The farce of determining a candidate for the presidency of the United States, on behalf of the Democratic Party, is now proceeding to the fourth state of South Carolina. Immediately after that, comes the major ”jackpot” of Super Tuesday, in which eleven states will get to decide the number of delegates to assign to different candidates. The two big prizes are the states of California and Texas. The press is focused on this ”election” to the exclusion of almost everything else.
For that reason, no doubt most members of the working class are also paying attention, if for no other reason than that they watch the news. As that is the case, Marxists should also be paying close attention. The only way to raise the level of awareness of the working class is by taking an interest in that which interests the working class, and using these as particulars in order to drive home the general, which is the fact that classes exist. Further, workers are members of a class of people called the proletariat, and the billionaires are members of a class of people called the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie is the ruling class, one which crushes and exploits the working class. The bourgeoisie must be overthrown and this can only be done through revolution. It is these points which must be driven home to the working class.
Among the numerous candidates, the only self described Independent Socialist is Bernie Sanders, and he clearly has the support of countless people. The press reports that the ”establishment” is worried, determined to stop Sanders. As Sanders is so popular, there is now a ”sense of panic” within the Democratic Party. Among his rivals for the candidacy, Buttigieg is reported to be accusing Sanders of having an ”inflexible ideological revolution that leaves out most Democrats, not to mention most Americans”, one which ”defies conventional wisdom”. Anyone who ”defies conventional wisdom” is a person to be admired, so the intended insult is in reality a compliment.
The press is reporting that the ”establishment” is in a panic, concerned that the public loves Sanders and his ”momentum is building”. They are concerned that the young people support Sanders, and the ”moderates” are moving to the ”left” in support. They are afraid that if Sanders does well in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday, then he is sure to be ”unstoppable”, which is to say that he will be the candidate for president, on behalf on the Democratic Party. The press further reports that even Trump is worried, as well he should be.
Numerous progressive people, including politicians and celebrities, are now endorsing Sanders. These include Michael Moore, a fine film maker and a thorn in the side of the capitalists, the bourgeoisie. As well, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, AOC, a member of Congress and a leader of the working class, has referred to the growing support of Sanders as ”a mass movement of working class people… multi racial, multi gendered, multi generational”. In this, she is absolutely correct.
It is encouraging that the press and the candidates are now using the word ”class”, even if is being used incorrectly. Since the creation of the country, it has been customary to deny the existence of classes, at least in America. Now they are indirectly acknowledging that such things as classes exist, so that they are moving closer to the truth. They still confuse the issue by claiming that those of us who work for a living are middle class, rather than being working class, proletarians. Then too, the super rich are referred to as the ”billionaire class”. As yet, they continue to avoid the correct term, bourgeoisie.
In fact, the billionaires are a member of a class of people referred to as the bourgeoisie, and they are completely reactionary. That leaves the middle class, the petty bourgeois. There are still a few small business owners, although the bourgeoisie, through their control of monopolies, are driving ever more members of the middle class into bankruptcy. That leaves the peasants, or farmers, and the family farm is going the way of the small business owner, which is precisely what it is. A family farm is a small business. As the monopolies become ever stronger, ever more complete, no competition is tolerated.
It is notable that Marxists have been quite silent during this whole ”election process”. Perhaps they think that the Electoral College is archaic, a relic of the days of slavery. So it is, and must be abolished, but for the moment, it has the attention of the working people. As that is the case, it must be used to raise the level of awareness of the proletariat.
The fact is that Sanders, as well as the press, has been doing a fine job of documenting the lies and hypocrisy of Trump. This is not high praise, as Trump is the poster child for hypocrisy. Any school child could point out the fact that he lies constantly. Some people speculate that he was born that way, but it is more likely something he learned, growing up as a member of the bourgeoisie. It is safe to say that all members of the bourgeoisie are liars. Trump is merely the most visible presence.
No doubt the bourgeoisie are puzzled by Sanders. As they are a pack of thieves and liars, and expect nothing less from all others, to confront an honest man is a novel experience. They are truly bewildered, determined to stop him, but unsure of how to proceed.
The support of Sanders is growing, even extending to those who were formerly considered to be ”right wing”. This includes members of the Republican Party, even current and former members of the Trump administration. They are increasingly becoming disillusioned, seeking an alternative. The idea of abandoning their beloved Republican Party would likely never occur to them, and such people tend to be rabidly anti union. But then they may be open to the idea of an ”association”, which is merely a union with a different spelling.
Contrary to popular belief, Trump is not splitting the country apart. The country has always been split apart. The proletariat, the working class, has always been at war with the bourgeoisie, a ”cold war”, even though most workers were not aware of this. Now that the working class is in motion, the war is now more open, about to break out into open conflict, a ”hot war”, to borrow an expression from the bourgeoisie. Trump is merely forcing people to openly choose a side. So be it.
For that reason, I am suggesting that people, those who were formerly middle class, set up an association, or a society, which is non partisan. It must be as broad based as possible, open to as many people as possible. As Lenin phrased it, the task of Communists is ”to convince the backward elements, to work among them, and not to fence themselves off from them.” (italics by Lenin) The purpose of the society can be to strive towards a democratic republic, for example. For that matter, people with common interests can band together for a common goal. Such societies may not support the revolutionary motion, but very likely will not oppose it either. We may think of this as being in a position of ”benevolent neutrality”.
I am also suggesting that all Americans join the two parties, as card carrying members, party bosses, thus being able to influence party policy. They can also determine the candidates for any and all political offices. It is only natural that people should want to be part of something greater than themselves. After all, we are all herd animals, although we prefer to think of that as just being sociable. At the same time, those who have been cursed with the bourgeois ideology are determined to ”get ahead”. Such an outlook is particularly characteristic of professional people. We have to respect the fact that they are prejudiced against unions, while at the same time offering them the comfort and security of an organization greater than themselves.
A great many people, including those who have never been accused of having any ”Leftist” beliefs, are convinced that there is a ”ground swell” of support for Sanders. They fully expect this to grow and strengthen. It will very likely spread across the country, unless it already has, and Sanders will very likely be the Democratic Party candidate for president. It is further thought that in such a case, Sanders is sure to be the next president. Most people find this rather exciting. The strongest supporters of Trump and the bourgeoisie are the most excited. In fact, they are frantically trying to find some way to stop Sanders.
Those of us who are Marxists are well aware that the bourgeoisie are in charge and fully intend to remain in charge. They are not about to give up their power and wealth without a fight. They are not about to allow a socialist, even an Independent Socialist, to become president. This is all the more reason to support Sanders and many other Leftist people who would like to run for office. No doubt the bourgeoisie will make every effort to crush any and all such efforts. It may help to think of this as an educational opportunity, a school for socialists, provided by the bourgeoisie.
Our goal is not to establish a socialist society through the democratic process, because this cannot be done. The bourgeoisie will never allow this. Our goal is to raise the level of awareness of the proletariat to the level of Marxists, and this can be done only by becoming involved in the struggles of the proletariat. At the moment, that means the Democratic primaries. It is our duty to support them, while at the same time making clear our position that the bourgeoisie has to be overthrown, the state apparatus has to be crushed and a new state apparatus has to be set up, in order to crush the bourgeoisie under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.
With that in mind, I can suggest the posters and banners call for our usual revolutionary slogans as well as support for Sanders:
Sanders For President!
Abolish the Electoral College!
Join the Two Parties!
Workers of the World, Unite!
Scientific Socialism!
Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 