The Vision of Raymond Lotta
Research by D. Niwa 2013
I’m unfamiliar with this author, Raymond Lotta (an advocate of socialism/communism), but I found his topic to be of interest. He wrote about what he believes is needed for transformation from a socialist society to a communist society. For example, he writes:
“The educational system under socialism will have a core curriculum. This will be based on what is known to be true in particular spheres of human knowledge. At the same time, there must be substantial space for inquiry and instruction that fall outside that curriculum, and for theories and intellectual currents that ‘go against the grain.’ That is important because this is the kind of society, pulsing with new ideas and discovery, that socialism needs to be. . . .”
My comments:
The “substantial space for inquiry” is already present in U.S. education. It exists through so-called “critical thinking,” “critical literacy,” “critical pedagogy,” “critical race theory,” “critical theory,” etc — and present in past decades under other labels. Issues addressed are viewed through the narrow lens of the communist perspective of “social justice”.
And it exists in ethnic studies (In Tucson Unified School District — including the “Social Justice Education Project” under Mexican American Studies), as well as in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (through the Theory of Knowledge) that is in many U.S. public schools.
In short, under the guise of teaching thinking [sic], students are learning to think like communists: to focus on social issues, conduct critique through the lens of “social justice” (includes the oppressed/oppressor paradigm), and then encouraged to go into communities to act as [communist] agents of change.
As you read the below, keep in mind that communists/marxists do not believe in “absolute” truth, but rather “truth” is ever-changing/evolving.
Critical Thinking and the Search for the Truth: Today and in Socialist Society
By Raymond Lotta, Revolution #81, March 11, 2007
http://revcom.us/a/081/search-en.html
Excerpt (emphasis added):
We believe it is possible for humanity to get to a whole new place—where it has put an end to all forms of exploitation, overcome the division of society into classes, eliminated all oppressive institutions and social relations, and cast off all the values and ideas that reinforce oppressive institutions and relations.
Leading forward the process of getting to this kind of world is what communist leadership and a socialist state must be all about. And this must be a process of diverse thinking and action from all corners of society, and great ferment, dissent, and upheaval.
Thus far there have been two major attempts at the socialist transition to communism: the Soviet Union (from 1917 to 1956) and the People’s Republic of China (from 1949 to 1976, and the death of Mao)…
Excerpt (emphasis added):
Socialism is the crucial first step in getting to a communist society where people consciously learn about and transform the world… But a truly emancipatory socialism must be much more than that. It must be a society in which the great majority are thrashing out questions of world affairs, philosophy, science, and art…taking increasing responsibility for the direction and future of society…and increasingly making all spheres of society their province.
Excerpt (emphasis added):
Socialist society requires the fullest possible contesting of ideas and wrangling to get at the truth, and in order to transform society in a liberating direction. All this has important implications for issues of academic freedom under socialism.
The educational system under socialism will have a core curriculum. This will be based on what is known to be true in particular spheres of human knowledge. At the same time, there must be substantial space for inquiry and instruction that fall outside that curriculum, and for theories and intellectual currents that “go against the grain.” That is important because this is the kind of society, pulsing with new ideas and discovery, that socialism needs to be. And what is known to be true today—important as it is to stand on and learn while applying it—may be shown to be partially or wholly wrong tomorrow. As for theories proven to be wrong, like “creationism,” they will not be part of the educational system, although people will still be able to voice those theories.
Marxism will be promoted in the universities and throughout socialist society. The reason is that Marxism provides the most scientific approach to understanding the world, and for achieving the richest possible synthesis of different ideas and insights from particular disciplines and fields. Many scholars and intellectuals do not embrace Marxism and will be pursuing scholarship in different philosophical frameworks. And other philosophies will be taught and studied. In fact, they will challenge and contend with Marxism. Marxism will be taken up and applied, will further develop, and influence people in this kind of atmosphere.
Excerpt (emphasis added):
As Bob Avakian has said, if you really understand this epistemology—the unfettered search for the truth in relation to moving humanity to a whole new stage—you want people to challenge you. And if we are true to this, things will get unruly and wild.
Dissent, Protest and Ferment in Socialist Society
This presents big challenges to the socialist state. Let’s say people organize movements and struggles protesting the socialist state’s environmental policies. What if this takes a new turn with blockades and sit-ins causing disruptions to the economy? Well, you do have to continue to run an economy to meet people’s needs and the requirements of the socialist state. But you also have to thrash out the issues driving this protest, and what this means for developing a sustainable socialist economy, and draw more people in society into debate.
Excerpt (emphasis added):
There is a crucial difference between people who are advocating that socialism should be replaced by capitalism, and forces organizing and carrying out actions to sabotage or overthrow socialism. And the importance of this distinction has to be popularized throughout socialist society and will be spelled out as a matter of law in the constitution.
Excerpt (emphasis added):
It has proven relatively easy for the socialist state to suppress reactionary opposition—for a time. But what is difficult, and this is the great challenge, is to foster debate, experimentation, and ferment and to risk upheavals without losing power. We want a socialist state which is a powerful and necessary tool for the oppressed — as an active transition to get to a society of freely associating human beings, and a world without states and apparatuses of repression. We won’t get there without a socialist state and a communist leadership that values and fosters critical thinking and the wild contestation of ideas; without wide-ranging dissent and tumult; and without the unfettered search for the truth.
—