SYRIZA, DEA, and criticisms
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North Star
Dec 19, 2012, 2:53:24 PM12/19/12
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Eric, I agree with a lot of the substance of what you are saying.
Reading over the second link (http://socialistworker.org/2012/12/19/debating-the-future-in-greece) I sent, I was struck by what I would characterize as ultra-leftism regarding "immediate halt on payments and [sic] cancelation of the debt."
This is very easy to say but to actually execute this measure in this manner might be impossible or highly undesirable from the point of view of the working class. I'm no financial expert, but from what I gather is that this kind of measure would lead to a capital strike by the banks Greece borrows from on a monthly/daily basis to keep its cashflow going, its paychecks going to civil servants out, and checks to retirees. The halted payment amounts to the ECB I don't think would be enough to cover the difference difference, and I think there's a tendency to see neoliberalism and austerity on the left as just a bunch of awful policies and measures rather than a web of social, economic, and political relationships that have to be untangled and unwound, one step at a time, one thread at a time. It might be radical to cut off the ECB do we really want to cut off the bankers to spite the Greek workers, elderly, and disabled. Radicalism for its own sake is stupid and counterproductive; being radically wrong helps no one.
I also have to wonder if a freeze in pay is something to be opposed in a situation where every year salaries and wages are being slashed by 5%, 10%, and 15%? I know that "SOCIALISTS/MARXISTS IN FAVOR OF PAY FREEZE" makes for great "gotcha" (Trotskyist) polemics, but context is pretty important if you're trying to figure out revolutionary policy in a situation where the lives of millions are going to be affected for ill or better by what you do. Sometimes halting a reverse or a decline is actually a step forward, a small step in the right direction away from retreat, defeat, and destruction, and such a step can pave the way for a great offensive.
Call it a hunch, but I don't think tens of millions of Greek workers are going to strike and storm the barricades of parliament if revolutionaries begin raising a demand for 10%-20% wage increases (or whatever measure is in the 1938 Transitional Program).
The entire discussion of what SYRIZA should or should not do in the article is very policy-wonkish and not situated in the context of where mass consciousness is actually at much less how to advance it and develop it.
I look forward to your response to the DEA/Socialist Worker articles Eric. I would love to publish it (or them) on North Star! :)
- Binh
Reading over the second link (http://socialistworker.org/2012/12/19/debating-the-future-in-greece) I sent, I was struck by what I would characterize as ultra-leftism regarding "immediate halt on payments and [sic] cancelation of the debt."
This is very easy to say but to actually execute this measure in this manner might be impossible or highly undesirable from the point of view of the working class. I'm no financial expert, but from what I gather is that this kind of measure would lead to a capital strike by the banks Greece borrows from on a monthly/daily basis to keep its cashflow going, its paychecks going to civil servants out, and checks to retirees. The halted payment amounts to the ECB I don't think would be enough to cover the difference difference, and I think there's a tendency to see neoliberalism and austerity on the left as just a bunch of awful policies and measures rather than a web of social, economic, and political relationships that have to be untangled and unwound, one step at a time, one thread at a time. It might be radical to cut off the ECB do we really want to cut off the bankers to spite the Greek workers, elderly, and disabled. Radicalism for its own sake is stupid and counterproductive; being radically wrong helps no one.
I also have to wonder if a freeze in pay is something to be opposed in a situation where every year salaries and wages are being slashed by 5%, 10%, and 15%? I know that "SOCIALISTS/MARXISTS IN FAVOR OF PAY FREEZE" makes for great "gotcha" (Trotskyist) polemics, but context is pretty important if you're trying to figure out revolutionary policy in a situation where the lives of millions are going to be affected for ill or better by what you do. Sometimes halting a reverse or a decline is actually a step forward, a small step in the right direction away from retreat, defeat, and destruction, and such a step can pave the way for a great offensive.
Call it a hunch, but I don't think tens of millions of Greek workers are going to strike and storm the barricades of parliament if revolutionaries begin raising a demand for 10%-20% wage increases (or whatever measure is in the 1938 Transitional Program).
The entire discussion of what SYRIZA should or should not do in the article is very policy-wonkish and not situated in the context of where mass consciousness is actually at much less how to advance it and develop it.
I look forward to your response to the DEA/Socialist Worker articles Eric. I would love to publish it (or them) on North Star! :)
- Binh
On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 2:29 PM, Eric Ribellarsi <ericrib...@gmail.com> wrote:
I'd like to writ a response to this piece soon. It is riddled with assumptions that "unite the left" is somehow more radical than making a revolution. It represents a certain set of assumptions that groups like DEA, who advocate an ANTARSYA style "unite the left" line, are somehow more radical than efforts to form a broad united front of forces against the Troika, to overthrow the Troika. It is an old set up assumptions based on the idea that left apparatuses are more advanced than the people themselves. In the final analysis, this piece is a snipe against SYRIZA being transformed into a mass movement of the people over a conglomeration of left apparatuses.
On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 12:53 PM, Louis Proyect <ln...@panix.com> wrote:Dear friends,
Some interpret the Mayan calendar as predicting the end of the world on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. We, however, would like to see an end to the world of austerity, unemployment, poverty and attacks on working people -- and the birth of a New World, one of social justice.
In that spirit, we invite you to celebrate with us the end of the year, with a friendly potluck* dinner and live Greek music.
Let us know if you would like to join us.
RSVP at frand...@gmail.com
Friday, December 21, 2012 • 6:30 p.m.
Panthessalian Society Asclepios
28-52 31st Street, Astoria
(between 30th Ave. and Newtown Ave.)
N or Q trains to 30th Avenue Station
*Everyone brings a little something to the party -- food, drink, dessert, etc. If possible, indicate in your RSVP email what you choose to contribute.
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