Sunday, November 16, 2008

Gramsci on Luxemburg

Did anyone check out the rather deprecating--though slightly appreciative--comments by Gramsci on "Rosa's little book?" (233). I'm curious what those of you who saw the movie think of this. He seems to basically be pegging Luxemburg as an economic determinist in her 1905 book The General Strike. With his often-used military analogy, Gramsci seems to be arguing that the "heavy artillery" of economic crises alone will not create the revolution--organization and ideological concentration of the "troops" are still necessary and this won't come "in a flash" like Luxemburg seems to think they will. He calls this idea of inevitable crises leading to revolution "historical mysticism." Do you think Luxemburg still held the postion Gramsci accuses her by 1919 after WW1?

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