Recently, readers have been discussing democratic socialists, American exceptionalism, and identity politics. We share your letters for “The Sheepdog Caucus and So-Called ‘Democratic’ Socialists,” “American Exceptionalism and the American Left’s China Double Standard,” and “Identity Politics and Elite Capture.”
“The Sheepdog Caucus and So-Called ‘Democratic’ Socialists” by Quetzal Cáceres argues that politicians such as Bernie Sanders or “the Squad” have a pro-imperialist conception of socialism and play a role in shoring up the Democratic Party base.
Gary Hicks writes:
“If one thinks that the working class of the United States are a massive herd of sheep, and incapable of becoming a mighty combative force against capitalism........then yes, these semocratic socialists/sheep dogs, as described by Quetzal Caceres, are their proper political, theoretical, ideological leadership. This is especially true when a critical mass of these alleged sheep vote Democrat and some are in Democratic clubs. Some are even [I'm shocked! Shocked!] Republicans, whose business being so is highly questionable.
“However, if one is a communist or a revolutionary personality, then one doesn't think of the class whom we serve as a massive herd of sheep. To think that way is to adopt the mentality of losers—thinking that characterizes the people of their own class as simply being able to speak baah-baah-baah.
“The article by Quetzal Caceres raises some important points to which we must pay close attention. She is addressing the tendency of progressive, and democratic socialist, and racially/nationally oppressed, and other non-straight gender self-identified—all working people in their respective majorities, all segments of our massive working class—to hold views and engage in activities that hold us back, even as we are going into a variety of skirmishes characterized by Jim Hightower as ‘one gigantic can of whup-ass.’
“Our class must not be abandoned to those in the Democratic Party leadership who would lead them astray. Like sheepdogs. Our party, the Communist Party USA has the ideological viewpoints of Marxism. Of Leninism. Of scientific socialism. And we have some rather compelling and clear ideas of what strategies and tactics must be pursued in these times of class struggle. Ideas to engage our class regardless of party affiliation, and whether inside or outside of those parties. But we can only engage these ideas with our class when we don't write our class off, as a herd of sheep.”
“American Exceptionalism and the American Left’s China Double Standard” by Danny Haiphong argues that some of the American Left’s analysis of China is dangerously in line with the white supremacist underpinnings of the country.
Vinh Pham writes:
“Be it Russia, China, Islam, or the boogeyman, the U.S. must have an imagined enemy to continue its dominance. Americans can barely understand themselves, no less understand people of another land. The mainstream American left is riddled with shortsightedness since the response to this imagined enemy fuels the perpetual war society in which we all live. Even in his excellent documentary "The Coming War on China" the Australian journalist John Pilger gave the example of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiao Bo as an example of the CCP's suppression of free speech. I rolled my eyes as I watched that segment of the documentary since anyone who even bothered to read anything that Liu Xiao Bo has written or said or done any research into him would realize that Liu is a tool of the West (specifically, CIA).”
In “Identity Politics and Elite Capture” Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò argues that neoliberal elites have captured and co opted the concept of “identity politics” from its progressive origins in the Combahee River Collective.
Andrea Caldwell writes:
“I think 'elite capture' perfectly explains it. how are you ever going to unite with a group whose ultimate goal is to be included in the white hegemon and has no interest in the concerns of the working class.”
William Pettus writes:
“Identity politics has been around for centuries. It has been used as a way to divide the working-class. LBJ said, ‘I'll tell you what's at the bottom of it. If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.’
“But in recent decades because of strong activism from marginalized minorities, ID politics has been used to reverse this tide. You call it ‘Elite Capture’ but I would prefer to call it ‘reluctant acquiescence.’ A great deal has been accomplished on civil rights, but it should be characterized as a defeat for the ruling class, rather than a victory. From their view it is better to acquiesce on civil rights rather than economics. In my view, the logical trajectory of identity politics is solidarity, which is very dangerous for the ruling class.
“As Chomsky said, ‘Solidarity makes people hard to control and prevents them from being passive objects of private power. So you have to have a propaganda system that overcomes any deviation from the principle of subjugation to power systems.’”
The struggle for ideological clarity will continue to be essential in this difficult time. Identity politics, American exceptionalism, and Democratic Socialism, among other trends, must continue to be critically examined by our movements.
Jahan Choudhry is Comments Editor for Black Agenda Report. He is an organizer with the Saturday Free School based in Philadelphia, PA.
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