Suchergebnisse

THIS ARTICLE APPLIES THE CONCEPT OF "UNDERCOMPREHENSION" TO REVIEW FEATURES OF THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE FROM THE YEARS 1910 TO 1920. THE AUTHOR STATES THAT THIS PERIOD CONTAINS EXAMPLES OF FLAWED JUDGEMENT RESULTING IN CATASTROPHE. HE BREAKS THIS PERIOD INTO THREE ELEMENTS: CAUSE, CONDUCT, AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR, EACH OF WHICH IS ANALYZED IN RELATION TO THE OTHER TWO.

A central argument of this article by one of the senior FMLN commanders is that the stalemate thesis focuses too narrowly on military aspects of a war that is fundamentally political in nature. Furthermore, he argues that the FMLN has the capacity to break the military stalemate by transforming an impending "social explosion" into a popular insurrection and victory. His purpose is to help the United States and its Salvadoran allies take off ideological blinders, develop a more realistic assessment of their deteriorating position in the war, and consider entering into negotiations which would end the conflict

The ideas of Adam Przeworski, a proponent of analytical Marxism (see, eg, Capitalism and Social Democracy, Cambridge: Cambridge U Press, 1985), are examined in detail against the goal of building new scientific foundations for classical Marxism & purging it of dogmatic elements. It is argued that the uncritical adoption of the scientific tools of neoclassical economics do not supply microfoundations, &, in fact, that the same inadequacies of orthodox Marxism, ie, its failure to base historical claims in micro-institutions, exist in analytical Marxism. In particular, Przeworski's explanation for the durability of capitalism & the passivity of its working class, & his insights on class formation & struggle are disputed. In Class, Production and Politics: A Reply to Burawoy, Przeworski argues that the role of production in class formation proposed by Burawoy is unsubstantiated. He argues instead that where workers' organizations are strong in capitalist societies, they do not need socialism, ie, nationalization of the means of production, because they have power over the labor market & influence over the state; where they are weak, they gain more by collective action, militancy, & nationalizing production. M. Malas

THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE REVOLUTIONARY WORK OF MIGUEL MARMOL, ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE SALVADORIAN COMMUNIST PARTY, AND JAMES CARNEY, AND AMERICAN JESUIT KILLED BY SECURITY FORCES IN HONDURAS FOR REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITY AMONG THE PEASANTRY. THE AUTHOR USES THE MEMOIRS OF THESE MEN AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR AN EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGION AND REVOLUTION.

The doctrine of double effect -- ie, that the pursuit of a good tends to be less acceptable where a resulting harm is intended as a means than where it is merely foreseen -- is examined. As generally stated, the doctrine may lead to uninviting moral distinctions because it rests on an underlying theory of the intentional, which may vary with description of choices & the closeness of choice & outcome. However, distinguishing between direct & indirect agency shows a genuine difference in the intentional structures of contrasting cases even under a strict interpretation of what is intended & even if intention stems from a choice to act or not to act. The doctrine of double effect rests on the principle of respect for persons over & above duty not to harm or to prevent harm, & on the strong moral presumption that those involved in promotion of a goal that may lead to loss of an independent moral right, such as loss of life or bodily integrity, should do so voluntarily. It grants each person the veto power over attempts to make the world a better place at his or her expense. D. Generoli

BASED UPON PHILOSOPHICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, A THEORY OF FORMATIVE CONTEXT IN HISTORY, AND A GENEALOGY OF THE MODERN WORLD, ROBERTO UNGER'S POLITICAL THEORY IS ESSENTIALLY CONCEIVED AS A RADICAL POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE TO BOTH MARXISM AND SOCIAL DEMOCRACY. IN THIS ESSAY, THE AUTHOR WEIGHS THE THEORETICAL CLAIMS OF UNGER'S WORK AND CRITICALLY EXAMINES THE MAIN LINES OF ITS PROGRAMMATIC AGENDA.

THE AUTHOR INTERVIEWS ERICH FRIED, ONE OF THE LAST MAJOR LINKS WITH THE INTER-WAR GENERATION OF LEFT-WING SOCIALISTS IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA. ALTHOUGH FRIED LIVED MOST OF HIS ADULT LIFE IN LONDON, HIS REPUTATION AND INFLUENCE AS AN OUTSTANDING POET, NOVELIST, AND ESSAYIST HAS REMAINED HIGHEST IN GERMANY AND HAS BEEN STEADILY GROWING IN THE DECADE SINCE THE FORMATION OF THE GREENS.

SOME ANALYTICAL MARXISTS HAVE CONSTRUCTED A NEW PARADIGM, "RATIONAL CHOICE MARXISM." IN THIS PAPER, THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE CLAIMS MADE FOR THE RATIONAL CHOICE APPROACH, QUESTIONS ITS EXPLANATORY POWER, AND ARGUES THAT ITS FORMALISM WEAKENS ITS CRITIQUE OF CAPITALISM AT A TIME WHEN A CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CRITIQUE IS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL TASKS FOR THE LEFT.

The author examines changes in socio-psychological values in the Republic of China as a result of socio-economic change and Westernization. In particular, he looks at numerous old values that present day Taiwanese hold that can be grouped within five main overarching value profiles: humanistic relationships, morality and self-rectification, family piety, authoritarianism and paternalism and practicality and survival. (DÜI-Sen)

The All-Japan Student self-governing Federation was formed in September 1948. The author traces the rise and fall of the Zengakuren paying special attention to influence of Marxism on students, Zengakuren's relationship with the Japanese Communist Party, power struggle among different factions within the Zengakuren, formation of red army by some New Left students and Zengakuren's disbandment. (DÜI-Sen)

After looking at sacrificial mysticism of the Vedas, philosophical mysticism of the Upanishads, devotional mysticism of the Bhagvad Gita etc the author discusses religious mysticism of Ramakrishna (1836-86), evolutionary mysticism of Aurobindo (1872-1950) and Hindu mysticism in the West (1893-1985), especially transcendental mediation, Hare Krishna movement, Bhagwan Rajneesh's movement mediations among others. (DÜI-Sen)

This paper focusses on the question why the Saudis' large-scale expenditures on defense continued despite the Saudi economy's general recession and state of austerity. As the author explains this is neither an economic nor a financial issue, but rather a question which goes to the heart of the Saudi concept of security, survival and national priorities. (DÜI-Hns)

This article identifies tentative lessons about successful political management of stabilization and structural adjustment policies in developing countries. The author concentrates in detail on how the governments of Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala managed the actual supports and opponents of these policies between 1982 and 1987, based on interviews with policy makers, official documents, and content analysis of media sources

The author describes some of the main trends in the political development of Haiti after president-for-life, Jean-Claude Duvalier, fled the country in February 1986. The claim is made that the political and administrative vacuum left by Duvalier has been filled by competing sectors of Haiti's military establishment that has thus prevented a development toward democracy in the foreseeable future

In this article the author discusses Nehru's visit to Czechoslovakia in 1938, his critical attitude towards fascism, Nazism and threats to Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany, Nehru's support for democratic Spain etc. His condemnation of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia by Britain and France is noted. The development of relations between Czechoslovakia and India after India's independence is briefly discussed. (DÜI-Sen)