PRAGOTI

Pragoti has regularly brought to its readers articles which expand the understanding of our contemporary world using Marxist methods. In the present article, Canadian academic and Marxist David Bedford, explores the reasons why Aboriginal politics has not allied itself with Marxist politics in Canada. He sees global parallels in this hesitation to ally with Marxist politics on the part of people who are variously termed aboriginal, tribal and primitive. It also addresses the issue of how Marxist political practice could deal with issues relating to culture in this context.

The author himself states,

Aboriginal concerns are among the least studied areas of Marxist thought. Historically, Aboriginal people have ignored or rejected Marxist ideas. The author suggests that recent events in Canada have given Marxists an opportunity to begin building a practical relationship with Aboriginal people.
The left, he notes, must treat Aboriginal demands for cultural survival seriously.