Walter: "Another odd thing about the SWP was the extreme hostility it
had toward the idea of home ownership for its members, though
the older working class cadres all owned their own homes. The
idea they had was something like "a rolling stone gathers no
conservatism".



Well, yes. But I think this hostility was based on two things.



One was ideological: a confusion between what you propose as a social
solution for society, and what you may be inclined to do as an individual in
actually existing capitalist America. I was reminded of this back in the
1980s when Doug Jenness wrote a series of articles in The Militant on the
housing question, based largely on Engels's wonderful pamphlet on that
issue. Doug argued that workers were crazy to buy houses. His argument was
not based on the practical economics of home ownership (e.g. the tax
deductions for mortgage interest Walter refers to - something we don't have
in Canada), but rather on the Marxist critique of private home ownership,
and the need for social housing, to be regarded as a social right not a
property right. Great argument, but as advice for individual workers it
substituted abstract theory ("program") for real life realities.



So instead, we were fed a lot of stuff about Cannon's (and the IWW's)
"footloose revolutionaries." Great for the YSA, but not too applicable to
many older party members, especially those (few in number - wonder why?)
with kids.



Doug's and Engels's solution to the housing question was appropriate matter
for discussion, proposals and action within the broad labour, social and
political movements. But most of us are personally obliged to fend for
ourselves in the rough and tumble of the present - so we buy personal real
estate.



The other factor - and this was Doug's and the SWP's real concern, I'm sure
(as Walter notes) -- was that they wanted a membership easily transferable
at the leadership's whim. If you own a home, you tend to sink roots in your
community, and even your workplace. You may even risk getting involved in
local mass struggles and beoming a recognized leader among your coworkers
and within your community. You might even begin to think there was a life
outside the vanguard party. Can't have that now, can we?



Richard

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