Their Morals and Ours: The Class Foundations of Moral Practice

by Leon Trotsky, John Dewey, George Novack, et al.

Book Overview

Participating in the revolutionary workers movement "with open eyes and an intense willonly this can give the highest moral satisfaction to a thinking being," Trotsky writes. He explains how morality... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0873483197
• ISBN13: 9780873483193
• Release Date: January 1973
• Publisher: Pathfinder
• Length: 137 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

THEIR MORALS AND OURS, INDEED!

One of the most tragic results of the Stalinization of a significant part of the international workers movement in the 20th century was the steep decline in the norms of revolutionary morality. In fact a persuasive argument can be made that the Stalinist lies, distortions and destruction of revolutionary cadre, as well as untold innocents, dragged the workers movement to a moral level below even the abysmal bourgeois hypocrisy of modern day liberalism and social democracy. But, although one would be hard pressed to refute that idea that is an argument for another day. Here, Leon Trotsky, as he had in the political struggles to defend the ideas of the socialist revolution raised his lonely voice to defend revolutionary morality against the onslaught of Stalinist falsifiers, liberal cynics, social democratic hypocrites and some of his faint-hearted intellectual former `supporters' who were beginning their rapid retreat from revolutionary politics in the run-up to World War II. Trotsky's argument is fairly simple and straightforward. Not only do the ruling classes own the means of production and control the educational, cultural and state apparatuses but impose their concept of morality on their society. Thus it follows, in order to break the stranglehold of the ruling classes, it is necessary for revolutionaries to develop their own moral sense- outside and in counter position- to the ruling classes. That truth may not be the most profound idea that Trotsky ever uttered but in light of the rise of fascism, the Stalinist Moscow purge trials and the Stalinist destruction of the Spanish Revolution which formed the backdrop for his analysis it needed saying-and needs repeating today. No militant can hope to change society for the better if he or she does not make a clean break from bourgeois norms of morality, period. Politics and morality obviously are not counterpoised but flow from the nature of the task. If the politics are not revolutionary then it is hard to see how the moral compass that leads to a revolutionary life would be. Again, Stalinism in its political guise as a form of international class collaborationism blurred the lines between what to a revolutionary is the norm and an `amoral' or `anti-moral' world-weary bureaucratic response. And that tension has not stopped with the defeat of Stalinism. Because leftists did not defeat Stalinism but rather it collapsed from its own internal moral decay and ineptitude that line has never been straightened out. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than today when revolutionaries use the bourgeois institutions against others in the labor movement, including other revolutionaries, to further their aims. Yes, of course we use these alien institutions when we fight the oppressors-that is part of our arsenal. No, we do not ask (really, beg) the class enemy to adjudicate disputes within the labor movement. Learn to fight the political struggle the proper way. To get the necessary foundation for that r

Which Side Are You On?

Which Side Are You On?Claims to the moral high ground by ruling classes fill the pages of history through today. Their crimes against humanity are morally justified to the masses. This book delves into the class underpinnings of all moral function. Their Morals and Ours is a valuable help to thinking through what is morality, its roots and changes. Leon Trotsky, a great Marxist and John Dewey, a great liberal pragmatist debate these questions on the eve of World War II.Stalinism, wars, the ten commandments, strikes, taking of hostages, marriage relations, means and ends, and common sense are some of the subjects discussed. The morality of capitalism vs. the morality of the working-class struggle for liberation from capitalism are counterposed.

Whose Morality?

Written on the eve of World War II, this piece defends revolutionary Marxist and revolutionary morality against progressive-minded detractors, i.e. disillusioned former Marxists who claim the horrific crimes of Stalin were the logical outcome of Lenin's and the Bolsheviks' policies.In refuting these detractors, Trotsky explains that "morality more than any other form of ideology has a class character." Thus, it was "moral" according to U.S. rulers to use atomic bombs against Japanese cities when Japan had already sought to surrender in World War II and it's OK to threaten countries today with them. But it's "immoral" for North Korea or other countries to seek to develop atomic bombs to defend themselves.The imperialist "war on terrorism" is a current example. According to ruling class 'morality' it's perfectly moral for the Israeli rulers to murder Palestinian leaders and people as it occupies Palestine. It's OK for the U.S. and U.K rulers to murder Iraqis. But it's Not OK for the Palestinians or people of Iraq to defend themselves and seek to end occupation of their lands.

A spectacular polemic on the dangers of liberal morality

As the questions of how solve the increasing crisis of capitalim becomes more pertinant every day, an old debate must be re-hashed. Are the politics of Lesser Evilism and the Social Democratic parties of the world a viable alternative to the atrocities of the right? Is marxist ideolgy correctly associated with the horrors of Stalinist Russia and the Eastern Bloc? Do the Ends justify the Means? In this classic debate, Leon Trotsky the great revolutionary socialist, answers these questions with the fire and focus that they deserve. He and the liberal thinker, John Dewey, debate the morality of the means of liberal capitalist and socialist tactics and resolve the question of whether either or both can accomplish a moral end.