Concentration of Forces

[NorthStarRepublicML]

ok, the following was written by several members of our group ... do you all have comments concerning this topic?

some of our members critized this because of both its negative view of the left and its reliance on Bourgeoisie political structures, some said it wasn't international enough or it was too "social democratic" in conception.

here is the link(i would post it here but i keep getting 403 Forbidden messages):

http://northstarrepublicml.googlepages.com...ofconcentrat ion (http://northstarrepublicml.googlepages.com/thepoliticalrealitiesofconcentration)

[BobKKKindle$]

I agree that the article is based on reformist politics. It neglects to specify what could actually be achieved if socialists were able to gain control of political office in a single state. A distinction between winning elections and winning power is not noted and this is a matter of great importance, because the existing system of liberal democracy (on a state and national level) is such that whatever party controls important positions of office and political institutions, the most fundamental form of power - the ownership and control of economic resources - would still be held by an unelected and unaccountable minority - the bourgeoisie.

Hypothetically, assuming socialists were able to win the state election, if any attempts to improve the condition of the working class were made - for example, through raising the minimum wage - the bourgeoisie of that state could simply choose to move production elsewhere or undertake another 'ploy' to undermine the efforts of the 'socialist' state.

This does not just apply to the specific strategy outlined in your essay but to to the issue of revolution and reform in general - if we are to accomplish our objectives, then depriving the bourgeoisie of power in all spheres of life and activity is necessary, most importantly in the economic sphere through seizing control of the means of production - something that cannot be held simply through 'legitimate' political methods within the framework of the existing system.

[NorthStarRepublicML]

thanks for taking a look at it,

would you say that the idea of centralizing communists into a specific geographic region of the USA has any merit?

not just for elections or other reform tactics

or would you say that such a strategy as talked about in this essay is of little value either as theory or practice?

-R

[Rawthentic]

No, capitalism is world system, never will you concentrate forces into one area and defeat capitalism like that.

[NorthStarRepublicML]

No, capitalism is world system, never will you concentrate forces into one area and defeat capitalism like that.

does it make sense to say that capitalism must be defeated in certain areas first before it can be defeated everywhere?

-R

[Janus]

does it make sense to say that capitalism must be defeated in certain areas first before it can be defeated everywhere?
Inevitably, that's probably how it'll pan out due to the inequal developmental stages throughout the world. Revolutions will most likely start out as localized events and spread out from there.

[NorthStarRepublicML]

Inevitably, that's probably how it'll pan out due to the inequal developmental stages throughout the world.

ok, so would it not be a smart move to focus influence and concentrate socialists on areas of the world that control the largest bloc of capital (such as certain areas of the US) or perhaps economic powerhouses like Japan or Germany?


Revolutions will most likely start out as localized events and spread out from there.

does it also not make sense that to acomplish the destruction of the world system of capitalism a strong economic and material base is required to push outward from ..... and does it also make sense that such a material and economic base would be a workers state?

-R

[NorthStarRepublicML]

no responses?

i hope that doesn't mean you don't have answers?

-R