jondwhite
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Haha yeah, Chomsky has always been good on history and generally defends Marx from Leninist attempts at co-option. He is less good on what solutions to do, but not quite as bad as some 'anarchists' proposing lifestylism or co-operatives etc.
Another podcast from CPGB, this time specifically about the Socialist Platformhttp://cpgb.org.uk/home/podcasts/september-8-2013-left-unity
As was once said in Forum Journal in the 1950s, we should be pleased but not satisfied. We've got the money now.
"[domestic violence] is often in the confines of a home that the despair, the fear and the frustrations of an impoverished existence overrun all restraints"I'm not so sure this is "often" the case. Charles Saatchi's attack on Nigella Lawson might provide one recent high profile example to the contrary. I would like to see convincing evidence for this statement. It sounds like it could be inaccurate or lazy analysis. Describing speaking out about an average of 2 women killed a week as 'stuff' might be objectionable.
audio available herehttp://www.freecommunism.org/audio-from-midlands-discussion-forum-and-the-free-communist-meeting/
Here's a session recorded from CU 2013, still trying to get my head around ithttp://cpgb.org.uk/home/podcasts/cu-2013-mike-macnair
I attended Midlands Discussion Forum meeting titled "Does the Working Class need a Political Organisation" and its looking likely (at least according to libcom) its been recorded. Two independents (with leftcom sympathies) organised it. 12 people attended, including one lady. One of the organisers mentioned a roll-call of groups during his contribution at which point I made myself known. Two CWOs were there and Barry the main figure left in the Commune (an autonomist group) was in attendance. The writer of Free Communist was there, an ex-SPGBer and a number of people were presumably independent. A disproportionate amount of contributions came from 3 or 4 attendees.Even accounting for arriving late, it was a struggle to follow the discussion. It veered between abstract future hypotheses and historical disputes. After the break, I was asked to join the table, but I said I felt sitting slightly apart would be the SPGB thing to do (ha). There were contributors (including a CWOer) fond of using the unnecessarily abstract language favoured by leftcoms. I had a stab at making a point but generally found the discussion challenging to grasp, or least, each persons perspective was. Much was about the party's relation to the class which can be a useful topic. Even if we agree on the kind of society we seek, then different approaches is simply a matter of putting them to the test, in which respect the SPGB is a lot less abstract than is often accused. Not much discussion actually referenced the SPGB before or after my contribution. The best stab at what might constitute an alternative to the caricature of "mere propagandising" was taking the value element out of everyday life aka communisation, I wasn't convinced as I'd just left re-enactments of the Diggers (where the microphone failed) in Wigan that morning. Some leftcoms said revolutionaries can only be produced by the revolution. The revolution as a process could perhaps be understood, but the other assertion would make leftcoms non-revolutionary on their own terms, fair enough if you want us to take your word for that.It had seemed Barry (The Commune) had prepared criticisms of anarchists (none showed) and "Class Consciousness and Revolutionary Organisations" (a key CWO text). One of the CWOers (who appears on a recording of a debate with the SPGB and possibly the ICC from many years ago) interrupted and argued Barry had not understood the text, was distorting it, or needed to re-read it, which to me, as a fairly typical objection heard at certain meetings, did not make the CWO come across well.A post meeting meal was planned but at 6pm, the meeting concluded and I had to leave. I felt like the meeting may have come away with more questions than answers were brought into it. Overall, I did enjoy it and the challenge of it, and would consider attending again as there may be another such meeting.
I don't think you need be too prescriptive, jumpers for goalposts etc. except to say it may more resemble amateur football. Food, drink and showers are plentiful enough for the world population never mind just footballers.
There is a riveting takedown of these sort of attitudes (and subterfuge that often but not always accompanies it) from an interview by David Frost (RIP) with Enoch Powell from 1969.http://shirazsocialist.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/david-frosts-finest-hour/
