[Marxism] Is Lebanon on the verge of a new fighting?

[S. Artesian]

Walter,

Here's what you wrote:

" and yet there is so far
as I'm able to tell at this distance, something approximating
ZERO anti-capitalist class consciousness in the Israeli working
class. Perhaps that's something you should think about, reflect
on, and give us some explanation of. I'm not blaming you"
______
My comments:

1. We  have the same argument in essence appearing in a number of difference 
forms. [Hats off to Hegel].   Is there a working class?  Can it seize power? 
Must it seize power as a class conscious entity to the exclusions of other 
"forms" of consciousness, i.e.forming a coalition under the banner of 
national consciousness?  In the wake of the defeat of workers, and the 
balance sheet on this is definitely weighted towards the bourgeoisie, are 
other elements "revolutionary"? [We might ask simply is there really such a 
thing as a national revolution?  What does that look like today?  What is 
the social and economic basis for that revolution?]  Should we dispense with 
class entirely and, in the most extreme iteration, substitute color, race, 
nation,  people etc?

2. We might continue and ask is there such a thing as "objectively" 
anti-capitalist, or anti-imperialist, without consciously being 
anti-capitalist at the same time.  IMO, the history of revolution is the 
history of the defeat of revolutions and that history shows there is no 
objectively anti-capitalist force if it is not simultaneously conscious and 
self-conscious of the need to articulate, programmatically and in 
organization such class based anti-capitalism.

3.Does Hezbollah state it's for the maintenance of capitalism?    Not in 
anything I've read, but does the military resistance to Israel or the 
Maronite Christians and Falangists make Hezbollah objectively 
anti-capitalist?  Objectively revolutionary?  Please don't confuse this need 
for critical assessment with the obligation to defend such groups as 
Hezbollah or, as others put it, "bloc" "militarily" with them.  After all we 
have that same obligation to defend even such backward groups as the 
Taliban, or Saddam, or even Noriega in Panama from US military invasion.

4. None of what I have written should be construed as denying Hezbollah or 
any other group the right to seek a compromise, a tactical truce with 
opponents.  Timing is everything.

5. Think Jim pointed the terrible cost the civilians of southern Lebanon 
paid during the last Israeli invasion [and are still paying, given the 
economic devastation and the cluster bombs].   Truce is a necessary 
component of building resistance, even by,of, for a class based 
organization.  I think Yossi's question is, if stripped of its ideological 
and somewhat pedagogical presentation, "what sort of resistance will be 
prepared?"



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Walter Lippmann" <walterlx at earthlink.net>
To: <sartesian at earthlink.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2008 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Marxism] Is Lebanon on the verge of a new fighting?