: Nice argument. Thanks for reading the post.
: But doesn't that just reinforce the idea of
: radical democracy as a powerful ideological weapon - in the same way that "inviolable property rights" is the ideological weapon of choice for the privileged?
But property rights are NOT an ideological 'weapon,' Bill---property rights are a MATERIAL relation. Ideologies FOLLOW material relations---not vice versa.
You've got Hegel back on his feet again---and he's dangerous there.
Remember all our old debates about environment FIRST---then consciousness?
: And underlying the threat of democracy was the potential articulation of Marx's concept of alienation - a concept quickly hurled into the garbage can once decisions about economic output, plant efficiency, surplus labor, etc. were removed from an exploited class.
I wasn't defending Stalinism, my friend.
I thought I made it clear that he PREVENTED the humanistic goals of the original Bolsheviks.
We are REALLY backtracking here with the Cold War accusations, Bill...
