Proletarian Institutions

[citizen of industry]

I like the sound of Gramscians, Left Communists, et al. when they write about culture and hegemony and "war of position" before maneuver and all that. Writings of Trotsky after the 1917 revolution are all about culture, esp. a lack of it, and how it is detrimental to democracy. But aside from saying the theory looks pretty, we have parties, unions , and workplaces. Where are the magical centers and institutions these theories rest on and how would they be at all appealing to people accustomed to the status quo? What are some concrete examples? If we are alienated under capitalism, through what other structures would we become "unalienated" prior to and in preparation for a revolution? Seems like a repackaging of the same organizations we are already using, or intellectual crockpot.

[Die Neue Zeit]

I should note, comrade, to have a real party and thus a real movement, and vice versa, requires a kind of permanent organization beyond any typical permanent organization: the mass institution.

Alternative Culture is a set of structures, including but not limited to cultural societies, recreational clubs, funeral homes, food banks, etc. that can partially "unalienate" before a genuine revolutionary period for the working class. However, their full potential, like councils themselves, can be realized only as actual and internal party institutions.

[citizen of industry]

This is what I'm after: "including but not limited to cultural societies, recreational clubs, funeral homes, food banks, etc."

Once you take the theory off the paper and think about applying it in real life, it gets tricky. If you were to rent out a space and build a "cultural society," what would it look like? A library with left-wing literature, posters of revolutionaries on the walls and free coffee? Recreational clubs? Like, proletarian baseball teams? Funeral homes! I don't even know where you are going with this one. Food banks? that one seems reasonable to me.

Are you economic determinist, in the sense that poor economic conditions will create class-consciousness and these kinds of cultural organizations will spring up spontaneuosly? Or are you a party man who thinks it should be an obligation of the party to create funeral homes, recreational clubs, food banks, etc.? If the latter, I have to remind you - look at most parties today - they can barely pay rent for a little office and a monthly paper. Where are they going to get the time and resources for these projects?

In terms of media, sure, there are some good alternative news sites and papers, left-wing screenplay writers, etc. But the internet tends to drown out the voice in the cacophony, and there is no competing with mainstream media and film. Yes, the ruling class uses media to make their viewpoint seem like "common sense" to most people, but it has always been that way, hence the whole "the ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas."

It seems to me we are definitely going to be the underdogs in any "culture war." On the other hand, workplace struggle and combination is fundamental and permanent. Parties are offensive organizations.

[Die Neue Zeit]

This is what I'm after: "including but not limited to cultural societies, recreational clubs, funeral homes, food banks, etc."

Once you take the theory off the paper and think about applying it in real life, it gets tricky.

Comrade, did you get to the part of my e-mailed work yet where I suggested food banks as a good avenue to start? It's in the section "Real Parties as Real Movements and Vice Versa: Alternative Culture and Bureaucracy Revisited" - also reproduced in my profile blog (http://www.revleft.com/vb/blog.php?b=1217) and other places here.


If you were to rent out a space and build a "cultural society," what would it look like? A library with left-wing literature, posters of revolutionaries on the walls and free coffee? Recreational clubs? Like, proletarian baseball teams? Funeral homes! I don't even know where you are going with this one. Food banks? that one seems reasonable to me.

In developing the Alternative Culture, indeed not all institutions can be developed all at once.

1) Food banks, as you and I agree on, are good for starters.
2) Funeral homes are downright expensive these days, but I mentioned this because the Paris Commune's "Blanquists" organized them. For all their overtly elitist theory, they at least organized Alternative Culture, unlike certain "vanguardists."
3) Cultural societies can be as basic as choir, orchestra, band, other music groups.
4) Recreational clubs needn't rent too much space. The pre-war SPD had cycling and hiking clubs, not to mention chess societies and rowing clubs.


Are you economic determinist, in the sense that poor economic conditions will create class-consciousness and these kinds of cultural organizations will spring up spontaneuosly? Or are you a party man who thinks it should be an obligation of the party to create funeral homes, recreational clubs, food banks, etc.? If the latter, I have to remind you - look at most parties today - they can barely pay rent for a little office and a monthly paper. Where are they going to get the time and resources for these projects?

I'm not the former at all. That's the post-modern "communization theory" which I really don't agree with. The latter is an understatement, because my personal view of workers councils as traditionally understood is more decidedly more negative (see polemic below). You critiqued the KKE for its "representation" of Greek workers, but check this out:

http://www.revleft.com/vb/pcfs-role-may-t138705/index.html

Alternative Culture is more than an obligation, because without it one can't have a real party. Without a real party, there can be no real revolutionary period for the working class (per my PCF thread above). Your last sentence I definitely agree with. I point out this long route because the tried-and-failed-again shortcut of ad hoc workers councils (http://www.revleft.com/vb/group.php?groupid=205) is a political fraud.

[How's that for "decidedly more negative"? :D ]