In search of democracy in socialism : history and party consciousness

From The Blurb: This Book Is Written By A Prominent Dissident Marxist Philosopher. It Presents A Radical Critique Of Marxist Theory And Practice In Contemporary Communist Societies In Eastern Europe, Based Upon His Experience In Yugoslavia. Among The Lively Issues That Stojanovic Examines Are: The Ambiguities Of Marx's Theory Of History And Its Vulnerability To Ideological Distortion, The Problem Of Charisma, The Legacy Of Stalinism, The Ideological Consciousness Of The Statist Ruling Class In The Ussr, The Experience Of The Chinese Cultural Revolution, And The Moral Issues Faced By The Communist Revolutionary Who Parts Ways With His Party. Throughout, Stojanovic Defends A Humanist Interpretation Of Marxism And A Passionate Commitment To Democratic Socialism. The Author Discusses The Opportunities For The Realization Of A Genuinely Democratic Socialist Order In Yugoslavia Today And Reaffirms His Conviction That The Protection Of The Dignity Of The Human Individual, Even In The Most Difficult Of Circumstances, Is The Paramount Condition Of Socialism. Author's Note -- Foreword -- Part 1: Marxism And Historical Action -- 1: Approach To Marx -- 2: Contradiction Between Strict And Tempered Determinism -- 3: Economistic Schemes -- 4: Transcendence Of Economism -- 5: Two Tendencies In The History Of Marxism -- 6: Proposed Revision -- 7: Classical Marxism On The Role Of Famous Personalities -- 8: Lenin / Trotsky Turning Point -- 9: Introductory Remarks On The Problem Of Charisma In Marxism -- Part 2: Authoritarian And Democratic Communism -- 1: Archetype: Authoritarian-pauperistic Communism -- 2: Humanization Of Violent Revolution -- 3: Communist Charism / Rch / Y -- 4: Statist Revolution In The Ussr -- 5: Maoism Against Revolutionary Entropy -- 6: Opportunities For Socialist Democratization-in Yugoslavia -- 7: Challenge Of Democratic Communism -- Part 3: On The Destruction Of Communist Dignity And On The Ethics Of The Revolutionary -- 1: Why This Topic? -- 2: Self-abasement In The Guise Of Revolutionary Selflessness -- 3: Ideology And Truth -- 4: Trap Of Objective Meaning And Objective Responsibility -- 5: Merleau-ponty's Concepts Of Historical Meaning And Historical Responsibility -- 6: Between A Metaphysical And Positivistic Attitude Toward The Party -- 7: Knout Of Reaction -- 8: Countermeasures -- 9: On Marxism And Ethics -- 10: Dignity Of The Revolutionary In The Ethics Of Humanistic Reciprocity. Svetozar Stojanović ; Translated By Gerson S. Sher. Translation Of: Geschichte Und Parteibewusstsein. Includes Bibliographical References. Foreword Marxism and Historical Action The Approach to Marx The Contradiction Between Strict and Tempered Determinism Economistic Schemes The Transcendence of Economism Two Tendencies in the History of Marxism A Proposed Revision Classical Marxism on the Role of Famous Personalities The Lenin/Trotsky Turning Point Introductory Remarks on the Problem of Charisma in Marxism Authoritarian and Democratic Communism An Archetype: Authoritarian-Pauperistic Communism The Humanization of Violent Revolution Communist Charisma/rch/y The Statist Revolution in the USSR Maoism Against Revolutionary Entropy Opportunities for Socialist Democratization — in Yugoslavia The Challenge of Democratic Communism On the Destruction of Communist Dignity and on the Ethics of the Revolutionary Why This Topic? Self-Abasement in the Guise of Revolutionary Selflessness Ideology and Truth The Trap of “Objective” Meaning and “Objective” Responsibility Merleau-Ponty’s Concepts of “Historical Meaning” and “Historical Responsibility” Between a Metaphysical and Positivistic Attitude Toward the Party The Knout of Reaction Countermeasures On Marxism and Ethics The Dignity of the Revolutionary in the Ethics of Humanistic Reciprocity