There is so much to unpackage here, John. You’ve done yeoman work in developing your theories of egalitarianism and even describing some of the nuts and bolts as to how it would function. In many ways the closest organizations that show that humans in the West can actually function like this are the voluntary organizations (voluntary fire departments, e.g.). You’ve taken it a serious step further by describing a political organization of society based on egalitarianism. This naturally incorporates a lot of the principles of Marxism/Leninism and that is apparent to all who will be confronted with the argument. Of course, it is also why anti-Communism remains a stalwart position of the ruling class as it doesn’t want widespread understanding of its priniciples. Better to just smear it. Using the word “Egalitarianism” rather than ML will sidestep the issue of redbaiting initially, but not for long as the ideas have so much overlap. I haven’t had time to read many of your treatises but it sounds like you may be suggesting this transition can take place without a revolutionary political party, perhaps a la the Paris Commune as an example? That’s an interesting thought but hard to imagine (as is so much of revolutionary change that is truly needed in our present circumstances).
The reason some people, when hearing egalitarian views expressed, think that egalitarianism is really the same as Marxism, is this. There is indeed important overlap in the views held by Marxists and egalitarians because we both agree with the many wonderful ideas about class conflict that were around long before Karl Marx was even born--ideas that I discuss in "Great Ideas That Were Around Long Before Karl Marx". But when it comes to the new ideas that Karl Marx (and later Lenin) invented, egalitarians and Marxists are in sharp disagreement. (The "Great Ideas..." article is at https://www.pdrboston.org/marx-didn-t-invent-these-great-idea .
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on all of this.
John, I’ll get back to you after I have read it. My problem is time, of course. I’m an MD aware of the false Covid operation and treatment paradigm, including the poisonous vaxxes that were injected into so many of us. Unravelling that story and trying to find the truth is a laborious, and ongoing project that takes most of my reading time. I share a lot of background with you including the 1960’s anti-Vietnam war movement as well as the very same organizations (does WSA ring a bell with you during your Dartmouth era?). I didn’t take the step you did beyond WSA but obviously agreed with much, if not all, of the political line within those organizations. Your compilation of writings is impressive, and very voluminous. I don’t know if I can get up to speed but I’ll give it a try as long as I feel it is worthwhile. An aside, I loved your collage of all those people holding those signs. If they are all in the Boston area someone there is doing some great political education. It was so refreshing to see! I was not on the East Coast during the 60’s but met some of the organizers during the SDS conventions I attended. Many great and wonderful people, among the best I’ve met in my whole life
We may have run into each other at an SDS convention.
Regarding your "I loved your collage of all those people holding those signs. If they are all in the Boston area someone there is doing some great political education," the key point is that nobody--not I nor any political party--was doing "great political education"; these were random people who had come to their own conclusions from just their personal experience of living in a dictatorship of the rich. It is for this reason that I bet that if you did the same thing I did in YOUR zip code (assuming it is not such as Beverly Hills 90210) you would also find lots of people eager to display such a sign. This is the #1 secret that the ruling class hides from us, and uses its mass media to make us not see.
I’m not trying to be nitpicky, but someone wrote the text on the signs and printed them. It wasn’t done individually, so someone was doing some organizing. I’m not disputing that people can’t come to these conclusions on their own, but it is a lot harder without some guidance. I’ve been fortunate materially and do live in a relatively affluent zip code. I’ve been involved in local politics as we have a “woke” group who control our City Council and I’ve been trying to help remove them. In the process I’ve met a lot of people who are opposed to them, but don’t have at all the kind of class consciousness to be willing to display a sign like that. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be possible in other, less affluent, more working class neighborhoods, of which there are plenty in this region of S Cal where I live.
As you will see in my article about egalitarianism versus Marxism, I agree with you about the need for organization. The question is organization to do what, exactly.
Thank you for your good work in your neighborhood.
There is so much to unpackage here, John. You’ve done yeoman work in developing your theories of egalitarianism and even describing some of the nuts and bolts as to how it would function. In many ways the closest organizations that show that humans in the West can actually function like this are the voluntary organizations (voluntary fire departments, e.g.). You’ve taken it a serious step further by describing a political organization of society based on egalitarianism. This naturally incorporates a lot of the principles of Marxism/Leninism and that is apparent to all who will be confronted with the argument. Of course, it is also why anti-Communism remains a stalwart position of the ruling class as it doesn’t want widespread understanding of its priniciples. Better to just smear it. Using the word “Egalitarianism” rather than ML will sidestep the issue of redbaiting initially, but not for long as the ideas have so much overlap. I haven’t had time to read many of your treatises but it sounds like you may be suggesting this transition can take place without a revolutionary political party, perhaps a la the Paris Commune as an example? That’s an interesting thought but hard to imagine (as is so much of revolutionary change that is truly needed in our present circumstances).
Tom,
Thank you for your praise of my writing!
Regarding Marxism and Egalitarianism, I suggest you read my article "Egalitarianism Is Anti-Marxism" at https://www.pdrboston.org/egalitarianism-is-anti-marxism ; it begins with this paragraph:
The reason some people, when hearing egalitarian views expressed, think that egalitarianism is really the same as Marxism, is this. There is indeed important overlap in the views held by Marxists and egalitarians because we both agree with the many wonderful ideas about class conflict that were around long before Karl Marx was even born--ideas that I discuss in "Great Ideas That Were Around Long Before Karl Marx". But when it comes to the new ideas that Karl Marx (and later Lenin) invented, egalitarians and Marxists are in sharp disagreement. (The "Great Ideas..." article is at https://www.pdrboston.org/marx-didn-t-invent-these-great-idea .
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on all of this.
John, I’ll get back to you after I have read it. My problem is time, of course. I’m an MD aware of the false Covid operation and treatment paradigm, including the poisonous vaxxes that were injected into so many of us. Unravelling that story and trying to find the truth is a laborious, and ongoing project that takes most of my reading time. I share a lot of background with you including the 1960’s anti-Vietnam war movement as well as the very same organizations (does WSA ring a bell with you during your Dartmouth era?). I didn’t take the step you did beyond WSA but obviously agreed with much, if not all, of the political line within those organizations. Your compilation of writings is impressive, and very voluminous. I don’t know if I can get up to speed but I’ll give it a try as long as I feel it is worthwhile. An aside, I loved your collage of all those people holding those signs. If they are all in the Boston area someone there is doing some great political education. It was so refreshing to see! I was not on the East Coast during the 60’s but met some of the organizers during the SDS conventions I attended. Many great and wonderful people, among the best I’ve met in my whole life
We may have run into each other at an SDS convention.
Regarding your "I loved your collage of all those people holding those signs. If they are all in the Boston area someone there is doing some great political education," the key point is that nobody--not I nor any political party--was doing "great political education"; these were random people who had come to their own conclusions from just their personal experience of living in a dictatorship of the rich. It is for this reason that I bet that if you did the same thing I did in YOUR zip code (assuming it is not such as Beverly Hills 90210) you would also find lots of people eager to display such a sign. This is the #1 secret that the ruling class hides from us, and uses its mass media to make us not see.
I’m not trying to be nitpicky, but someone wrote the text on the signs and printed them. It wasn’t done individually, so someone was doing some organizing. I’m not disputing that people can’t come to these conclusions on their own, but it is a lot harder without some guidance. I’ve been fortunate materially and do live in a relatively affluent zip code. I’ve been involved in local politics as we have a “woke” group who control our City Council and I’ve been trying to help remove them. In the process I’ve met a lot of people who are opposed to them, but don’t have at all the kind of class consciousness to be willing to display a sign like that. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be possible in other, less affluent, more working class neighborhoods, of which there are plenty in this region of S Cal where I live.
As you will see in my article about egalitarianism versus Marxism, I agree with you about the need for organization. The question is organization to do what, exactly.
Thank you for your good work in your neighborhood.