This is a lengthy statement. However I seem to remember that in the 1980s a few people in the USFI were advancing the position that Nicaragua was a workers' state. Also, I note that on section heading mentions Democratic Centralism, but there is nothing about it in the section itself.
Hi Campbell. Yes, the 1985 discussion addressed that but, looking at the minutes, I believe Mandel didn't draft or present the resolution (that was comrade Sergio from Mexico), or take part in the discussion. That wasn't one of his theoretical contributions. Similarly, while Mandel did write about democratic centralism, he didn't develop that concept. He contributed to it in the manner described in that section, particularly in the resolution on socialist democracy, by supporting a multi-party workers' state and defending the right to form tendencies and factions.
As you say, the article is lengthy and does not attempt to summarise Mandel's thoughts (Manuel Kellner's book does that), but it does include some of his contributions, which are relevant to the series of articles on the AWL open letter.
This is a lengthy statement. However I seem to remember that in the 1980s a few people in the USFI were advancing the position that Nicaragua was a workers' state. Also, I note that on section heading mentions Democratic Centralism, but there is nothing about it in the section itself.
Hi Campbell. Yes, the 1985 discussion addressed that but, looking at the minutes, I believe Mandel didn't draft or present the resolution (that was comrade Sergio from Mexico), or take part in the discussion. That wasn't one of his theoretical contributions. Similarly, while Mandel did write about democratic centralism, he didn't develop that concept. He contributed to it in the manner described in that section, particularly in the resolution on socialist democracy, by supporting a multi-party workers' state and defending the right to form tendencies and factions.
As you say, the article is lengthy and does not attempt to summarise Mandel's thoughts (Manuel Kellner's book does that), but it does include some of his contributions, which are relevant to the series of articles on the AWL open letter.