tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36028082.post4481478338909655926..comments2024-03-22T19:52:46.571+00:00Comments on SOCIALISM OR YOUR MONEY BACK: Reform or RevolutionPoetry Coalshedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05514953133244910986noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36028082.post-87864843515821777252009-06-10T17:43:43.137+00:002009-06-10T17:43:43.137+00:00gI think you misconstrue slightly the scope of the...gI think you misconstrue slightly the scope of the SPGB's attitude to the revolutionary process.<br /><br />Parliament and local councils , to the extent that their functions are administrative and not governmental , can and will be used to co-ordinate the urgent immediate measures to transform society when Socialism is established .<br />But what matters most is a conscious socialist majority outside parliament, ready and organised to take over and run industry and society; electing a socialist majority in parliament is essentially just a reflection of this. It is not parliament that establishes socialism, but the socialist working-class majority outside parliament and they do this, not by their votes, but by their active participating beyond this in the transformation of society.<br />The SPGB assumption has always been that there would be a "conscious" and active Socialist majority outside Parliament, democratically organised both in a mass Socialist political party and, at work, in ex-trade union/neo-syndicalist one big union type organisations ready to keep production going during and immediately after the winning of political control.<br /><br />Anarchists for instance have to envisage some means of expressing the popular will/public demand other than a parliament elected by and responsible to a socialist majority amongst the population. But what, exactly? It would have to be something like the Congress of Socialist Industrial Unions or a Central Council of the Federation of Workers Councils . This is not to deny that it could be one of these (because bodies such as these will exist at the time), but would any of these bodies be more efficient and more effective (and even more democratic) in controlling the State/central administrative machinery than a socialist majority elected to Parliament by universal suffrage in a secret ballot.<br /><br />Hope that answers your query and that i understood your questions correctlyajohnstonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09874891810770297962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36028082.post-41130543260614752372009-06-08T20:11:44.651+00:002009-06-08T20:11:44.651+00:00You do a good job of debunking reform and all argu...You do a good job of debunking reform and all arguments for it.<br /><br />Yet your pronouncement in favor of "peaceful, democratic revolution" appears to be a hollow one.<br /><br />How dose such differ from reform? Are you suggesting "taking over the economy" by "voting in the work-place"?<br /><br />I don't understand. I want to. I seek the same results as you. I know there are no simple answers, if any at all, but can we make some progress about how to carry out a "peaceful, democratic revolution" without restructuring (how does that differ from reforming?) the economic and political process? I know the WSM answer to the political process is to "dismantle governments" and much of that, aside from "safety net" programs does need to occur. But, can you not envisage an associated "government" of inter-syndicalist and inter-community faciltators?<br /><br />I will be looking forward to your response.<br /><br />Thank you.Mike Morinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00495102695246535236noreply@blogger.com