Today is

the anniversary of the birth of

Rosa Luxemburg,

Marxist theorist, Marxist economist, activist, philosopher, and the person SWMBO named one of our gone, but not forgotten or unloved, cats after. I don't think there's a message of any kind there...

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Of America

and Marxist economics...


On Your Marx: Neoliberalism on the rocks

"It would add a nice dialectical twist to the future history of our period if it could be said that, around the time the post-Maoist Chinese took up shopping, the post-bubble Americans turned to studying Marx."

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Another quote from 'The Last Western' for Anonymous...

Another quote from my re-reading of this wonderful book, and one that Anonymous will like (I think)...

"Brother Andrei suggested the pope declare himself a Marxist and lead the church into communism.

It is impossible to think of new structures while private property continues. The ownership of the goods of the earth by a handful of private individuals is the greatest evil in the world today,” said Brother Andrei. “How can we create the conditions for true life as long as this demon reigns a king? Mind you, brothers and sisters, I do not deny that Marxism is also a box. I do not say that life flourishes in the Marxist states, which, as we all know, show many of the same tendencies of the old capitalist states and which are also today streaked with monist tendencies. I say only that the church cannot be a sign of human community as long as it condones and encourages and dignifies the concept of private ownership of the lands and the sources of production, since this ownership inevitably falls to the clever of the brutal or the strong or the acquisitive and makes most men slaves.”"

Just remember that these are dribs and drabs from the book. It is truly wonderful, but these quotes are taken out of context. (I'm just trying to see if you're awake, I guess...)

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Rehabilitating Marx


Rethinking Marx?

"Georg Sans, a German-born professor of the history of contemporary philosophy at the pontifical Gregorian University, wrote in an article that Marx’s work remained especially relevant today as mankind was seeking "a new harmony" between its needs and the natural environment. He also said that Marx’s theories may help to explain the enduring issue of income inequality within capitalist societies."

Now here's a view that will gain few supporters in the West, where, among Catholics, Capitalism is right up there with belief in the Trinity.

Some very good thoughts in the article, though...

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A good thing

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article5232492.ece

"According to the Vatican Antonio Gramsci reverted to the Catholic faith"

And an interesting thought:

"he argued that Capitalism was based on a combination of force and consensus, and that Marxism could only supercede religion if it met peoples spiritual as well as material needs. "

It won't happen, but he's got Capitalism pegged...