Paraniod enclosures and the neeed for a Marxist Humanism

 I always have sympathy with people who hanker for the truth, the people who claim they are in full  receipt of complete wisdom are anathema to me.  Something very cultic about the manner in which some of the Left engages with the world, is there not?  Like they are clinging to some safety blanket. Famously Aneurin Bevan had the phrase - This is my truth, tell me yours. How many politicans are willing to engage with the world with the sense that not all truth lies within the ambit of one person or one poltical party.

To what extent could we see as some of the groups on the Left as cults rather than open poltical structures- where peoples views are welcomed and debate is encouraged. James Conolly, gave young party members, the best defence of capitalism in book form and said hey "read this first". Can you imagine any political group taking such a bold and dialetical stance? 

When I was a young man and in the Young Socialsts - independent thought was not put at a premium. There were the purveyors that straddled the top of the Militant Tendency and there were us  - the footsoldiers who sold the line to the masses.

Take the case of the Socialist Party of Scotland which has the memberhip which may on  a good day run into a bakers dozen. Sit down a bright but not overtly poltical teenager and get them to read Phil Stott's pamphlet on Alan McCoombes book on the Tommy Sheridan trial.

As an experiment I would really like to do this and find out if it anyway inspires young people to become enaged in active poltics. I think not. Later on in the year I shall try this experiment and record what comments are made. I think most young people will unconvinced by the rhetoric of the party leader - Phil Stott.
   
I  think the problem with Mr Stott is he has over the years become so entrenched in  his world view (that he picked up from Uncle Ted) that it he is incapable of having a honest dialogue. It's a closed system of thought, which lacks an open synoptic world view. In many ways he has become the epitome and the living embodiment of everything I dislike about poltics, in general.

When I was boy a lot of my pals from St Augustines, made great recruits, to far left groupings because we were very good at swallowing unquestioning tracts.  Add that with a culture of fetishisation of the word and the sense that there is only way and one path only - then you have a sense as to how our christain culture has in many ways played a part, both for good and bad in shaping politcal culture. Particualry in Scotland where we love our narrow road clubs and where we nurse our wrath to keep it warm.

There seems to be no love of humanity, or understanding of others frailties.  His enemes are cardboard baddies, not human beings with  families and friends and redeeming qualities.  The paraniod  enclosures of some on the Left. Scary.  Like some millenerain cult in Geneva at the time of the Protestant Reformation.

Is this  not now a time to embrace complexity and accept humanity and the humaity of our politcal  opponents? Marxist Humanism anyone? And if we are not Scottish, should be not be at the world centre for rejecting dogma and embracing scpetical schemas of thought and questioning all forms of authority ? Humility, peace, love and tolerance, and democracy  anyone?