Good a.m. David: So on the (admittedly rather long) quotation from 'The Communist League' I gave to discuss with Marv my take on Italian fascism. I always will have time for Clara/Klara Zetkin - and I will look her comments out, in the text by Ridell you suggest. Thank you. I have found Zetkin's writings on the late Comintern, especially in correspondence with Humbert Droz, of interest. I do not know her writings on Italy at all, but I should. As I recall it she was earlier on, specifically charged with investigating what the Comintern line should be on this - then - a relatively new phenomenon.
But it is the phrase 'Marxist-Leninist' to be discussed here briefly. Since you again advise me against it. It is this term which drew your perplexity and/or ire. I do recall that it had also come up before, in what you had noted in your kind remarks about my article on gender etc. (i) First to mention, that in this particular citation in my quotation to Marv on Italy - I was truly quoting. My dead mentor Bill Bland, wrote that in around 1976. So it is not my document but a 'historical' one and hence, I would not change it. BTW I agree that sometimes it is tricky to see where "quotes" begin and start, and where the author ventures an opinion. I find formatting on this list, especially tricky to control. (ii) Your general point is - I think summarised as "Why use this term? As it is meaningless". I think that is a fair summary of your position - or am I wrong? Elsewhere, somewhere you said it was equivalent anyway to the term "Stalinism". I disagree. I have explained before that when certain prominents on this list; or outside this list use this - it is most usually as a short-hand to invoke an invective/abuse/lazy-binning into one "unspeakable" box with Brezhnev, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. Moreover I do not believe that Stalin added anything original to the theoretical corpus of what is 'Marxism-Leninism" - with the possible exception of his analysis of the 'national question'. The latter alone does not for me escalate a need to use his name for the theoretical constructs that communists in general - still generally understand. Whether they use the self-descriptor term MList or not. ii) I use the term ML-ist but not always, depending on to what I write/speak to and upon what. Here on this Marxmail list I have no agenda for using the term, except to demarcate myself at times from the more prevalent tenor here - which is Trotskyism. Although I am far more interested here, in hearing what other people come up with. Because one invariably learns from that. I am not interested in being in a comfortable self-resonating sect. iii) Which is not to say that I am uninterested in helping - if I can - to build a MList organisation. Even in which case, 'Of what use is the label?' you have asked me. So for me, it clearly demarcates that viewpoint is one not following Trotsky's lines; or those of the revisionists of Khruschevism etc. It may then only become necessary to point out that I am not a Maoist and that I view Mao as an agent of the comprador capitalist classes. iv) On the historical usage of the term. It was of especial value to those breaking out of the revisionist CPs in the 1950s-1970s. These had been a world-wide presence since the early days as you point out; but who were then put into a whirlwind after the 'peaceful/parliamentary road to socialism' was foisted. Closely linked was the following so-called 'secret'(not) speech of Khrushchev. Overlong. But you do keep 'ticking me off' on this matter! In any case - in united fronts, I tend not to use the term - but I certainly do not 'hide' myself. I think that in the "UF of this list", I have made my positions reasonably clear enough over time. Be well, H -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#29453): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/29453 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/104893002/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: marxmail+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/8674936/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [arch...@mail-archive.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
