Discussion Series on Soviet Bloc Society, Part IV: Reform or Revolution? 1953-1968

Time and date: Tuesday, July 10th, 6pm
Place: 36 S. Wabash, Room 1440
(the office of News & Letters--newsandletters.org)

We continue to ask 2 central questions in this series: 1) How should we understand the changing social system in the Soviet sphere, both internally and as it relates to the world at large? 2) How was this social system critically understood and opposed by people living within it; and what forms of opposition were possible but not realized? Texts presented will include some written at a critical distance from the time and place in question, and others written by people critiquing the Soviet system from within.

One of the tasks of this discussion will be to compare "the 60s" in the Soviet sphere with the "the 60s" in the West and in other parts of the world. What can we learn from the developing left/opposition in the Soviet sphere, as it relates both to the Soviet system and to the global left of this period?

This will help lead into our future discussions on the changes in both Soviet-Bloc society and global capitalism after 1968. More generally, this can help us to understand the current state of capitalism and anti-capitalism, which bear the legacy of these developments.

Readings available at 49underground.org

Central readings:

- Jacek Kuron and Karol Modzelewski, Open Letter to the Party: An important historical document of opposition to Communist Party rule in Poland; a critique of the system and a program for revolution from a relatively traditional, but still radical and original, Marxist-Leninist position.
- Karel Kosik, "Our Current Crisis": An analysis of Czechoslovakia and the world during a critical moment in 1968; written by one of the age's most original Marxist humanists.

Additional readings (to be presented or useful as background material):

- Herbert Marcuse, *Soviet Marxism* (a critique of Soviet ideology in the late 1950s)
- Peter Hudis, "The 1956 Hungarian Revolution with Eyes of Today"
- Leszek Kolakowski, "The Concept of the Left" (another prominent Marxist humanist)
- Ron Suny, The Soviet Experiment "Khrushchev and the Politics of Reform" (for historical background)

If you are not able to do the readings, still come; all readings will be introduced with short presentations.

Contact: southsideanticap (at) riseup.net