation of Marxist theory and of the irrelevance of much of what goes under that title to everyday life. Our aim is to challenge this state of affairs and to contribute to the revival of Marxism as way of understanding and transforming contemporary society. Our success will depend on others as well as upon ourselves.

Marxist theory cannot be developed in isolation. It depends on a critical engagement in the class struggle and the evolution of the working class movement. It also requires interaction among Marxists in Britain and internationally and the revival of a long lost culture of debate and polemic.

Paradoxically, at a moment when the capitalist system stands exposed as an irrational and archaic form of social organisation, Marxism appears more widely discredited than ever before. In the West this is largely attributable to the recent triumph of reactionary ideas. The right-wing ideology which has come to dominate the political world of Washington, London, Paris and Bonn over the past five years has also penetrated intellectual life. Universities and other institutions of higher education, which long prided themselves on their intellectual independence and vitality, are now at the service of the status quo. They no longer even attempt to keep up the pretence of autonomy from the establishment.

2 • Living Marxism The triumph of reaction has had a devastating effect on radical thought. It has become fashionable for left-wing thinkers to display their erudition by discovering new inadequacies in Marxist thought.

Others simply repeat criticisms made long ago by apologists for the existing system. The commemoration of the centenary of Marx's death in 1983 turned into an occasion for proclaiming the demise of Marxism. The common theme of radical commemorative speeches and articles was that Marx had been a great man, but his ideas were now 100 years out of date. A special issue of Marxism Today featured comments by various celebrities on what Marx meant to them.

Almost all replied "not much", and the overall impression was of a man who had become merely a historical curiosity. The only person who appeared to have any real appreciation of Marx was the rightwing journalist Peregrine Worsthorne: *It is difficult to overestimate the extent to which the writings of Marx strengthened Conservatism, by making one aware of the nature of the proletarian danger and the need to combat that threat by all means fair and not so fair.' (Marxism Today, March 1983) In his cynical way, Worsthorne expresses a fear of the working class that is real enough among the supporters of the British establishment. This is why the right has such a highly sensitive perception of class relations. It is also why right-wing authors have a more profound appreciation of the importance of theory and ideology than most left wingers.

The problems of modern society cannot be resolved in the realm of theory. But if theory is precise and clear it can throw light on these problems and hence serve as a guide to action. Theoretical clarity is essential to counter the influence of reaction and to give a conscious direction to the struggles of the workers' movement. Of course theory itself can only develop in relation to experience. The simple act of contemplation can produce only the arbitrary speculations of an individual, which are of little social significance.

As Marxists we believe that only those who participate in the anticapitalist struggle can aspire to the name of Marxists. Only through interaction with the experience of the working class can problems be properly formulated and questions adequately resolved.

Living Marxism • 3 Confrontation is directed at the 'practising' Marxist. At the same time, we are only too well aware of the philistine activism that has long prevailed on the left in Britain.

The narrow activist approach invites easy answers and simplistic formulations. We have no wish to degrade Marxist theory by lowering it to the level of inane prescriptions. Clarity of purpose and conscious understanding cannot be achieved through ready-made formulas. On the contrary, working class activists are entitled to discuss theory which makes no concessions to vulgar prejudice. The Marxist project requires the highest standards if it is to express fully the complex relations and rich experience of everyday life. Marx expounded the method and set the standards — it is up to us to live up to them. The first issue of Confrontation outlines the theoretical and political tasks facing Marxists in the eighties. The article by Frank Richards attempts to establish the foundations for the future development of Marxist thought. Mike Freeman explores the problems facing Marxist politics in the eighties and outlines the Revolutionary Communist Party's approach towards resolving them. We welcome comments and criticism of these articles and we urge our readers to adopt an active relationship with the journal.

Although Confrontation is the fiercely partisan journal of the RCP, we are keen to promote debate with opposing viewpoints and we invite contributions from any section of the workers' movement.

Sabena Norton, June 1986