Anonymous Comrade writes:

"Beyond Capitalism: Marx's Concept of an Alternative"
Five Discussions Beginning Jan. 23, 2005 in New York City

What concepts can help break through the prevailing notion that there is no alternative to existing society? Is it possible today to develop an alternative to all forms of capitalism, whether in its "free market" or statist varieties? Can a concept of a new society that transcends value production animate today's forces of revolt to go beyond reformism and one-sided critiques of U.S. imperialism that fail to articulate what we are for?

These five meetings will address these questions by exploring a work by Karl Marx that contains his most extensive discussion of a new society — his “Critique of the Gotha Program.” We will explore Marx's Critique in light of ongoing theoretic and practical debates in the radical movement.As Raya Dunayevskaya, the founder of Marxist-Humanism in the U.S. wrote in 1987:

“The burning question of the day remains: What happens the day after [the revolution]? How can we continue Marx’s unchaining of the dialectic with the principles he outlined in his Critique of the Gotha Program?”

We invite all to join in these five open discussions. No charge for meetings. Copies of all reading material, including supplementary readings (not listed below) for each class, are for sale from News and Letters Committees.

All meetings held at 7:00 pm sharp at
39 West 14th Street, Room 205, Identity House, Manhattan
(ring buzzer #205 and come to second floor; north side of 14th St. between 5th and 6th Aves.; take any train to 14th St. or Union Square)

Sponsored by:
New York News and Letters Committee
P.O. Box 250657, Columbia University Station, New York, NY 10025
(212) 663-3631
Email: arise@newsandletters.org
Website: www.newsandletters.org

Meeting 1: January 23, 2005

From Marx to Lenin, Lukács and Korsch: The Problem of Envisioning a New Society

Leading off the discussion: Josh
Readings:

• Karl Marx: Letter to William Bracke of May 5, 1875
• Marx: Capital, Volume I, chapter 1, section 4: “The Fetishism of Commodities and its Secret”
• Raya Dunayevskaya: Rosa Luxemburg, Women’s Liberation, and Marx’s Philosophy of Revolution, chapter 11
• Raya Dunayevskaya: “Letter on Karl Korsch,” in The Power of Negativity
• Karl Korsch: “Introduction to Critique of the Gotha Program,” in Marxism and Philosophy

Meeting 2: February 6, 2005

“Transitional Society” or Absolute Liberation? On What Happens the Day After the Revolution
Leading off the discussion: Andrew

Readings:

• Marx: Critique of the Gotha Program, section 1
• Marx: The Poverty of Philosophy, chapter 1, section 2
• Dunayevskaya: “A New Revision of Marxian Economics,” in The Marxist-Humanist Theory of State-Capitalism
• Andrew Kliman: “Alternatives to Capitalism: What Happens After the Revolution?” (Report at 2004 N&L Convention)
• Michael Albert: Parecon, part 2, section 9

Meeting 3: February 20, 2005

Directly and Indirectly Social Labor: What Kind of Human Relations Can Transcend Capitalism?
Leading off the discussion: Eli

Readings:

• Marx: Critique of the Gotha Program, section 1
• Marx: Grundrisse, critique of Darimon, pp. 122-49 (Vintage/Penguin edition)
• Dunayevskaya: “Response to Questions on State-Capitalism” (1940s)
• Dunayevskaya: “Dialectics of Revolution and Women’s Liberation,” chapter 15, The Power of Negativity
• Georg Lukács: The Process of Democratization, chapter 6
• Paresh Chattopadhyay: “A Manifesto of Emancipation: Marx’s ‘Marginal Notes’ 125 Years Later”

Meeting 4: March 6, 2005

Critique of Politics, Economics, and the State
Leading off the discussion: Paul

Readings:

• Marx: Critique of the Gotha Program, sections 2-4
• Marx: The Civil War in France, section 3
• Dunayevskaya: “What Happens After,” chapter 12, Marxism and Freedom
• Dunayevskaya: “Reconsidering the Dialectic: Critiquing Lenin,” chapter 17, The Power of Negativity
• V.I. Lenin, State & Revolution, chapters 1 and 4

Meeting 5: March 20, 2005

Dialectics of Organization and Philosophy: The Untrodden Path
Leading off the discussion: Anne

Readings:

• Marx: Critique of the Gotha Program, sections 1-4
• Marx: Letter to Freiligrath of Feb. 29, 1860 [Collected Works, Vol. 41, pp. 80-87]
• Marx: “Inaugural Address of the Working Men’s International Association” [1864], [Collected Works, Vol. 20, pp. 5-13]
•Dunayevskaya: “On the Dialectics of Organization and Philosophy,” chapter 1, The Power of Negativity
• Dunayevskaya: “One Possible Outline for ‘Dialectics of Organization and Philosophy’ [May 11, 1987] in Supplement to Raya Dunayevskaya Collection, #10922
• Dunayevskaya: “1953 on Concept vs. Experience’ [May 12, 1987], in Supplement to RDC, #10923
• “World Crises and the Search for Alternatives to Capitalism,” Marxist-Humanist Perspectives, 2005