Pirates

[Paul Mackin]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Bailey" <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>
To: "P-list" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2009 11:36 PM
Subject: Re: Pirates


> Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> The anti-bourgeois ones resulted in some improvements for the poor, but a
>> new ruler and ruling class lodged themselves unmovably in place.  It was
>> pleasant living in Cuba if you weren't political.
>>
>> The 60s revolution was a not revolution but a number of protests that
>> contributed some to social  progress..
>>
>> P
>
> some good voice of reason stuff.
> never been real strong on that meself...but I like it when I see it!

I like the part about "voice of reason."

I might have added a footnote to the general lack of success of proletariat 
revolutions.

It's the old "socialism in one county" problem dating to the Soviet Union in 
the twenties.

The newly socialist state must exist in economic and ideological 
isolation--eg, in the case of Cuba,thousands of disaffected middle class 
Cubans in nearby Miami plus the U.S. blockade.

Stiffling political dissent is the only weapon of survival.






>
> the basic thing I would do, I guess, if I were there and a lot more
> competent than I am, would be to somehow photograph the vessels doing
> the illegal dumping and fishing, and get with my legal beagles and
> publicity flacks to appeal this to ICJ and world media.
>
> I would not kidnap people who hail from the most vicious and
> well-armed pariah state in the world.  Especially since that state -
> if one can become labeled however inaccurately as "good people" to it
> - can (has and does) provide succor and actually do some helpful
> things...
> including assist in enforcing sovereignty
>
>
>
> -- 
> - "yep, he'd murmur, still making stupid mistakes and how about
> yerself?" - Zoyd, p 24