Race, Class and Marxism

[TBF]

(Note: an older article which takes on the subject of whether Marx himself ignored race and only focused on class - long and interesting)

Race, class and Marxism
January 4, 2011

FOR REVOLUTIONARY Marxists, there is an inextricable link between racism and capitalism. Capitalism is dependant on racism as both a source of profiteering, but more importantly as a means to divide and rule. Racism is necessary to drive a wedge between workers who otherwise have everything in common and every reason to ally and organize together, but who are perpetually driven apart to the benefit of the ruling class.

Thus, any serious discussion about Black liberation has to take up not only a critique of capitalism, but also a credible strategy for ending it. For Marxists, that strategy hinges on the revolutionary potential of a unified, multiracial and multi-ethnic working-class upheaval against capitalism.

Marxists believe that the potential for that kind of unity is dependant on battles and struggles against racism today. Without a commitment by revolutionary organizations in the here and now to the fight against racism, working-class unity will never be achieved and the revolutionary potential of the working class will never be realized.

Yet despite all the evidence of this commitment to fighting racism over many decades, Marxism has been maligned as, at best, "blind" to combating racism and, at worst, "incapable" of it. For example, in an article published last summer, popular commentator and self-described "anti-racist" Tim Wise summarized the critique of "left activists" that he later defines as Marxists ...

Much more here: http://socialistworker.org/2011/01/04/race-class-and-marxism

[chervilant]

1. Capitalists are

EXTREMELY invested in vilifying Marxism. If they cannot keep us, the Hoi Polloi, divided and divisive, they cannot prevent our unified uprising.

(FWIW, I think the uprising is inevitable...)

[yallerdawg]

2. On the page:

[TBF]

3. "this is a worker"

"You think this man is the enemy? Huh? This is a worker! Any union keeps this man out ain't a union, it's a goddam club! They got you fightin' white against colored, native against foreign, hollow against hollow, when you know there ain't but two sides in this world - them that work and them that don't. You work, they don't. That's all you got to know about the enemy."

Brilliant. Thank you.

[yallerdawg]

4. Thank you, TBF!

You always put pertinent and informative subjects here.

Keep up the good works!