May 1 Thread

[Redalgo]

Have a happy May Day, everyone! Solidarity forever!

[Redalgo]

Acts of violence in such instances are unjustifiable. Protesters who commit them are an embarrassing liability - not an asset - to the advancement of the People's interests. Also, the objectives of genuinely Marxist communists are inseparable from those of libertarians or anarchists.  And - as a general rule - the masses know little about public policy, government, and the social sciences. Do not expect too much from the rank-and-file members of most if not all political or social movements. It is only when such a lack of wisdom and political savvy is also characteristic of a movement's leaders and intellectual elites that I get really concerned. Occupy Wall Street's message is alienating to me, incidentally, but I imagine most of the people are well-intentioned even when they have neglected to think things thoroughly through, or are wrong about a few things. My attitude toward Tea Party protesters is the same.

[Redalgo]

A couple other examples may be Peter Kropotkin and Noam Chomsky. I like the state, however, and do not want to entirely decentralize its functions to directly democratic processes and/or workers' councils.