December 28, 2006: Resistance, Yes, But What About Governance?
It seems to me that the U.S. Left unduly emphasizes the need to resist--whether it be racism, sexism, heterosexism, imperialism, war, ecological exterminism, or capitalism itself. (By the way, Stephen Dumcombe's book Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy [The New Press, 2006] is a terrific celebration of, and persuasive argument for, new forms of cultural and political resistance.)
Of course! Resistance is essential! Resistance is fruitful! But at some point radicals also need to envision and experiment with alternative ways of governing society. Spontaneous militancy alone just won't do. Imagination grows tired, and desires lose their vigor.
At any rate, why shouldn't ordinary background conditions of egalitarian justice eventually kick in so that we don't always have to be fired up and preparing for the next demonstration?
To my knowledge, aside from halting attempts in the early days of classical Marxism, the only significant attempt to offer a concrete vision of socialist governance was to be found in Ralph Miliband's underappreciated last book: Socialism for a Skeptical Age (Verso, 1995).
But let's hope that theoretical innovation in this regard continues to arise from the lived experience of the Chavez government in Venezuela. Note, in this regard, two excellent new books: Gregory Wilpert, Changing Venezuela by Taking Power: The History and Policies of the Chavez Government (Verso, 1996) and D. L. Raby, Democracy and Revolution: Latin America and Socialism Today (Pluto, 2006).
