ASymeonakis, your opinions count as much as everyone else's, irrespective of background or country of origin.

Luxemburg was a revolutionary communist. She was a member of the German Social Democratic party - SPD - which was a bit like our Labor Party only much more radical in words - until they supported the German side in the war. She left and set up the Spartacists, basically the German Communist party. The SPD killed her during the German revolution in 1919.

I disagree with your comments about how the world has changed and now we can negotiate better deals with employers through unions and Parliament. Luxemburg actually wrote a good piece on this called reform or revolution in which she argued you can't reform capitalism into socialism.

As to the way forward, let's see what comes out of the May day rally in Sydney today against power privatisation.

But we need to think internationally as well. Working people are now the majority in the world. Most people now live in cities.

Famine stalks the world. The bloody hand a war extends its welcome. Financial crisis has grabbed the mind of the US. There may be a major capitalist crisis arising, and as the food riots show, people will fight back.

People say revolution in the West is impossible, but May 68 in France when ten million workers went on strike for weeks proves them wrong. I wrote an article about that if you want to have a read.

The link is :http://www.as.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1671&Itemid=125

“that Australian nationalism dominates over any old fashioned analysis of bosses and workers.”

It might seem that way because the author is entrenched in the status quo of 100 years ago. In the halcyon days of fomenting revolution and carrying forward the goals of Marx.

These days ask who Marx was and most will reply “Harpo or Groucho?” and remember clips from “A Day at the Races”

“That strike could, with real leadership, have led to the overthrow of French capitalism.”

Yadda-yadda but it did not because the forces of sense and reason prevailed to put the revolting revolutionaries back in their boxes.

“As the song says, from little things big things grow.”

And a marxist/socialist revolution is seen as having the both emotional and realistic potential of a dead puppy.

Keep up the good work John, these posts of yours are a hoot.

If you ever want the phone number of a professional dominatrix to spank you, just ask, I know one socially (although she does not do “that” for me).

Passy
Do not you see that my text is full of sarcasm and venous against the conditions and directions of modern labor movement! Read my text again!
I know Rosa Luxemburg!
In my text I humiliate the communists and labors and Union movement for our bad conditions and limited hopes of cause them!
regards
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Antonios

My profuse apologies. Sometimes I miss subtlety and satire. I did agree with your last comment about needing to fight for better wages etc. It struck me as odd, and now I know I hadn't read your post properly. Again, my apologies.

I also referred to an article I had written on Paris in May 1968, showing the evolutionary potential of workers in an advanced capitalist country. The reference was slightly wrong (my spell check changed sa to as.) Here is the correct reference for anyone interested:

:http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1671&Itemid=125

I have also checked for May Day strikes and celebrations around the world. Here is a summary.

Up to half a million in Turkey.

45,000 in Tokyo.

120,000 in France.

25,000 in Madrid.

10,000 in Hamburg (to try and stop the Nazis march).

10,000 in Belgrade.

10,000 in Beirut.

70,000 in Mexico.

15,000 in Ecuador.

Thousands in Manila,Jakarta, Guatemala, Venezuela, South Africa, dock workers on strike in West Coast ports of the US.

The themes appeared similar. No to privatisation, defence of public services and migrant workers, and higher wages to deal with increasing food and fuel prices.

The working class internationally isn't dead at all. Dare to struggle, dare to win.

Col Rouge says to me:

"If you ever want the phone number of a professional dominatrix to spank you, just ask, I know one socially (although she does not do “that” for me)."

So are you in effect a pimp for a professional dominatrix? Interesting.

Look, if you think the idea of a democratic working class revolution is a dead puppy, well and good. André Gorz, a Marxist academic in France, said much the same thing in January 1968. Four months later ten million French workers were on strike, running society, the President fled to West Germany and French capitalism was only saved by the most Stalinist communist party in Europe, the French Communist party (or PCF.) The strikers - the forces of sense and reason - were defeated with the PCF playing the major role in that defeat.

I can understand in times of class collaboration, with strikes at record lows, that many people will mistake the surface "calm" for reality, but lurking underneath are massive forces which can break through like a tsunami.

We live in an increasingly globalised world, and workers are fighting back all across the world. Just one example. The May Day figures for Turkey - half a million - show that the ideas of class and struggle are not dead.

Another - big strikes and riots in Egypt for better pay and food. Mubarak may be in trouble.

And when the 400 million strong Chinese working class begins to move against the dictatorship, the world will be changed forever.

My reading and activity is preparing me for the day when the class recognises its strength and begins to exercise it. Unfortunately Col, when that happens you will not know what to do having dismissed the whole idea of working class self-emancipation as a dead puppy.

I guess it will be a resurrection of sorts when the next upsurge in class struggle happens, eh Col?

Passy “So are you in effect a pimp for a professional dominatrix? Interesting.”

No I offer her phone number only as a favour – I neither need nor desire to be a party to any negotiation or exchange of money she and I met when she was less “dom”, so to speak.

“but lurking underneath are massive forces which can break through like a tsunami.”

That is a bit like the “tsunami” which hit the USSR when the Berlin wall was breached, except, the ones tearing down that wall were the oppressed people who had suffered under the criminal yoke of Marxist Communism.

“We live in an increasingly globalised world,”

and many workers enjoy better conditions than ever before, especially in areas of China, where they are now allowed to own cars and TV sets, items banned by the Maoist version of Marxist Communism.

“And when the 400 million strong Chinese working class begins to move against the dictatorship”

Yes the “dictatorship” which has been the consistent inheritor of all your political / philosophical beliefs.

“My reading and activity is preparing me for the day when the class recognises its strength and begins to exercise it.”

Been catching up on old versions of the Beano? Well, good for you, then you will be able to get a spanking from the local party chairman.

“Unfortunately Col, when that happens you will not know what to do having dismissed the whole idea of working class self-emancipation as a dead puppy.”

I will be well armed and prepared to go out with a bang. I can live without you but you saps need people like me to innovate, create and generate the activity which you can tax. I don’t feel like playing your game and trust me, will do everything to ensure it never happens.

“I guess it will be a resurrection of sorts when the next upsurge in class struggle happens, eh Col?”

I doubt you will live (old age comes to us all) to see it, nor your great-great-great-great-grandchildren