activism Charles Brown charlesb at CNCL.ci.detroit.mi.us Sun May 3 09:03:15 PDT 1998 On activism , the unity of theory and practice, etc. in a way Marxism is not just historical and dialectical materialism, but activist materialism. In the First Thesis on Feuerbach, Marx distinguishes his materiialism from all preceding materialisms, including Feuerbach's by ACTIVATING the subject. Previously, only idealisms had active, but imaginary subjects. Marx says the idea is for revolutionary, or practical-critical, ACTIVITY. In the last thesis, he makes clear that this practical-critical activity is to change the world. Yet, it is often overlooked that though in that last thesis he says philosophers have interpreted the world ; the thing is to change it. He does not say stop interpreting the world philosophers. And clearly there is a "symbolic or theoretical construct" in the CRITICAL aspect of that practical-critical activity. So, let not it be said that Marx is all vulgar and without fancy. And ironically, I believe, today, we need philosophy in order to inspire activism ! This is not so strange when one considers Marx's first thesis. For it is an active subject that is key to the eminently revolutionary practice of changing the world. This subject is very much a materialist and scientist and worker. But only with an understanding of the classical philosophy of Marx and his predecessors will we make the theory of activism for today. Another classic on this is Lenin's "without revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movernent>". The arch-materialist and preeminent practictioner stresses the importance of theory. And there is a general revolutionary theory, but also a specific revolutionary theory for our time. We must be as bold as Lenin and Marx in being the revolutionary philosophers who forge the rev. theory of our time. I thiink we should have less and less division of labor between theoreticians and activists. All activists or militants should seek to be philosophers. There should be generalized teaching of technical philosophy in the party. By the way, e-mail is heavily theoretical now, because the enemy could be listening in on your plans if this was very concrete practice. Charles Brown