Reviews: "The Marxism of Ernest Mandel"

* reviews

210 Booknotes The Marxism of Ernest Mandel Pluto Press (1999) Francis Sitel wrote the following review of the French edition for Rouge weekly. Already published in Japanese, Turkish, French and English, The Marxism of Ernest Mandel will constitute a reference point for any future understanding of Mandel's indispensable work.

The book aims to reach a broader audience than just Mandel's companions and disciples. The audience is also expected to be interested in the strictly theoretical side of Mandel's work: what editor Gilbert Achcar calls Mandel's "intellectual portrait" Challenges

The book's difficulties are not only pedagogical, or having to do with the need to take a certain distance from a man who was both comrade and "master"... From this point of view, the desire to write something that both honours and criticizes Mandel is legitimately present in each of the contributions. Behind the diversity of approaches, this gives a deep unity to the collective work.

The problem is more fundamental. It has to do with the need to tackle the rich diversity of the theoretical labours of divers t te theoretic abours or 32 International Viewpoint #310 April 1999 someone who was first and foremost a militant, and for a long period the Fourth International's main leader.

In Mandel's work, political intervention and speculative thought are intimately, dialectically interwoven. This explains the originality of many of Mandel's writings, which were neither academic publications nor reducible to the political goals that their author consistently gave them. Often they seem to situate themselves in the interstices between science and politics, nourished by a 'constant back-and-forth between analysis and action.

The great variety of Mandel's writings-reflected in the book by the multiplicity of fields and approaches of its various authors—is held together by a centripetal force: the forceful coherence of his intellectual personality.

This is thus a "profile" whose originality editor Achcar rightly stresses in its opening lines: Mandel "was one of those few men and women in the history of the socialist movement who were able to combine an untiring activity as revolutionary leaders with a body of intellectual work fulfilling the scholarly criteria for scientific research, to the point of compelling respect from academic circles" Ernest Mandel thus escapes from the usual criteria of classification of both fields of study and fields of political intervention.

This made the project that led to this book an especially challenging one, since its goal was precisely to pick apart the unity of Mandel's work and personality, by separating the theory from the politics. "Mandel's theoretical production did not occur despite his involvement in militant revolutionary politics. It rather occurred because of this involvement, which shines through all his publications" , writes Achcar. "It is possible, however, even necessary, to separate the appraisal of Mandel's theoretical achievement from the assessment of the militant endeavour that motivated it."

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The challenge has been responded to brilliantly. Across the plurality of approaches, witnesses and questionings twe echo through the book in a way that inv reproduces, in fact, "the Marxism of acc

Ernest Mandel".

gen in t to t enel esti and this abo ofte futi app org dou

Ma dim

Contributions refo

Difficult as it is to deny the value and importance of Mandel's economic analyses, it is tempting simply to take them for granted. One of the book's most valuable aspects is that it shakes off habitual readings in order to rediscover the analyses' original power.

For decades, in face of a dominant ideology that incessantly repeated that capitalism had overcome its contradictions, Mandel was able to keep alive a rigorous, always alert Marxist analysis.

Michel Husson's article on

Late

Capitalism and Francisco Louca's on long waves testify to the fecundity of the theoretical framework Mandel developed.

Mandel's analysis of the phenomenon of bureaucracy is also shown to be one of his decisive contributions, both theoretically and politically. Charles Post

"Mandel, working from the writes, foundation provided by Luxemburg and

Trotsky, has provided us with the most theoretically rigorous and empirically well-founded Marxian discussion of bureaucracy to date." Catherine Samary incorporates this problem into her overall study on problems of the transition, including the thorny issues around the

R concept of "degenerated workers' states"

Several authors, from their different points of view, converge in attributing not some of Mandel's mistakes to excessive tio optimism.

SuI

The two texts by Mandel published edi for the first time in the book confirm that phi decisive issues are at stake here. His

"Material, Social and Ideological an

Preconditions for the Nazi Genocide"

(1988) illuminates considerably some remarks made by Michael Lowy in his im article, as well as Norman Geras' article,

"Marxists Before the Holocaust: Trotsky, tio

Deutscher, Mandel". Mandel's second ha

, gives an text, "Why I Am a Marxist"

Vi extraordinary synthetic picture of his wi thought.

An iron gonoration An iron generation

As we reevaluate the history of the twentieth century in an atmosphere of invasive melancholy, we need to take account of a paradox: the fact that the generation that lived through "midnight in the century" showed such resistance to the horror and such revolutionary energy.

It almost suggests that they underestimated catastrophes like Auschwitz and Hiroshima.

Ernest Mandel is representative of this generation. Instead of complaining about the past, he preferred warnings, often apocolyptic warnings, about the future. They ring out like so many appeals to vigilance, struggle and organization.

This book's principal merit is doubtless to remind us that starting from Mandel's work is an indispensable dimension in any perspective of refounding an emancipatory project. *

DANIEN BENICAIDO МАв NGƯỜI VƯỢT TRƯỚC THỜI ĐẠI (SÁCH THAM KHẢO 1 MHA TUẤT BAN CHINE TH GOỐC CI Red pirates

Vietnam's publishing houses are notorious for their unauthorised translations of Western books. But we were suprised to come accross this pirate edition of Marx l'intempestif by French philosopher Daniel Bensaid.

The author is a lifelong anti-Stalinist and leading member of the "Trotskyist" Ligue communiste révolutionnaire. His co-thinkers in Vietnam have faced imprisonment and execution.

It now seems that Bensaid's articulation of a Marxism for the 21st century has caught the eye of critics within the Vietnamese Communist Party, frustrated with their autocratic regime and its pro-capitalist reforms. [JD] * coming soon

Conference listing

EuroMediterranean homosexualities

Marseilles, France, 24-31 July

The 20th century is rich in lessons for lesbians and gay men in Europe and throughout the world. We have lived through brutal repression (fascism, Stalinism and other dictatorships), the rise of the women's movement, the spread of birth control and abortion rights, a (temporary?) decline in the power of religion, the AIDS epidemic, an explosion of global communication networks, lesbian and gay images on MTV and the Internet and much more.

Does this mean that there is no going back from the freedoms we have won? In fact no victory is necessarily forever: the forces fostering homophobia are still at work. We are there in the social landscape but have not really found our place in it. Many lesbians and gay men are ignorant of our history. In Europe and still more in the rest of the world our lives are not seen and treated on an equal footing. We are still favourite scapegoats: when things get worse in Europe and the Mediterranean, tensions increase, and racist crimes and violence multiply, then hypocrites and bigots are quick to attack us as well, and the police and courts are close behind

The Euromediterranean Summer University will gather together the European experiences of recent decades, and express our solidarity with the other peoples of the Mediterranean. As well as enjoying the Mediterranean summer, our presence will be a challenge to the homophobic National Front municipal governments in Vitrolles, Magnane, Orange and Toulon. Workshops

Several parallel workshops will develop the Summer University's cycle of themes chosen by the programme committee, both on its own initiative and by outside proposal. Some workshops will continue every day throughout the Summer University, others may be more limited in time. The Euromediterranean dimension will be particularly visible. Workshops will be led by particular groups, media outlets, researchers and writers, and accompanied by a film series. • gays/knowledge - lesbian, gay, bi, transgender and transexual forms of expression — popular culture from the '20s to today - history — memories — transmission - archives — lesbian and gay studies • identities - genders — sexualities — portrayals of sexuality — practices - pornography • oppressions — repressions — discriminations - racism - sexism -lesbophobia — homophobia • subversions — integration — political stakes — grassroots organising — media - strategies - political and social demands - militant actions individual and collective commitment -impact of recent struggles (AIDS & domestic partnership • daily life — economic issues — economic insecurity - citizenship — social life - lifestyles - consumption - health — urban and rural life Last minute speaker proposals shold be sent to: Comine scientifique UEEH Intech chemin des Fontaines F84110 Vaison la Romaine, France Fax: 33-4-75 27 14 04 Email: [email protected] The forums

The forums will gathering all the participants to hear particular speakers. They will take the form of round tables on the above themes. All participants will be encouraged to speak (there will be travelling microphones and translation to and from several languages). Outside guests prominent in political and intellectual life will also play a role. The forums will all be recorded for publication. The organisers

We are a coalition of women and men, lesbians and gays from various perspectives inspired by this project. Some of us took part in the past in the creation and five sessions of the Marseilles Gay and Lesbian Summer University (1979-1987), which brought together between 400 and 600 people for a week every two years.

We want to create an open forum for discussion and gatherings where the various sensibilities of the gay and lesbian community can come together on a basis of mutual respect, pluralism of thought and behaviour, friendship among peoples, and a common commitment to anti-sexist and anti-racist demands... As a rule men and women will both be welcome... This will not be a place for decision-making." (Excerpt from article 4 of the bylaws)

Co-ordination is ensured by members council, with 50% women Registration

The fee for taking part in the Samme University is 850 FF. It is also possib reserve a room and meals in LiTE sity restaurant for 900 FF. Redu are available for students. and people with long-term

International Viewpoint #310 April 1999 35

* events listing Register early — fees will go up after April 1999! Registrations and requests for information can be sent, to: Université d'Eté des Homosexualités Intech Chemin des Fontaines 84110 Vaison la Romaine, France Tel: 33-4-90 28 70 10 Fax: 33-4-90 36 19 63 Organizational contacts (tel/fax): 33-4-75 27 14 04 (Jacques Fortin) Artistic programming: 33-4-91 47 29 52 (Verte Fontaine) Other events Brussels-Cologne EuroMarch 24-28 May Organisers hope to limit the march to 1,000 participants, to avoid logistical problems. Delegates will assemble in Brussels on 24 May, and hold a general meeting that evening. The march will leave the next morning, stoping to sleep in Louvain, Liege, Aachen and arriving in Cologne on 28 May.

As well as the March itself and the demonstrations in each town en route, a number of "spectacular" actions will be carried out under the responsibility of local Belgian and German associations. The federal structure of the Belgian EuroMarch group allows for joint initiatives between collectives linked to trade unions and autonomous groups.

Marchers must organise themselves as self-sufficient "villages" by geographical or organisational attinity betore arrival. Contact your national EuroMarch representative before setting off! * The Belgian secretariat is at 103 rue Potagere 1210 Brussels. Tel: +322 223 35 33 Fax: +322 223 39 82 Indonesia/East Timor Student solidarity day

Saturday, May 22, one day after the Indonesian student movement forced the resignation of Suharto. Students are playing a vanguard role at the moment: it is extremely urgent to provide the maximum support for these two movements. Suggested themes include:

• Solidarity with Indonesian and

East Timorese students!

• Free East Timor! Freedom in

Indonesia!

• Release all imprisoned and disappeared students!

• Free Xanana, Budiman and

Dita Sari!

• End all military ties with the

Habibie-Wiranto regime! Initiated by Resistance Socialist Youth Organisation,

Australia. Supporters include Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN), Australia; Students in Solidarity for Democracy in Indonesia (SMID), Indonesia; Students and Peoples Committee for

Democracy (KOMRAD), Jakarta, Indonesia; Student Solidarity for Indonesia (SSI), the Netherlands; Malang Student Committee (KMM), Indonesia, and; People's Struggle Committee for Change (KPRP), Indonesia. 34 International Viewpoint #310 April 1999

German EuroMarches against unemployment

There will be three marches accross Germany • 11 May: Departure from Prague on bicycles following a route through

Dresden, Leipzig, Hanover, Munster to Cologne. • 18 May: Departure from Munich to

Mannheim then Cologne. • March across the Ruhr.

The German marches welcomes other European marchers, but numbers are limited-please contact the organisers before departure. Bundesburo Euromarsch c/o Bundnis Koln 99 Kornerstr.69 D 50823 Koln Tel +49 221 9 52 00 08 Fax +49 221 9 52 00 77 E-mail <[email protected]> Pan-European demonstration against unemployment 29 May, Neumarktplatz, Cologne

The object of the Cologne demonstration is to focus public attention on the unemployed and those with insecure jobs throughout Europe, It will also be an important occasion to show the extent of international convergence of struggles.

Participation by groups of undocumented immigrants (Sans Papiers) and a large delegation of South American Indian marchers will help broadening the message of the demonstration. European Parliament of the Jobless and Insecure Workers in Struggle. 30 May to 3 June, Cologne, Germany This initiative of the European Marches network is an integral part of the Counter-summit. The objective is to create conditions for open and serious debates between grassroots activists and associations from different countries.

Maior subjects to be debated include: income and all forms of social rights (including women's rights); work (the fight against precarisation; reduction in working time, etc.); and the struggles for the rights of populations with immigrant origins (including the question of free circulation of people, linked to the fight against unemployment.

This "Parliament" will add to and deepen the demands already adopted by the EuroMarch network. It should also generate momentum for future common struggles, ending the situation where the EuroMarch network remains in "suspended animation" between EU summits and other institutional dates.

Sleeping arrangements will probably be on a camping site. Inscriptions must be made beforehand and participation should be based on local level discussions. Pre-inscriptions to "Parliament" c/o Bundesburo Euromarsch c/O Bundnis Koln 99 Kornerstr.69 D 50823 Koln Tel +49 221 9 52 GO 08 Fax +49 221 9 52 00 77 E-mail <[email protected]>

Other European demonstrations

The European Marches network supports the 19 June Counter-summit demonstration in Cologne, as well as the

18 June Reclaim the Streets global day of protest against global neo-liberalism. A range of activities will be held in world capitals, including a "Bankquit" in

London and carnevals in other financial centres.

The European Marches network also fully supports the "World March of

Women To Eliminate Poverty and

Violence Against Women, and intiatives such as the Intercontinental Caravan and the Brazil March of the Landless.

Women and Political Action

18-19 June, London, Great Britain

This conference will bring together feminist researchers, political activists

Br and policy makers to discuss and evalu-

Ca ate experiences of feminist campaigning over a wide range of issues: Dealing with

Difference • Single-issue campaigns • by

Women and the Law • Women in Conflict • Women in formal politics • Work and the Family • Poverty and Social

Exclusion

Contributors include: Inez McCormack • Hilary Wainwright • Cynthia

Cockburn • Cynthia Enloe • Nadje Al-Ali

• Lynne Segal • Vicky Randall • Ruth

Lister • Valerie Amos