The capitalists are faced with a number of crises. The threat of default is uppermost in their minds, and there is a distinct possibility that this could happen within the next few weeks, in early December. There is also the Covid 19 virus, which is once again raging out of control. Add to that the massive unemployment and homelessness, with winter fast approaching, so that the ”discontent” of so many Americans is causing quite a stir. To top it all off, one of their own, Donald Trump no less, the former president, is already campaigning to run for president in 2024! That is the same lad who has been blamed for the ”January 6 Insurrection”!
One of the most highly respected of the American bourgeois news sources has reported, on October 11 of this year, that ”the Republican fealty to Donald Trump is again thrusting the U.S. form of democracy into peril”. That is one way of putting it! That same article goes on to say that ”the growing fear outside the committed base of the GOP (the Republican Party) is that the attempted coup of 2021 was not a one off, but rather ‘a dress rehearsal for something that could be happening near term, in 2022 or 2024”’. They report that these are the words of a ”Brooking Institute senior fellow (who)…says that the US is in a dangerous place…it is absolutely appropriate to view the Capitol Insurrection as a sort of pre-revolutionary act”.
The facts are stated correctly. The conclusion that this most bourgeois writer, of the most bourgeois news outlet, comes to, can at best be described as rather strange: ”The coming question for all Americans is whether their government should be run by a president and a government selected by voters”. Perhaps someone should suggest to this simple soul that the Constitution makes it clear: The president is elected by the members of the Electoral College!
Strange as this attitude may be, it is also quite common. The writer goes on to say: ”This past weekend provided multiple examples of how the GOP is moving to fully embrace Trump and his overtly antidemocratic views. This antiquated view of constitutional law is the bedrock of a growing view that legislatures and not voters should select presidents”.
No one is arguing that the ”constitutional law” is not ”antiquated”. It is ”antiquated”. Nor is it democratic. That in no way changes the fact that it is still the law!
The former Democratic candidate for president, Hillary Clinton, has also weighed in on the matter. She stated that ”the United States is in the midst of a concerted, well funded effort to undermine American democracy. I think we not only came close to a full constitutional crisis, I think we are still in it. That give me absolutely no satisfaction in saying this, because I think we’re at a very dangerous, continuing high level attack on the legitimacy of our government and the election of our president. And obviously, our former president is not only behind it, he incited it, he encouraged it, and he continues to do so.”
This lady is correct when she says that ”American democracy” is in danger. The fact is that democracy is not majority rule, it is a method of class rule. In the case of ”American democracy”, it is a matter of the rule of the billionaires, the bourgeoisie. That is the ”American democracy” to which she is referring, and that is certainly under attack. Yet even Hillary Clinton refuses to face the fact -or is not capable of facing the fact?- that it is the working class, the proletariat, that is ”undermining American democracy”.
In response to this ”full constitutional crisis”, various bourgeois intellectuals have decided to take steps. As the same article goes on to say, quoting two sources who are thought to be close to the ”GOP base”: ”Moderate Republicans are encouraging people to vote for Democrats. It’s becoming obvious that political extremists maintain a vice like grip on the National GOP, the state parties, and the process for fielding and championing House and Senate candidates in next years election.” They go on to state that ”they and others have considered forming a party to appeal to disaffected Republicans….Rational Republicans are losing the GOP civil war. And the only near term way to battle pro-Trump extremists is for all of us to team up on key races and overarching political goals with our long time political opponents: the Democratic Party.”
The astute reader may well get the idea that those opinions, expressed by some of the finest of the bourgeois intellectuals, are completely muddled. So they are. In fact, during times of crisis, as Lenin put it, ”they cannot help committing irreparable blunders. That, in fact, is what will bring about the downfall of the bourgeoisie”.
These simple souls think that Trump is the root cause of all their misfortunes. They are of the opinion that he may even influence the ”2022 midterm elections”, so that more ”Moderates” may be elected to the House and Senate. Worse, he may even run for president in 2024! The elections of 2022 and 2024 are their idea of ”near term”! If that is not an example of muddled thinking, then I do not know what is!
As for the skeptical reader, one who suspects that this may be an exceptional case of misguided bourgeois intellectuals, may I refer you to the following article, dated the same day. The heading is instructive:
”Trump supporter thinks civil war is coming. Seriously.
”The vast majority of Americans have no interest in violent confrontation, so there was something jarring in the words of a supporter at Trumps Iowa rally, when he said very seriously that ‘civil war is coming’. That kind of active mindset is exactly what was behind the insurrection. It’s clearly around – and it was blooming at Trumps rally”.
The best and the brightest of the bourgeois scholars cannot see that which is happening! Civil war is approaching! And to think that a ”supporter of Trump” can see this! The fact that he is such a ”supporter” implies that he is one of the less advanced, yet even he can see the ”writing on the wall”. That says something for the best and brightest of the bourgeois scholars!
Remarkably enough, a similar situation took place in Britain, perhaps one hundred years ago. At that time, the two mainstream political parties were the Liberals and Conservatives. They too were facing a mounting revolutionary motion, as the discontent of the British working people was very broad and deep. In response to this, the Prime Minister, Lloyd George, called for a close coalition between the Liberals and Conservatives. His fear was that of a victory for the Labour Party, which Lloyd George referred to as ”Socialist”, and one which he accused of ”working for the common ownership of the means of production”.
It should be added that the leaders of the Labour Party were Snowden and Henderson. With that in mind, the advice of Lenin, to the British Communists, makes complete sense.
In response to this, Lenin suggested that: ”British Communists should participate in parliamentary action, that they should, from within parliament, help the masses of the workers see the results of a Henderson and Snowden government in practice, and that they should help the Hendersons and Snowdens defeat the united forces of Lloyd George and Churchill. To act otherwise would mean hampering the cause of the revolution, since revolution is impossible without a change in the views of the majority of the working class, a change brought about by the political experience of the masses, never by propaganda alone….given a Henderson and Snowden victory over Lloyd George and Churchill, the majority will soon become disappointed in their leaders and begin to support communism (or at all events will adopt an attitude of neutrality, and in the main, of sympathetic neutrality, towards the Communists).” (italics by Lenin)
In much the same way, American Communists should unite with all Leftist people, including all Socialists and reformists, in an effort to support Senator Sanders, an Independent Socialist, as well as all ”Progressives” in the House. One way to do this is by simply joining the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members, and then nominating one of their own to run for each and every House seat, in the 2022 election. I would suggest that the Progressive members of the House be allowed to run again, but of course that is up to the card carrying members of the parties. A third of the members of the Senate are also up for reelection. Aside from Sanders, they should all be challenged.
No doubt, this will infuriate the billionaires, especially as they have been saying for years, that ”those who do not like the way things are, should change it from within”. I can only suggest that we take them at their word. In this way, ”American democracy” can be changed from the rule of the bourgeoisie, to the rule of the proletariat. Not likely!
Yet in the process of becoming politically active, the working class, or at least the most advanced members of the proletariat, will receive an education in class conflict. They will learn that the billionaires are in charge and fully intend to remain in charge.
The point is that, as Lenin said, ”propaganda alone” is not enough. Political experience is also required. There is no reason in the world that we cannot flood Washington with Progressives! Then watch the ”fur fly”!
No doubt, the capitalists will respond with actions, which will leave no room for any misunderstandings. As yet, we have no way of knowing the precise nature of those actions. We just know that it will not be pleasant. They will be sure to let the proletariat know that they, the bourgeoisie, are in charge!
In this way, the working class will gain practical political experience, which will no doubt serve them well. After the revolution, such workers will be placed in positions of authority.
A great many working people, or at least the most advanced workers, will learn that the only alternative to capitalism, is scientific socialism. Bourgeois democracy, in the form of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, must be replaced with working class democracy, in the form of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 