Historification and the Working Class . . .

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

I just want to hear some of people's thoughts on something that jumped into my head:

If history is controlled by the ruling classes, how are we, proletarians effected? That is, it means that our understandings of ourselves in historical context comes largely from a perspective of otherness, and that, in turn, we ourselves (Collectively, or a "lucky few", individually) will be represented in terms of representing an "other" force. How does this impact us, the way we view ourselves, etc?

Maybe it means nothing. I dunno. Anyone?

[redstar2000]

It strikes me that in capitalist societies, the working class is "officially" without history.

Perhaps things have changed recently, but when I was in high school, the working class simply went unmentioned as such.

I understand that newer texts now go to some length to list the achievements of women, people of color, etc. But do they actually mention workers? And what do they say about us? That "once we were militant" but now, "we're all as happy as hogs in slop"?

From time to time there have been "workers' history" collectives who've produced some interesting things. Perhaps in the next surge of radical activity, these projects will re-emerge...and their material will be much more widely circulated on the internet.

But for the moment I agree, we've been "written out" of the history books altogether.

The effects of this on class consciousness have been predictable (and almost certainly deliberate). A class without a history is a seriously weakened one.

:redstar2000:

The Redstar2000 Papers (http://www.redstar2000papers.fightcapitalism.net)
A site about communist ideas