Peter Critchley’s The Proletarian Public
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Reading his 1996 book on workers self-emanciption as a free online download from here. Still lots to plough through but surprisingly informative and thought provoking so far.
http://www.academia.edu/1234571/THE_PROLETARIAN_PUBLIC
Was it ever reviewed?
Has anybody already read it and want to comment on it.?
Just had a quick scan through the contents and am impressed by its detail of analysis and discussion on the various theories and political disagreement on what actually constitutes a political challenge to capitalism. Shall have to get a hardcopy so I can digest at my leisure.
Surprised the book had never reached my attention before. Even Libcom don't refer to it. i Sped-read through to the Gramsci chapter whose views on workers councils i haven't before read in depth. I share your reluctance of reading heavy theory online but i might buy a Kindle which some say are much easier and user-friendly. He does an effective demolition job on Lenin and the Bolsheviks and their heirs in the vanguard parties.He offers a sympathetic reading to the syndicalists and industrial unionists but accepts they failed to develop a political approach that could challenge the prevailing social democratic party politics and an alternative one which needn't replicate it the SPD faults. He highlights much of what is value in Connolly who i have a soft spot for. Sad he didn't mention the Canadian OBU when he discussed the IWW in that they did not disavow political party acrtion. i cut and pasted excerpts which will be the basis of a blog for socialist courier.
Just did a google on Critchley . He has several articles with titles that sound very interesting, all free downloads . But i am not sure if he may be into some sort of workers self managed market socialism or a critic of its possibility. Needs more reading. http://mmu.academia.edu/PeterCritchley
Message from the author, Peter Critchley, that he posted to the Socialist Party email address today -Monday 24th March:Just to say that I am the author of The Proletarian Public, the book being discussed by Alan Johnstone.The book was never published in hard copy form. It was written up from notes I made early in my doctoral research. I wanted to write a thesis on the proletarian transformation of politics and the tradition of 'socialism from below'. I share that commitment to working class self-emancipation and autonomy, and so gathered materials for a thesis on proletarian order. As it happened, the thesis took a more philosophical direction, and the notes were left unused. I decided to gather them up and put them out, hoping to inform a little, inspire and just pay tribute to the James Connolly's and the Tom Mann's and all those who breathed fire and life into socialism. We need them back. We need to follow their example.So thanks for the interest. Hope I've done a little something to keep these figures and their ideas alive.
I have been reading much of your work now, and making extracts and adapt to use on our blogs (i will credit you as the inspiration). It is very much welcomed that you have them on site that is freely available to the public (unlike so many other academic papers which are restricted)One thing (if you re-visit this list) i would appreciate is clarification on your views concerning the free access of William Morris and the various market socialism models you describe elsewhere. When we are talking about "socialism" we mean specifically a non-market non-monetary system of production in which individuals have free access to goods and services and labour is provided on a voluntary basis and where the law of value would cease to apply.At times i wondered when you discussed your own thoughts on the market it was not the prices market but the various possible feed-back mechanisms from consumers to the many workers councils/producer associations, that you had in mind. As much as you thank us for our interest, we return our thanks for your interest in our interest
Socialist Party Head Office wrote:Message from the author, Peter Critchley, that he posted to the Socialist Party email address today -Monday 24th March:Just to say that I am the author of The Proletarian Public, the book being discussed by Alan Johnstone.The book was never published in hard copy form. It was written up from notes I made early in my doctoral research. I wanted to write a thesis on the proletarian transformation of politics and the tradition of 'socialism from below'.So no hardcopy in book form or on Kindle. It means the only way around this is to print it off – bugger! Unless the party seeks permission from the author to publish The Proletarian Public in booklet form?
SOYMB has now blogged an abridged and adapted article. It complements the previous post of a moneyless society almost perfectly. http://www.socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/2014/03/empty-wallets-mean-empty-stomachs.html
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