Re: Forwarded from Dan Vukovich: re-publish Manufacturing History?

[Rwchina@aol.com]

Hi all, and Happy New Year,

Sorry to be slow in getting back on this.  I was sick for a few days.  I 
would be very surprised if the idea of publishing Manufacturing History has not 
already been raised at some point with Monthly Review, especially when it first 
came out.  Has anyone checked with Dong Xulin on this?  He has contacts with 
the MR folks both directly and through others.  Regardless, from past 
experience (not on my own work but on others) I am sceptical that they would want to 
republish this, especially so long after "Mao's Dr." came out.  This has nothing 
to do with its quality or interest to them, but more with what they are 
likely to think is a viable book for them at this time.  But it could not hurt to 
approach them again, perhaps with a statement from a wider range of people, 
which would indicate public interest--and it could include suggestions for a 
series of essays surrounding the two books.  I have also thought that they might 
be interested in a collection of essays on the situation of the working classes 
in China and the prospects for socialism, which could include a version of 
the Manufacturing History thesis.  But that is obviously a different project.  I 
think that either/or of these projects might be worth presenting to them, but 
only with further thinking about them.

Robert Weil