The recent revolutionary events, and in particular those of January 6, have left the capitalists dumbfounded. They, or at least the journalists, are having a terrible time. Those who are paid to ”spin” the news, which is to say, to present the news in a manner which is in the best interests of the capitalists, are at their ”wits end”. They do not know ”which way to jump”.
At first, they referred to this protest as an act of ”sedition”, by a ”mob”, an ”attempted coup”, an ”insurrection”, an ”act of treason”, ”unacceptable lawlessness”, an ”attack on democracy”. They even compared this to the Revolution of 1776, that which gave birth to the country, but quickly ”walked that back”, because it is accurate! In fact, the events of 1776, those which gave rise to the American Revolutionary War, were very similar. In those days, the protesters were referred to as the ”rag tag and bob tail”. Now they are being referred to as ”domestic terrorists” and ”anarchists”. Such is hardly the case. Just as in 1776, the people who are ”rising up”, demanding that their democratic rights be respected, are revolutionaries!
Perhaps the most ridiculous accusation, with regard to the events of January 6, is that the protesters are being accused of an ”armed insurrection”. None of the protesters were carrying any weapons, unless a pole for carrying a flag can be considered a weapon. Then too, on one occasion, a fire extinguisher was thrown. If that is their idea of an armed insurrection, then they are due for a rude awakening. Very soon, they will find themselves faced with something more than flag poles and fire extinguishers! The capitalists are about to learn the true meaning of the term ”armed insurrection”!
Just as the American colonials achieved independence, through an armed rebellion against British rule, so too the American working class, the proletariat, will soon achieve independence from the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, through another armed rebellion. The Americans who taking part in this rebellion, this Second American Revolution, are no more terrorists and anarchists, than were the American Colonials who took part in the First American Revolution. Both are revolutionaries.
However, as the journalists are determined to pin the label ”terrorists and anarchists” on this ”mob”, these ”right wing thugs” who dared to ”desecrate” the ”temple of democracy”, (the capitol building) while it was in the process of conducting a ”most sacred ritual”, (counting Electoral Ballots) to ”affirm democracy”, (democracy for the capitalists), then perhaps it is best if we examine these serious charges. About the only thing these protesters have not been accused of is blasphemy!
All joking aside, these are indeed serious accusations, against the protesters. As that is the case, they require a serious response.
Let us start with the accusation that the protesters are terrorists. What are terrorists?
As Lenin explained, in What Is To Be Done?, ”the terrorists bow to the spontaneity of the passionate indignation of the intellectuals, who are either incapable of linking up the revolutionary struggle with the labour movement, or lack the opportunity to do so”. Can we say that the protesters were ”passionate intellectuals”? From the videos, it is clear that such is hardly the case. They are working people who are convinced that the ”election was stolen”. They are merely defending their democratic right to a free and fair election. That is a far cry from terrorism!
The journalists are also accusing these protesters of being ”anarchists”. Yet anarchists are opposed to any government, any ”state apparatus”. As the protesters made it quite clear that, in their opinion, Trump won the election, that the election was falsified, that the ”election was stolen”, that Trump should be president, that he should remain the ”head of state”, then they cannot be anarchists, as anarchists are opposed to any state!
This brings us to socialism, in the sense that Marx and Engels expressed it. This is referred to as scientific socialism, or Marxism, or Communism, and includes the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. This stands in stark contrast to the socialism of the idealists, those who consider socialism to be a good idea, one which can be achieved through a gradual accumulation of reforms. Good luck with that!
A similar situation developed in Russia, 1917, on the eve of the October socialist revolution. At that time, Lenin wrote State and Revolution, in preparation for the forthcoming uprising. The question of the state was of vital importance, as it is now. For that reason, if no other, all working people, or at least those taking part in the revolutionary movement, should carefully read this book.
As Lenin phrased it, ”The state is the product and the manifestation of the irreconcilability of class antagonisms. The state arises when, where and to the extent that class antagonisms cannot be objectively reconciled. And, conversely, the existence of the state proves that the class antagonisms are irreconcilable….According to Marx, the state is an organ of class rule, an organ for the oppression of one class by another; it creates ‘order’, which legalizes and perpetuates this oppression by moderating the collision between the classes”. (italics by Lenin)
Lenin went on to say: ”if the state is a product of irreconcilable class antagonisms, if it is a power standing above society and ‘increasingly alienating itself from it‘ (Lenin quotes Engels), it is clear that the liberation of the oppressed class is impossible, not only without violent revolution, but also without the destruction of the apparatus of state power which was created by the ruling class”. (italics by Lenin)
All scientific socialists, Marxists, agree with the anarchists, to the extent that the state apparatus must be abolished! That is the one and only point upon which they are agreed. The anarchists are of the opinion that no state apparatus should take its place. The Marxists are of the opinion that the current state apparatus, which has been set up for the express purpose of crushing the working class, must be replaced with an altogether different form of state apparatus, one designed to crush the desperate and determined resistance of the capitalists.
Perhaps it is best to stress the fact, however unpleasant, that the state is a special organization of force. It is the organization of violence for the suppression of a class. After the revolution, after the proletariat seizes political power, a state apparatus will be required to keep the capitalists from returning to power! This new state apparatus, without a standing army, without a police opposed to the people, without an officialdom placed above the people, is referred to as the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.
As for the starry eyed optimists who question the need for a state apparatus, after the revolution, after the working people seize political power, may I suggest that I respect your belief. May I also suggest that the capitalists do not have your mind set. I can further suggest that you speak to anyone who is even vaguely familiar with any billionaire. They will tell you that billionaires are all the same: they worship money! All billionaires would sooner crawl on their bellies over broken glass, rather than part with even one dime of their hard stolen wealth! Those lowlifes are not about to resign themselves to a life of ”poverty”, as they see it. On the contrary, they will go to any length, stoop to any depth, any subterfuge, to restore their ”paradise lost”. They will never give up! Nor will we ever tire of crushing them! The Dictatorship Of the Proletariat will remain in place until all classes are abolished!
Now is the time to raise the level of awareness of the working people. The events of that day, January 6, leave no room for any doubt. It may have been carefully planned, or it may have been spontaneous. Either way, it was quite surprising, to all concerned. The security at the Capitol Building was no where near as strong as it was assumed to be. Possibly no one was more surprised than the protesters, except perhaps the elected officials. The members of both houses of Congress, the Senate as well as the House of Representatives, were hiding under their chairs, afraid for their lives. True leaders of people do not hide from the people they are representing!
In response to this, in preparation for the swearing in of a new president, the capitalists have called in an additional twenty five thousand troops, members of the National Guard. The usual security forces, that of the Capitol Police, F.B.I., D.H.S. and Secret Service, among others, has proven to be a dismal failure, in regards to protecting the tender hides of the democratically elected politicians. As well, numerous Guards people are being mobilized to defend the capitals of various states.
From the videos of the ”Day of Insurrection”, it is clear that at least a few of the Capitol police were cooperating with the protesters, or at least remaining ”neutral”. This is an indication of the breadth and depth of the revolutionary motion. The capitalists have also noticed this, and are now ”vetting” all members of the National Guard, or at least those who are being sent to the Capitol.
Happily, their concern is well grounded. The National Guard troops are not their finest, ”crack” troops. On the contrary, they are referred to as ”Citizen Soldiers”. They spend most of their time as working people, only part time as ”soldiers”. All receive ten weeks of basic training, followed by one weekend a month, and two weeks a year, of military service. Yet they can be called up for ”active duty” at any time, as they are now. All of these troops are being issued automatic weapons, in the interest of protecting the capitalists.
This could work to our advantage, as almost all of these ”weekend warriors” are really working people. Well armed working people, I might add. It is doubtful that many of them will be prepared to turn their weapons upon fellow workers. If a great many people, such as hundreds of thousands, march on Washington, it is far more likely that they will turn their weapons upon their own officers. That remains to be seen.
One fact we do know for sure: class consciousness can only come from without. The working class is doing their part, rising up spontaneously. Yet without the leadership of Marxists, Communists, those who call for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, it will degenerate, possibly into a counter revolutionary movement. Remember the words of Engels: ”Without a revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement!”(my italics) This is my somewhat less than subtle hint to all Communists. Time is not on our side. Get active. Prepare for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Form a true Communist Party, DOP.
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 