Where does this resurrection of anti-Communism draw its strength from? Why were the old ghosts resuscitated in nations where many young people don’t even remember the Communist times? The new anti-Communism provides a simple answer to the question: “If capitalism is really so much better than Socialism, why are our lives still miserable?”
It is because, many believe, we are not really in capitalism: we do not yet have true democracy but only its deceiving mask, the same dark forces still pull the threads of power, a narrow sect of former Communists disguised as new owners and managers — nothing’s really changed, so we need another purge, the revolution has to be repeated ...
What these belated anti-Communists fail to realize is that the image they provide of their society comes uncannily close to the most abused traditional leftist image of capitalism: a society in which formal democracy merely conceals the reign of a wealthy minority. In other words, the newly born anti-Communists don’t get that what they are denouncing as perverted pseudo-capitalism simply is capitalism.
via www.nytimes.com
Its interesting that this piece is watered down compared to some of his recent "book tour" interviews on Democracy Now and the New Stateman. Even though I realize the topic is different those two interviews were very effective in describing what is happening during the current economic crisis. He was also articulate at showing that the left is unable to offer an alternative response. I wonder why he was not able to do this abit in the NY Times editorial?
Posted by: Alain | November 09, 2009 at 01:13 PM
Zizec may have some message that relates to structural chains binding our thinking. If we start with that approach tounderstand his writings, things look different!
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1539636965 | November 10, 2009 at 06:49 PM