America: A House Divided

In 1858, an American politician made a speech, in which he stated that ”a house divided cannot stand”. That politician was Abraham Lincoln. He was absolutely correct. He was also president at the time of the Civil War of 1861-1865. Now the ”house” is once again ”divided”, and the second American Civil War is looming.

The current death toll, as a result of the Corona Virus, stands at 200,000 and is expected to double by the end of the year. The medical professionals are concerned that it could more than double, if as they expect, it combines with the flu virus, to create a perfect storm, a ”twindemic”, which could result in the death of a great many more people.

The unemployment rate is massive, but grossly underestimated, as most of the people who are out of work are not classified as unemployed. As well, a great many people are homeless, with an additional forty million people expected to be evicted from their homes soon. The ”economic stimulus package”, which provides some relief to people, has been reduced, and will soon be eliminated. The government is expected to shut down at the end of the month, as at that time it will run out of money, so that all government payments are expected to cease.

The people are rising up, demanding change. The movement against violent police repression, against minorities, ”black and brown”, has now merged with the working class movement, led by Black Lives Matter. The protests are becoming ever stronger, ever finer.

The Attorney General has responded by threatening to charge protesters with sedition. As sedition is defined as ”conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state”, that is a very serious charge. It is very close to treason, which is to betray ones country. It is clear that the Attorney General is confusing the right to peaceful protest, as is guaranteed in the Constitution, with rebellion. But then Americans have the right to ”abolish any government which does not represent them”. Their founding fathers gave them that right, in the Declaration of Independence. Such details are conveniently over looked by people such as the Attorney General. They are about to receive a rude awakening.

In the midst of this, Americans are faced with a federal election. All members of Congress are up for election, one third of the Senate and of course, the presidency is on the line. The press is focused on Trump, and would have us believe that removing him from office will solve the problems facing the nation.

Trump is not worried about the election, as he has no intention of stepping down, regardless of whether he wins or loses. He has that base covered. As a result of the virus, most people are being forced to vote by mail. With that in mind, he appointed a new Postmaster General, so as to ensure that the ballots are not delivered and counted on time. As well, he is encouraging people to vote twice, once by mail and once in person. Of course this is strictly against the law, so that if voters take his advice and vote twice, he can then declare the election fraudulent, assuming the vote goes against him.

Remarkably enough, Trump could still win the upcoming presidential election, even without election fraud. He is a fine demagogue, which is defined as ”an orator or political leader who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions and prejudices of the people”. It should be noted that Lenin referred to demagogues as ”the worst enemies of the proletariat”.

Trump knows how to appeal to those who are desperate, drowning in debt, unemployed, homeless, or about to become unemployed and homeless. He merely blames their plight on minorities and immigrants!

Now these desperate people, voters, are being asked to make a choice. They are being asked to choose between a man who is well known as a liar, thief and sex offender, but a leader, and a man, a former Vice President, who can best be charitably described as a follower.

The contrast between Trump and his competition is striking. Trump usually speaks his mind, rarely bothering with tele prompters. The former Vice President, the Democratic candidate for president, on the other hand, relies heavily on tele prompters. When he goes ”off script”. he becomes completely confused, stumbles, contradicts himself. He is the very definition of a follower.

The press is focused on the presidential election, and there is considerable speculation as to the election results. All are agreed that as soon as Trump is no longer president, he will be arrested, charged and spend the rest of his life in prison. No doubt Trump is also of that opinion, as he is not entirely stupid. For that reason, he has no intention of stepping down.

With that in mind, one journalist, a truly starry eyed optimist, suggested that Trump has no choice but to step down, if the vote goes against him, as the election result is guaranteed in the Constitution. Clearly this misguided soul failed to notice that at the time Trump took the oath of office, that of ”preserving, protecting and defending the Constitution”, his lips were moving, and that is a fine indication that he was lying!

Other theories have been offered, by other journalists. One has suggested that Trump may give himself a presidential pardon, which is quite possible. Another has suggested that he may ”pull a Nixon”, which is to say resign early, perhaps the day before his term expires, so that the current Vice President can automatically become president for a day, and grant Trump a pardon. This is highly unlikely, as there is nothing in it for the Vice President.

Even if he is granted a presidential pardon, such a pardon applies only to federal crimes, not to state crimes. Trump is anticipating numerous state charges, in addition to federal charges. Such a pardon will not keep him out of prison.

As a result of this, numerous people, those who are in positions of authority, are deeply concerned. A noted election law professor stated that ”the undermining of election integrity is a most dangerous thing”. He has reason to be concerned, as Trump stated on Twitter that ”the election results may never be known”. Further, the Attorney General, a loyal flunkie of Trump, stated that he would respect the election results, but only if ”the results are clear”.

Numerous government officials are very nervous. Few are prepared to ”go down with the ship”. All are aware that Trump is prepared to throw them ”under the bus”, if he thinks it will serve his purpose. Many have already ”jumped ship”. Others are currently defying him, at the risk of being fired. The FBI director stated publicly that most protesters are peaceful, not terrorists, in defiance of Trump. A former Virus Task Force official is now accusing Trump of caring only about reelection. She accuses him of stating that the virus means that he ”does not have to shake hands with disgusting people”. Even the former spy chief is now advising Congress to create an election oversight commission. This sentiment is being echoed by Senator Sanders, who is concerned that ”Trump may not accept the election results”. Count on it!

Even the top military officials are feeling the heat. The National Guard troops are occasionally patrolling the cities, but without any weapons, against the wishes of Trump. The Defence Secretary has ordered the regular army units to return to base, not to patrol American cities. Pentagon officials have stated that they will not get involved in any election disputes.

The situation is certainly revolutionary, in that the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, can no longer rule in the old way, while the working class, the proletariat, is no longer content to be ruled in the old way. We can expect a full scale civil war, a revolution, to break out any day now. In other words, the current situation is very similar to the situation of Russia, in 1917. The important difference is that the Russian working people had truly Marxist leaders, in the form of Lenin and the Communist Party. Without that leadership, it is doubtful that the revolution could have succeeded.

In the case of the Russian revolution, it was not at all immediately clear that the revolution would succeed. The country was in ruins, after four years of war, plus the harsh terms of peace imposed by the Treaty of Brest Litovsk. That was followed by three years of civil war, in which the forces of reaction, the counter revolutionaries, referred to as the Whites, sought to overthrow the new socialist republic. Their goal was not only to restore capitalism, but also the monarchy, and to give the land back to the landlords.

Yet in the midst of this civil war, in June of 1920, Lenin wrote the Theses On the Fundamental Tasks Of the Second Congress Of the Communist International. As the situation at that time has certain similarities to the current revolutionary situation, it deserves careful study.

It may be objected that at that time, in 1920, the situation was far different. As Lenin phrased it, ”the finest representatives of the revolutionary proletariat in all capitalist countries have fully grasped the fundamental principles of the Communist International, the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat and Soviet power”. (I use capital letters to stress the importance of that fundamental principle, placing it on the same level as Soviet power-GM) Such is no longer the case. The most advanced strata of the proletariat no longer embrace the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat or Soviet power.

Then again, it is now the case that the vast majority of people have spontaneously gravitated towards socialism, or to the ”Left”, as is the common expression. This places them in a better position to take part in the revolution, as compared to the Russian proletariat, in 1917. As well, no less than three American republics have already taken shape. No doubt they will soon separate and establish independent socialist republics. By comparison, it was several years after the Russian revolution before separate republics took shape, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics came into existence.

In his theses, Lenin stressed the importance of the proper leadership. As he stated it, in reference to the Communist Party, ”it is only under the leadership of such a party that the proletariat is capable of displaying the full might of its revolutionary onslaught, and of overcoming the inevitable apathy and occasional resistance of that small minority, the labour aristocracy, who have been corrupted by capitalism…it is the Communist parties’ principle task at the present moment to unite the scattered Communist forces, to form a single Communist Party in every country (or to reinforce or renovate the already existing Party) in order to increase ten fold the work of preparing the proletariat for the conquest of political power -political power, moreover, in the form of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.”

It is my opinion that at present, the most important thing, or the ”key link”, as Lenin phrased it, is to make preparations for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. The first step in those preparations is to form a proper Communist Party. Without the proper leadership provided by a truly Marxist Communist Party -and there is no other form of proper leadership- then it is doubtful that the revolution will succeed. Further, there can be no question of uniting the ”already existing Party”, as all parties which claim to be Marxist are in fact social chauvinists.

Now the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, are facing several crises, in the form of the virus, unemployed and homeless, an anticipated second great depression, not to mention a ”loose cannon” in the form of Trump. As a result of this, they are deeply divided, not sure of how to proceed. A few members of their class, as well as a considerable number of their formerly loyal middle class, petty bourgeois supporters, have now ”jumped ship” and are joining the revolutionary forces. Almost all of these people are well educated intellectuals. They are aware of class distinctions, familiar with the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin. Now is the time to make use of their education, training and skills. It is up to them, it is their duty, to take part in forming a truly Marxist Communist Party.

True, there are certain advanced workers who are familiar with the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin. Especially now that we have the internet, it is possible to become self educated. To expect these numerically small number of workers, no matter how advanced, to form a Communist Party, is expecting too much. Which is not to say that they cannot take part in creating such a Party, and in fact it is recommended.

No doubt the American Communist Party will be formed, and in the near future. The success of the revolution largely depends upon this. Bear in mind that, as Lenin stated, ”the Communist Parties’ current task consists not in accelerating the revolution, but in intensifying the preparation of the proletariat…to see that ‘recognition’ of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat shall not remain a mere matter of words”.

As I write this, the press is reporting that another member of the Supreme Court has just died. This may well give rise to another crisis, as Trump is determined to nominate another Supreme Court justice, a woman, and have her confirmed by the Senate, before the November elections. There is strong opposition to this, by a great many people, who prefer to wait until after the federal elections. But then Trump is determined to do whatever he wants, regardless of the will of the American people. As the revolutionary situation is so volatile, it could trigger an explosion.

No doubt, the situation of the proletariat is desperate. Most are deeply in debt, unemployed or under employed, homeless or facing eviction, with little or no medical coverage, unable to make ends meet. The petty bourgeois are also feeling the pinch. They expect the stock market to soon collapse, wiping out any savings they have set aside. As well, those who own small businesses anticipate losing them, as the depression tightens its grip, and they are forced into the ranks of the proletariat.

It is the petty bourgeois intellectuals to whom I am appealing. It is not fair that you should have to be burdened with the additional task of forming an American Communist Party. It is what it is. Fair has nothing to do with it. Call it fate, or historical development, or an act of Almighty God, if you believe in God, as I do. However you choose to refer to it, the fact remains that the working people need leaders, proper leaders, and you are the chosen ones.

I am sure you will rise to the occasion. I have complete confidence in you.