I commented yesterday on the quantity of ads I was getting that sought to convert me to Christianity. Then, to my horror, I got one urging me to love my enemies.
There are actually some moral propositions in the gospels that I feel some sympathy for but I’ve spent decades on the front lines of a struggle against poverty in a country with the means and resources to eliminate it almost overnight. In the course of this, I have learned two things above all else. I know who my enemies are and I hate them more than I can say. I have no plans to show them the other cheek. At least, not the one on my face.
There are undoubtedly clear enemies in view from a Marxist perspective: boards of directors, middle and senior governmental bureaucrats, millionaires and so forth.
There are, however, many borderline cases where a more refined analysis would be required (the issue of what constitutes the middle class and, given its nature and composition, what should the working classes’ political position towards it under various circumstances). This issue dovetails with what Marxists’ views towards social democrats nowadays should be (since undoubtedly social democracy or social reformism is at least in part one of the major ideal of social democrats but, simultaneously, is supported by many sections of the working class–although reluctantly sometimes).
I had some experiences with social democrats or social reformers in Winnipeg, where I used to live. However, what solidified my view of how Marxists should approach social democrats or social reformists solidified in Toronto. I had no intention of going out of my way to criticize social democrats per se, but when I wanted to bring up the issue of whether a union rep’s claim that all striking brewery workers wanted was a “fair deal,” “good jobs” and “fair benefits” (I had worked in a capitalist brewery in Calgary for four years) was legitimate, I was met with insults by another union rep and a lack of support from the so-called radical left here in Toronto.
I concluded that, in order to express an independent working-class view, it would be necessary to disengage from organizations that indulged the views of the social-democratic or social-reformist left.
Returning to the issue of who is the enemy: Are social-democrats the enemy? The easy answer is that it all depends. Of course circumstances will affect whether Marxists should deal with those who express social-democratic views as enemies or not; rank-and-file workers who express such views can perhaps be addressed on a more rational basis–over the long-term–than union reps who cling to the dogma of “”fair contracts,” “fair wages,” “good jobs” and the like.
In general, though, I have come to the conclusion that it is indeed necessary to treat many who express such social-democratic views as the enemy–they will not abandon their reformist views, no matter what, and they will, ultimately, fight against any real change towards a socialist society.
This situation does not mean that Marxists cannot make alliances with social democrats. Issues such as higher wages, less repressive legal measures and so on may be worth fighting for in the short-term, and such issues may link Marxists and social democrats in a common alliance for a time. However, this does not mean that Marxists should cease criticizing social democrats–which is what certainly has happened here in Toronto to a large extent–with such talk as “the progressive left”–and such similar phrases.
Here’s what Chow promised to do during the election campaign:
TRANSIT
Chow has promised to build a dedicated busway to replace the decommissioned Scarborough RT to the tune of about $60 million. She said the funding would come from replacing the Gardiner Expressway with an at-grade boulevard between Cherry Street and the Don Valley Parkway rather than rebuilding the roadway.
More widely, she has committed to “reversing the recent service cuts” made to the TTC, ensure cell service is available to riders, and make sure public transit is “fast and reliable.”
HOUSING
One of the biggest differences between Chow and the other candidates was her pledge to raise Toronto’s vacant home tax from one per cent to three per cent. The money collected would be used for affordable housing initiatives.
Chow has also promised to build 25,000 homes on city-owned land in the next eight years. Those homes would be developed by the city as well, with a minimum of 7,500 affordable units and at least 2,500 units to be rent-geared-to-income.
About $5 million would be used to create new 24/7 respite spaces and another $5 million to expand street outreach and drop-in programming. Chow has pledged to spend another $14.6 million on rent supplements for about 1,000 individuals experiencing homelessness to find stable housing.
TAXES
The municipal land transfer tax will increase leadership on homes sold for more than $3 million. The money collected from this tax increase will be used to support people experiencing homelessness.
Property tax in Toronto will increase by a “modest” amount, Chow has said, although she has not provided an exact number. She has, however, said the increase will not be near 25 per cent as suggested by other candidates. This increase will support city improvements, including reducing wait times on 911 calls.
ROADS
Chow’s plans for Toronto roadways centres on bringing people back to transit and improving cycling infrastructure—however, very few details have been released on how she will invest in items such as bike lanes.
CAFÉTO
A large part of Chow’s plan involves making Toronto’s streets “more fun places to be all summer.”
She has said she will improve upon Toronto’s CafeTO program to ensure businesses and BIA’s get prompt information so they can plan ahead and hire staff. She has also pledged to provide financial supports for some businesses to participate and establish a team to execute the program, including expediting applications for businesses that applied a year earlier.
There is nothing in the above that points to even bringing up the issue of the class power of employers in general and the class power of construction companies in particular in the city of Toronto. There is indeed little indication that Chow is even aware that this poses a problem.
It will be interesting to see to what extent Chow will have succeeded in achieving her stated goals. I for one am quite doubtful about it; the resistance of capitalists and petite-bourgeois contractors may well thwart any such plans in the area of housing.
I indicated in another post that Clarke pointed out that what is needed is organized pressure from grass-roots movements. Unless such pressure is forthcoming, it is likely that Chow’s period as mayor will be followed by a conservative backlack as her failure to realize her campaign promises becomes noticeable.
Is Chow then a class enemy? Yes and no. No in the sense that, with sufficient organizational pressure, her own stated ideology may be forced to align with some needed changes in Toronto. Yes in the sense that there will be definite limits to her push for change–limits defined by both the class power of employers and Chow’s own social-democratic ideology.
I come from a working-class background. My lost paid job was a teacher, substituting for a number of years before obtaining a permanent position. I obtained my doctorate in 2009. I am an unapologetic critic of capitalism and the way in which various institutions and ideologies reinforce it.
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