Greatest Marx Quote Ever.

[Danneskjold]

The bourgeoisie cannot exist without constantly revolutionizing the instruments of production . . . Constant revolutionizing of production, uninterrupted disturbance of all social conditions, everlasting uncertainty and agitation distinguish the bourgeois epoch from all earlier ones . . . All old-established national industries have been destroyed . . . They are dislodged by new industries . . .

Anybody notice anything funny about this passage from the Communist Manifesto?

[Chris Grieb]

I would be willing to tell Marx that one of constants of past times was stravation and death. In parts of the world that do not have the rule of law that is still the case.

[Rodney]

"uninterrupted disturbance"

[Danneskjold]

What I thought was funny is that he is talking about scientific advancements and how they are wrong. It brings me back to a Reagan quote.

How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin.

It rings unusually true when you notice some of the things that Marx was advocating.

[Mikee]

"The bourgeoisie cannot exist without constantly revolutionizing the instruments of production . . . Constant revolutionizing of production, uninterrupted disturbance of all social conditions, everlasting uncertainty and agitation distinguish the bourgeois epoch from all earlier ones . . . All old-established national industries have been destroyed . . . They are dislodged by new industries . . ."

Everything he's complaining about are either very good things or unalterable facts of nature. I.E.: "everlasting uncertainty", tell me when that hasn't been true. "Constant revolutionizing of production", wouldn't this be called progress?

The irony is that the granddaddy of all liberals sounds like an ultra conservative, complaining about change.

[Laure]

Reminds me of the discussion of Directive 10-289. Jim Taggart says, "There's been enough invented already -- enough for everybody's comfort -- why should they be allowed to go on inventing? Why should we permit them to blast the ground from under our feet every few steps? Why should we be kept on the go in eternal uncertainty?"

[omphalos]

I can't decide which of these two Marx quotes is better:

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

"I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas. What he was doing in my pyjamas, I'll never know."

Edited January 19, 2007 by omphalos

[Chris Grieb]

Omphalos; You're quoting the good Marx. Groucho!