On CLR James Notes on Dialectics(Dunayevskaya)

8/13/2019 On CLR James Notes on Dialectics(Dunayevskaya)

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Raya Dunayevskaya 1972

On C.L. . James Notes on DialecticsI typed James Notes on t!e Dialectic" #ack in 19$%. &t t!attime I t!ou'!t it (as ')eat*" #ut to t!ink t!at some (!o claim

to ()ite not e+planations" o, t!e dialectic* #ut di)ectly t!e

dialectic itsel," -1(ould conside) t!at out o, t!e past t(o c)itical

decades* not!in' !ad eme)'ed t!at (ould demand !e )e()ite it* is

su)ely sta'nant t!inkin'* especially (!en one !as ended on somet!in'

so ,a) ,)om )eality as/ 0!e talinists a)e ove))unnin' C!ina.

0!ey aim at 3u)ma* 4o)ea* t!e 5alay tates* Indonesia* IndoC!ina

and India." 6p. 228

0!e st)uctu)e o, t!ese 22 pa'es is ve)y lopsided* indeed. 0!us* noless t!an pa'es a)e devoted to t!e :)e,aces o, ;e'els

1cience o, Lo'ic* #ut t!e (!ole Doct)ine o, 3ein' )ates a me)e 7

1)eat A)enc! Revolution* and do(n to today*" at

(!ic! point t!e aut!o) sends us on a Leninist Inte)lude" 6p.9%8

(!ic! is ,ollo(ed as soon as !e ends (it! =ssence 6p.11%8 #y

continuin' into Leninism and t!e Notion" 6p.1B$8 (e can at least

'et to kno( (!at James t!inks.

O4* t!at is a ')eat num#e) o, pa'es and contains a se)ious study

o, Lenin. 3ut t!at analysis is st)ictly political. 0!e aut!o) o#viously

did not kno( Lenins :!ilosop!ic Note#ooks. ;e)e is !o( !e )e,e)s

to t!em. 6p.998 I )emem#e) on my ou)neys #et(een 5issou)i andNe( o)k* stoppin' at Eas!in'ton and R-aya callin' out an at

si'!t t)anslation ,)om Lenins Russian notes* and my sc)i##lin' t!em

do(n. I still !ave t!e note#ook. I 'ot plenty* #ut not nea)ly

enou'!."

0!at ce)tainly is t)ue. 0!e only t(o Fuotations James )e,e)s to a)e

t!e ones Lenin ()ites on Leap" a'ainst ')adualness* and !is

e+citement a#out t!e dialectic as 5ovement and sel,movement"

6()on'ly att)i#uted #y James to t!e )ema)ks in t!e Doct)ine o,

=ssence (!e)eas Lenin !ad made t!ese conclusions lon' #e,o)e !e
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#attled (it! t!e Doct)ine o, =ssence.8 0!is is no simplistic matte)

a#out Fuotations." 0!e point is t!at t!e one leap" James

makes is in t!e Doct)ine o, =ssence* and so in love is !e (it!

;e'els p)o,ound analysis o, Cont)adiction t!at even in t!e 1971

edition"-2

!e !as t!e t!i)d O#se)vation #y ;e'el )etyped as&ppendi+." 3ut* as James keeps )epeatin' ove) and ove) a'ain*

t!at (as not t!e ne(" ,o) ou) a'e* ,o) ou) 0endencyG-B!is task

(as supposed to #e to (o)k out t!e Doct)ine o, t!e Notion. 3ut

t!e only 6and it is t!e ac!ievement* t!e only one James can c!alk

up8 (o)kin' out" is t!e )eco'nition t!at Lenins slo'an* to a

man*" (as t!e ne( ?nive)sal.

3ut (!at does !e do (it! t!e doct)ine o, t!e Notion and* on t!at

(!ic! !e speci,ied as !is 'oal* t!at is* t!e )elations!ip #et(een

spontaneity and o)'aniHation Eell* ,i)st* !e says* Ee !ave to'et !old o, t!e Notion o, t!e solute Idea* #e,o)e (e can see t!is

)elation #et(een o)'aniHation and spontaneity in its conc)ete

t)ut!." 6p.1198 0!en 6pp.1191@8* (!e)e !e is supposed to

develop t!e matte)* (e 'et no ,u)t!e) t!an a !eavy )eliance on

=n'els Dialectics o, Natu)e/ =n'els !as (!at is in my modest

opinion a ve)y satis,yin' passa'e on t!e ud'ment." 6p.1218 ;e

#a)ely )eac!es ,u)t!e) t!an ust t!e cate'o)ies t!emselves/

?nive)sal* :a)ticula)* Individual. &s usual* ust as !e comes to a

di,,icult passa'e in ;e'el* !e depa)ts to t!e :a)ticula)* in t!is case0)otskys t!eo)y o, pe)manent )evolution.

?n,o)tunately* t!ou'! !e ac!ieves somet!in' #y applyin'" t!e

,i+ed pa)ticula) to 0)otskys t!eo)y o, nationaliHed

p)ope)tysocialism* !e seems to #e a#le to do not!in' at all (it!

!is t!eo)y o, pe)manent )evolution. Indeed* !e no( claims t!at t!e

peasant)y is t!e )evolutiona)y ,o)ce* (!ic! !e discove)ed. et* as

(e can see ,)om t!ese Notes* #ack in 19$%* !e leaves out enti)ely

t!at c)itical Fuestion* t!e )ole o, t!e peasant)y on (!ic! 0)otsky

(as most assu)edly al(ays ()on'. 3ut (!at !e claims in 1971 (ast!e ,u)t!est ,)om !is mind in 19$%.

&s ,o) ;e'el !imsel, on t!e Doct)ine o, t!e Notion* !e !a)dly 'oes

#eyond t!at ,i)st c!apte) 6p.2 to #e e+act8-$.;e !ad taken so

many inte)ludes on politics* (it!out ans(e)in' !is Fuestion E!at

Ee !all Do*" at (!ic! point !e does de,ine 0)otsky as

ynt!etic Co'nition" 6pp.17128. &t t!at point it (ould

appea)* (e (ill deal (it! solute Idea* i, not (it! all t!at comes

#et(een p.2 and p.$. 3ut !e)e (e !ave an a#undance o,

Fuotations (it! !a)dly anyt!in' di)ect" ,)om James* unless #y
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di)ectly" James meant Fuotin' ;e'el di)ectly. Eell and 'oodK 3ut

t!e misplaced paean o, p)aise to =n'els !a)dly s!o(s James kno(s

muc! a#out t!e solute Idea* ,o) it is #utt)essed #y/ =n'els !as

summed it up once and ,o) all* despite all t!at mode)n p!ilosop!e)s

()ite/ t!e ,undamental distinction in p!ilosop!y is t!e p)imacy o,mate)ialism* #ein'* o) idealism)ace Lee 6Ria tone8

(as t!e t!i)d in t!e t)io o, leade)s!ip. !e did not occupy a ,o)mal

post o, leade) in t!e E:* #ut !e) name did appea) on some

0endency documents* and* in any case* s!e (as t!e only one (!o

!ad a ,o)mal p!ilosop!ic de')ee and ca))ied on a pe)sonal

co))espondence (it! Jo!nson* and c)iticiHed !is Notes on t!e

Dialecticas academician."

0!e t!i)d step in t!at di''in' into ;e'el ,ollo(ed in 19$%@

#et(een James* Lee and mysel,* t!is time on a muc! mo)e p)ecise


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level* section #y section in ;e'els cience o, Lo'ic and its

)elevance ,o) ou) a'e. It stopped in 19@ (!en* on t!e one !and* it

all !elped in ,o)mulatin' 1tate Capitalism and Eo)ld Revolution*

and* on t!e ot!e) !and* t!e >ene)al t)ike o, 5ine)s (as on. I

p)oceeded to Eest Mi)'inia to pa)ticipate in it. 65y )epo)ts on t!atst)ike and )ole o, (omen (e)e pu#lis!ed in 0!e 5ilitant* and t!en*

as inte)vie(s (it! mine)s #attlin' &utomation #e,o)e eve) t!at

(o)d (as invented* t!ey #ecame pivotal to t!e ,inal c!apte) o,

5a)+ism and A)eedom* &utomation and t!e Ne( ;umanism."8-

Ainally* in 19B* (!en talin died* I (as elated enou'! to #)eak

do(n t!e solute Idea as t!e movement ,)om p)actice to t!eo)y

and a ne( society. 0!at (as si+ (eeks #e,o)e t!e !isto)ic June 17

=ast >e)man Revolution. 0!ese lette)s o, 5ay 12 and 5ay 2@

6included in t!e La#o) &)c!ives o, Eayne tate ?nive)sity* (!e)et!e Raya Dunayevskaya Collection is deposited* as ()itten* not as

)e()itten #y James some t(o decades a,te) t!e events8 so

e+cited >)ace t!at* (it! !e) usual !ype)#oles* s!e ()ote t!at (!at

Lenins :!ilosop!ic Note#ooksac!ieved in 191$* t!e 5ay 12 and 2@

lette)s on t!e solute Idea (ould do ,o) t!e 5ovement in 19B.

0!at (as t!e #e'innin' o, t!e end o, t!e Jo!nsonAo)est

0endency* alt!ou'! t!e actual #)eakup occu))ed a,te) t!e

'ove)nment decided to make t!e listin'...-

ou)s* Raya

6&DD=ND?5 ()itten July* 1972 D8James !ad t(ice )ep)oduced 1tate2Capitalism and Eo)ld Revolution*

once in =n'land in 19* to (!ic! (as attac!ed a ')oup o, names

t!at !ad a#solutely not!in' to do (it! its ()itin'* muc! less its

statecapitalist t!eo)y and t!e second time* in t!e 19@s unde)

!is o(n name* (!ic!* ,o) t!e C.L.R. James o, 1972 )emains t!e

,undamental document. No(* supposin'* ,o) t!e sake o, a)'ument*(e !ad said not!in' a#out t!e ,act t!at it (as not a pe)sonal* #ut

a 0endency document* and !ad not made a point a#out t!e ,act

t!at Aacin' Reality -7did not lo'ically ,lo( ,)om it* #ut* in t)ut!*

(as p)oduced only a,te) Jo!nson and Ao)est (ent t!ei) sepa)ate

(aysG supposin'* ,u)t!e)mo)e* t!at (e also (ould not !ave called

attention to t!e ,act t!at #e,o)e t!e t!i)d" 197 document on

t!e peasant)y could #e pu#lis!ed* (!at !ad )emained o, t!e

Jo!nsonites" !ad unde)'one still anot!e) split* t!is time (it!

>)ace LeeG and supposin'* ,inally* (e allo(ed James to ,o)'et t!e

notsoaccidental #)eak (it! !is co,ounde) !o( could all t!at
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possi#y e+plain 18 t!e )ep)oduction o, t!e 0endencys 19@

document* 1tate Capitalism and Eo)ld Revolutionas is" as i, t!e

su#seFuent t(o c)itical decades !ad p)oduced not!in' ne( in t!e

t!eo)y o, statecapitalismG and 28 !o( could it possi#ly a#solve

James o, t!e conspi)acy o, silence* not only a)ound 5a)+ism andA)eedom* #ut a#out t!e ,act t!at t!e mao)ity o, t!e 0endency

(!o !ad (o)ked out t!at document !e is so p)oud to keep

)ep)oducin' !ad #)oken (it! !im* to esta#lis! t!e 5a)+ist;umanist

pape) edited #y a 3lack p)oduction (o)ke)* t!e 3lack auto (o)ke)

(!ose auto#io')ap!y 6Indi'nant ;ea)t8 -%si'nalled t!e #e'innin' o,

t!at ne( dimension t!at made it possi#le* ,inally* to #e totally

independent o, 0)otskyism In a (o)d* 1tate Capitalism and Eo)ld

Revolutionis old !at not only in t!e sense t!at it (as ()itten in

19@* #ut in t!e mo)e ,undamental sense t!at it (as a)'ued (it!in

a 0)otskyist ,)ame(o)k* since t!e 0endency (as t!en still pa)t o,

t!e E:.

Notes1. James !ad ()itten to ONeill/ I take t!e li#e)ty o, sendin' you

a (o)k o, my o(n...a study o, t!e dialectic o, ;e'el* not

e+planations o, t!e dialectic #ut di)ectly t!e dialectic itsel,...I

)e')et to say t!at it is t!e only di)ect study o, t!e dialectic t!at I

kno(...I am conce)ned (it! t)yin' to ,ind out (!at Fuali,ied people

t!ink o, my #ook and t!e possi#ility o, no)mal pu#lication."

2. James called (!at !ad #een mimeo')ap!ed #y A)iends o, Aacin'

Reality" in 1971 a second edition" o, !is 19$% (o)k

B. C.L.R. James 6J.R. Jo!nson8 and Raya Dunayevskaya 6A)eddie

Ao)est8 !ad co,ounded an opposition tateCapitalist 0endency

(it!in t!e &me)ican 0)otskyist movement* (!ic! (as named t!eJo!nsonAo)est 0endency in Decem#e) 19$.

$. James )e,e)ence in !is Notes" a)e to ;e'els* cience o,

Lo'ic* t)anslated #y Jo!nston and t)ut!e)s* Mol. II.

. Ao) a ,ull discussion o, t!e events o, 19$9@* see 0!e Coal

5ine)s >ene)al t)ike o, 19$9@ and t!e 3i)t! o, 5a)+ist

;umanism in t!e ?..* pu#lis!ed #y Ne(s and Lette)s in 19%$.
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. In Decem#e) 19$* at t!e !ei'!t o, 5cCa)t!yism* Jo!nson

Ao)est (e)e placed on t!e &tto)ney >ene)als su#ve)sive list. Ao)

mo)e on t!is pe)iod see 2 ea)s o, 5a)+ist;umanism in t!e ?..*

pp.1$.

7. Aacin' Reality* #y >)ace C. Lee* :ie))e C!aulieu and J.R.

Jo!nson* came o,, t!e p)ess in 19%.

%. In 197%* t!is 192 auto#io')ap!y o, C!a)les Den#y appea)ed as

:a)t I o, Indi'nant ;ea)t/ & 3lack Eo)ke)s Jou)nal* in :a)t II o,

(!ic! Den#y continued !is li,e sto)y a,te) !e #ecame edito) o, t!e

5a)+ist;umanist ou)nal* Ne(s Lette)s.

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On CLR James Notes on Dialectics(Dunayevskaya)