Unite the Autonomous Zones!

Each and every capitalist country gives rise to revolutionary motion, which in turn leads to socialism, yet the particular form of motion, in each country, varies somewhat. In America, this motion has taken the shape of Autonomous Zones.

Perhaps the most clear cut example of this took place within the city of Seattle, in that a portion of the city was occupied by ”protesters” for three weeks. The police detachment was abandoned, the protesters managed their own affairs, shared the little they had and planted community gardens. They also maintained their own laws, enforced with armed guards. As a result of this, the Zone was perhaps the safest place, within the city. That is a far cry from the accusation of ”anarchy”, by that of the capitalists!

For the purposes of this article, I have chosen to refer to the people taking part in these Zones as protesters, not because the media chooses to refer to them as such, but because they choose to refer to themselves as protesters. Not all of them consider themselves as ”autonomous”, as many do not consider themselves to be revolutionaries. The main thing is to respect the beliefs of each other. If the actions of certain people are the exact opposite of their beliefs, so be it.

From Seattle, the ”Autonomous Zones” spread across the country, although in a slightly different form. In different cities, these areas, or ”Zones”, were not a reference to geographical locations, but to a gathering of people, those with a shared set of beliefs, determined to take action, to make a difference. Way to go!

In fact, these Zones constitute a dual power, another government, existing alongside the power of the capitalists. This is working class power, or Proletariat Power, and truly terrifies the capitalists. With good reason, I might add.

These Zones, which are popping up all over the country, in various forms, are nothing other than a working class, proletarian form of state power! They are a direct threat to the power of the capitalists! What is more, the capitalists are well aware of this! The only people who are not ”well aware of this”, are the people taking part in those Zones!

I mention this, as well as certain technical terms, for the sake of the countless working people, those who are just now becoming politically active, those who have been swept up in the revolutionary motion. Like it or not, it is best to learn at least a few, the most important technical terms, as otherwise your lack of awareness will be used against you. That is just the way it is. To paraphrase the legal jargon, ”anything you do not know or say, can and will be used against you”.

It is safe to say that most of these protesters, as they refer to themselves, are not aware that they are taking part in revolutionary motion. Strangely enough, that is quite common. No one wakes up one morning and decides to overthrow the government! Yet throughout history, that is the very thing that happens! As for those who are skeptical, consider the revolutions that took place in the American colonies, then later in France and Russia, to name a few. In each case, countless people rose up, or ”masses of people”, to use the expression of the social scientists, in a spontaneous manner, and ”made history”.

To say that this caused ”quite a stir”, among the intellectuals of the time, each and every time a revolution took place, is an understatement. In fact, it is still a common belief, especially among the capitalists, the bourgeois, that ”natural born leaders” (they are referring to themselves!) make history. Such is hardly the case, as the French Revolution of 1789 proved, beyond any shadow of a doubt. People make history. Yet the illusion persists, if only because the bourgeois prefer to believe that which they want to believe.

Yet the fact remains that, as Marx stated, the ”masses are the makers of history”. Mind you, it is true that fine leaders are required to guide a ship across the ocean, for example, or to lead an army into battle. Yet the finest government leaders cannot stop the mass motion of the people, once that mass motion gets underway. Which is not to say that the bourgeois leaders consistently make every effort!

That is precisely the case now, in America. Countless people are rising up in protest, not exactly sure what they are doing, or why they are doing it, but convinced that something has to be done. In separate parts of the country, people are getting together and feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, providing medical care to the sick, defending the helpless, and so forth. Others are marching, chanting, carrying signs, demanding an end to the murder of Black people, an end to the sexual assault of women, money for social programs, free education and free medical. The list is endless, and all demands are reasonable. Worthy causes, one and all. Yet the protests are separate, disconnected.

I make no secret of my belief that we, the working class, the proletariat, are in a state of war with the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie. That is the belief of all true Marxists. Sometimes the war is hidden, simmering, as it were, beneath the surface, and sometimes it flares up into open confrontation. We are now at the stage of confrontation, approaching civil war.

As that is the case, the protesters have to ”broaden their horizons”, so to speak, and to ”look at the bigger picture”, to use the jargon of the capitalists.

All true Marxists believe that the rule of the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, will be followed, after the revolution, by the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. At that time the billionaires will be crushed by the working class, the proletariat. The capitalists will have no rights! They will face working class judges in working class courts, and will not be allowed to hide behind a small army of high priced lawyers! They will be held accountable for the crimes they have committed under capitalism!

Having said that, it is also true that this Dictatorship Of the Proletariat has already begun, if only in ”embryonic form”. Remarkable it may be, completely unexpected, (if only because no one thought it possible!), but true. The fact is that these Zones are being created ”from below”, which is to say that the working people are forming them, on their own initiative. No elected officials are involved! Even the police, or especially the police, are being pushed aside! All elected officials, as well as bureaucrats, are not welcome! This is the very essence of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

These are the facts, and once we face these facts, it logically follows that the American revolution has made great strides. The people taking part in these Zones are not only protesting, they are taking revolutionary action! This calls for a change in tactics, on the part of the people who are taking part in the revolution.

These ”protesters”, or revolutionaries, are going to have to get in touch with the members of all other ”Zones”, and here I am using the word in its loosest possible sense. By that I include all those who are protesting, calling for reforms, such as Black Lives Matter and Me Too. There are numerous other groups, with more taking shape, almost on a daily basis. They have got to get organized, to work together, and on a nation wide basis!

It may help to think of this Autonomous movement as a military offensive, because that is precisely what it is. It is a huge army of working class people, pitted against a highly trained army of capitalists, the bourgeois, and their supporters. It stands to reason that an army is most effective, when the offensives it mounts are coordinated, well planned and focused. By contrast, an army which attacks here and there, in small detachments, is easily defeated.

The proletarian army is vast, but scattered, the various offensives not coordinated. The only way to achieve victory is to unite the various forces, to plan the attacks, to strike at a time and place which is unexpected, at the point where the enemy is weakest. This requires a centralized command centre.

In other works, it is necessary for the working class to get organized. True, working people are organized in trade unions and sports clubs, for example, but now it is indeed time to ”broaden their horizons”.

Yet the people taking part in this revolutionary movement, whether in the form of Zones or protests, are not ”class conscious”, which is to say that they are not aware of themselves as a class, with their own class interests. It is only when they are made aware of this fact, that they will come together, join forces, and become a supremely powerful fighting force.

That is where the intellectuals come into the picture. It is up to such people, mainly former members of the middle class, to bring this awareness to the working class. As the capitalists have done such a fine job of destroying the middle class, forcing those people into the ranks of the proletariat, there is no shortage of such people.

The task of raising the level of awareness of the working class should not be terribly difficult, as most workers are now proud owners of computers, or at least ”digital devices” of one form or another. As that is the case, simple ”emails” can be sent. Do not be surprised if most working people embrace the idea of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat! The idea that the capitalists, the billionaires, should be deprived of all rights, of all lawyers, of having to answer to working class judges, should appeal to all workers!

In the recent past, the people who have proven themselves to be excellent organizers are the women, and the students. The students got together and protested because they were tired of being used for target practice. Imagine that! The women were motivated in a similar manner, as they were tired of being assaulted. They managed to organize the Womens March, immediately after the inauguration of Trump, and it was most impressive.

Yet there is a vicious rumour circulating, to the effect that the women who organized that march, were ”bought off”, that they ”sold out”, that they formed a corporation. I can only hope that is slander. Even if it is true, there are other ladies who have to ”pick up the torch”. They can be assisted by the students, or more accurately, former students, who also did such a fine job of organizing.

Speaking as an old time, die hard male chauvinist, it galls me to point out that the men are not leading the revolution. It is not fair to place this burden on your shoulders, yet the alternative is to continue the fight for paltry reforms, as happened in all previous revolutionary motions. Look where that got us! Nothing of substance has changed! And nothing will change until the capitalists are overthrown and crushed, under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

With that in mind, may I suggest that the banners and signs now proclaim a new slogan:

Fight Like a Girl!