The Socialist Education Project is an effort to investigate the crisis
in socialism and the attempt to rebuild a socialist-oriented left both
nationally (the U.S.) and internationally. I raised this project a
month ago after reading a very impressive work (Max Elbaum's
"Revolution in the Air") and talking with a number of people about the
project.  I have received quite a number of contributions and here I
present the beginning of the investigation into what went wrong,
beginning in the 1970's.  The project assumes that people will read an
essay or a chapter of a book, and that we will meet once or twice a
month.  The initial subjects are ones that some of us have had a great
deal of experience observing in our own lifetimes.

The initial meeting is to agree on an overall plan.  I have already
mapped out the first few sessions (see below).  Assuming those are
acceptable, we need to decide where to go after that.  I have some
ideas on this part as well.  The meeting will take place on Wednesday
March 12 at the Niebyl-Proctor Library 6301 Telegraph Avenue in
Oakland at 7:30 PM


Initial Plan:

First, what went wrong with the 'New Left'? Reading from Elbaum's
conclusion 'Lessons from the new Communist Movement'.

Second, what went wrong with the Communist Left (presumably, the
weaknesses will focus on the command economy and the absence of
democracy)?  Readings provided by the CC-DS and Marilyn
Albert.

Third, what went wrong with the democratic Socialist Left? Here I
take the lead from David Belkin's review of the literature describing
the less drastic but still palpable sense of bankruptcy enveloping
the traditional social democratic path (in Sweden, Britain, France
West Germany).  Some of this discussion may be found in Michael
Harrington's "Socialism Past and Future?" or from articles in Dissent.



David Makofsky
You can call me at (510) 653-2963 for more information.