Monopoly capitalism has now reached a state of crisis, in all of the highly industrialized countries of the world. Even the bourgeois journalists, those who are paid- and paid most handsomely!- to present the news in a manner which most flatters their capitalists employers, are referring to a ”revolutionary movement”. As such ”heretical speech” was formerly forbidden, it serves as an indication of the strength of the revolutionary uprising. Even the less advanced, among the working class, the proletariat, are currently talking of the necessity of revolution.
We have even witnessed two of the most dedicated, ”die hard” of the bourgeois economists, speaking out of the deepest sense of frustration and despair, literally ”waving around” a copy of the Communist Manifesto. Perhaps it would be more accurate to refer to this more as ”raving”, rather than speaking. In anticipation of the approaching collapse of the stock market, they have bought articles of gold and silver, and placed them in safety deposit boxes. Foresight!
Such an act goes against everything the bourgeois economists have been preaching. To place ”capital” in storage is madness! It is meant to be invested! Yet here the most vocal of the bourgeois economists, are breaking their own rules! It is their way of admitting that Marx was correct! That is the last thing they want to do!
Yet these capitalists can see the ”writing on the wall”. In the interest of self preservation- principles be damned!- they are aware that they are about to be ”reduced to the ranks of the surplus population”, as Engels phrased it. For that reason, they are ”preparing for the inevitable”. By putting aside some personal wealth- capital– they are thoughtfully delaying the day that they will be forced into the ranks of the ”industrial reserve army”. In other words, the day they will be forced to look for a job!
Such a ”stopgap measure” merely postpones the inevitable. Nor does it get to the root of the problem. Which is the fact that capitalism has to be destroyed!
This is to stress the importance of a true Communist Party, one which calls for Council- Soviet- Power, and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. The proletariat need leaders. That leadership can come only from a Communist Party, one which serves the best interests of the working people. That calls for the correct application of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin.
Incidentally, for the purposes of this article, I have chosen to use the word Soviet, in reference to the Councils which appear in times of revolutionary motion, as that is the word which is commonly used, in most parts of the world. It is very likely that the word Soviet will soon replace the word Council, here in North America.
The current situation is similar to that which existed, in Russia, around the time of the two Revolutions of 1917. This is to say that the revolutionary movement is wide spread and powerful, with working people rising up, in various parts of the world. Without doubt, we are on the eve of a world socialist revolution.
No doubt, there are those who may object, quite reasonably, that there was no ”world socialist revolution”, immediately after the October Revolution. True. Yet that is due, in no small part, to the fact that Lenin was murdered.
This is to drive home the point that working people need leaders. The capitalists are supremely well aware of this. For that reason, they consistently ”buy off”, which is to say ”bribe”, such leaders, whenever possible. This is considered to be ”standard practice”, the ”price of doing business”. On the rare occasions that this is not feasible, then stronger measures are required. This is politely referred to as ”terminate with extreme prejudice”, more accurately referred to as ”murder”. Lenin was murdered.
Without doubt, Lenin was one of the finest leaders, of the working people, ever to have lived. No one can replace Lenin, but we can all follow in his footsteps. That which he taught us, in writing, can be thought of as our ”roadmap”.
In the interest of ”following that roadmap”, bear in mind that in October 1918, just a year after the October Revolution of 1917, Lenin was writing in polemic with one of the great traitors to socialism, the formerly fine Marxist, Karl Kautsky. That which Lenin wrote is just as relevant today, as when it was first written. Bear in mind that Kautsky was one of those who ”turned his coat”, becoming a superb, dedicated servant of the bourgeoisie. Such traitors are largely responsible for the- temporary!- victory of the monopoly capitalists. Bear in mind that, at that time, the true followers of Marx, Communists, were referred to as Bolsheviks.
At that time, the great slaughter of the working people, that which has gone down in history as World War 1, was just ”winding down”. It was a war to decide which one, of two groups of international imperialist butchers, would succeed in subjugating and robbing the various countries of the world. As long as they were focused on annihilating each other, their attention was diverted from their chief enemy, the ”international proletariat”, according to Lenin.
For that reason, in a speech given at that time, by Lenin, within Soviet Russia, he mentioned that ”never before have we been so near the world workers’ revolution, and secondly, that never have we been in such a perilous position”. He did not downplay the danger! He could see that very soon, the ”victors”, the British, French and American imperialists, were about to attack their ”chief enemy”, and in particular, Soviet Russia.
As Lenin stated, at the end of his article against Kautsky,:
”Europe’s greatest misfortune and danger is that it has no revolutionary party. It has parties of traitors…But it has no revolutionary party.
”Of course, a mighty, popular revolutionary movement may rectify this deficiency, but it is nevertheless a serious misfortune and a grave danger.
”That is why we must do our utmost to expose renegades like Kautsky, thereby supporting the revolutionary groups of genuine internationalist workers, who are to be found in all countries. The proletariat will very soon turn away from the traitors and renegades and follow these groups, drawing and training leaders from their midst. No wonder the bourgeoisie of all countries are howling about ‘world Bolshevism‘.
”World Bolshevism will conquer the world bourgeoisie.” (italics by Lenin)
That ”great misfortune and danger” of Europe, that it ”has no revolutionary party”, has now spread to North America, and no doubt, to various other parts of the world. Yet we are now blessed with a ”mighty, popular revolutionary movement”, one which ”may rectify this deficiency”. It is up to us- Communists- to make sure that this ”deficiency” is ”rectified”. We have got to create a ”revolutionary party”, a true Communist Party, one which calls for Soviet Power and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
As I have mentioned in previous articles, at the time Lenin wrote that article, the most advanced workers, in the most highly industrialized countries of the world, embraced Soviet Power and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Such is no longer the case. The working class has ”regressed”, through no fault of its own. They have got to be ”brought up to speed”, and that is the duty of Communists.
Yet the fact remains that ”genuine groups of internationalist workers”, those who are commonly referred to as ”advanced workers”, have taken shape in all countries. It is up to Communists, to ”draw and train leaders from their midst”. This book has been written, with those advanced workers in mind.
This is not to say that middle class intellectuals, complete with university degrees, have been ”written off”, because that is not the case. I fully expect a considerable number of them to join us.
As regards to ”revolutionary groups of genuine internationalist workers”, those who ”are to be found in all countries”. May I suggest that the group of politicians, within the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., commonly referred to as ”The Squad”, qualifies as one such ”group”. Perhaps it would be more accurate to refer to them as the ”Proletarian Headquarters”, within the Congress, because that is precisely the case. It is also very likely that they are not aware of this fact.
Yet we are once again close to a ”world workers’ revolution”, so it is imperative that we prepare for that revolution. It is up to ”conscious people”, those who are aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, Communists, to raise the level of awareness of the working class, the proletariat, in all countries. I consider this to be the ”key link” in the chain, to which Lenin referred. How best to do this?
The experience of previous revolutions, has also shown that revolutionary motion gives rise to Soviets. One such Soviet appeared within the city of Seattle, and formed the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone. It was also quickly crushed. This is not to say that the Soviet was crushed, just the Zone.
Soviet power is a direct challenge to the authority of the capitalists. No doubt, numerous other Soviets have taken shape, in various other parts of the country. For the moment, they are keeping a ”low profile”, working ”behind the scenes”, combining legal and illegal activity. In this way, they are able to assist the working people. For the moment, the Soviets are not strong enough to challenge that authority, at least not directly. We can expect the power of these Soviets to grow.
The reason I say this, is because of previous revolutionary experience. The overthrow of Czar Nicholas of Russia, in March of 1917, was due, in part, to the activity of the Soviets. As the revolutionary motion grew stronger, the Soviets grew stronger.
The March revolution overthrew the Czar and placed state power in the hands of the ”new class”, that of the ”bourgeoisie and the landowners who had become bourgeois”, according to Lenin. Yet the power of the Soviets enabled Lenin to return to Russia, which he did, in April of that same year.
The political situation was quite surprising, and no less disturbing. The Soviets were strong enough to be a challenge to the authority of the Karensky Regime, yet the leaders of the Soviets were determined to surrender that power, to the capitalists!
With that in mind, Lenin wrote an article, titled:
”The Tasks of the Proletariat In Our Revolution, Draft Platform For the Proletarian Party:
”The Peculiar Nature of the Dual Power and Its Class Significance
”1) In our attitude towards the war, which under the new government of Lvov and Co. unquestionably remains on Russia’s part a predatory imperialist war, owing to the capitalist nature of that government, not the slightest concession to ‘revolutionary defencism’ is permissible.
”The class conscious proletariat can give its consent to a revolutionary war, which would really justify revolutionary defencism, only on condition: (a) that the power pass to the proletariat and the poorest sections of the peasants aligned with the proletariat; (b) that all annexations be renounced in deed and not in word; (c) that a complete break be effected in actual fact with all capitalist interests.
”In view of the undoubted honesty of those broad sections of the mass believers in revolutionary defencism, who accept the war only as a necessity, and not as a means of conquest, in view of the fact that they are being deceived by the bourgeoisie, it is necessary, with particular thoroughness, persistence and patience, to explain their error to them, to explain the inseparable connection existing between capital and the imperialist war, and to prove that without overthrowing capital it is impossible to end the war by a truly democratic peace, a peace not imposed by violence.
”The most wide spread campaign for this view must be organized in the army at the front.
”Fraternisation.
”2)The specific feature of the present situation in Russia is that the country is passing from the first stage of the revolution- which, owing to the insufficient class consciousness and organization of the proletariat, placed power in the hands of the bourgeoisie- to its second stage, which must place power in the hands of the proletariat and the poorest sections of the peasantry.
”This transition is characterized, on the one hand, by a maximum of legally recognized rights (Russia is now the freest of all the belligerent countries in the world); on the other, by the absence of violence towards the masses, and finally, by their unreasoning trust in the government of capitalists, those worst enemies of peace and socialism.
”3) No support for the Provisional Government; the utter falsity of all its promises should be made clear, particularly of those relating to the renunciation of annexations. Exposure in place of the impermissible, illusion breeding, ‘demand’ that this government, a government of capitalists, should cease to be an imperialist government.
”4) Recognition of the fact that in most of the Soviets of Worker’s Deputies, our Party is in a minority, so far a small minority, against a bloc of all the petty bourgeois opportunist elements, from the Popular Socialists and the Socialist Revolutionaries down to the Organizing Committee…who have yielded to the influence of the bourgeoisie and spread that influence among the proletariat.
”The masses must be made to see that the Soviets of Workers’ Deputies are the only possible form of revolutionary government, and that therefore our task is, as long as this government yields to the influence of the bourgeoisie, to present a patient, systematic, and persistent explanation of the errors of their tactics, an explanation especially adapted to the practical needs of the masses.
”As long as we are in the minority, we carry on the work of criticizing and exposing the errors, and at the same time, we preach the necessity of transferring the entire state power to the Soviets and Workers’ Deputies, so that the people may overcome their mistakes by experience.
”5) Not a parliamentary republic- to return to a parliamentary republic from the Soviet of Workers’ Deputies, would be a retrograde step- but a republic of Soviet of Workers’, Agricultural Labourers’ and Peasants’ Deputies throughout the country, form top to bottom.
”Abolition of the police, the army and the bureaucracy. (The standing army to be replaced by the arming of the whole people)
‘‘The salaries of all officials, all of whom are elective and displaceable at any time, not to exceed the average wage of a competent worker.
”6) The weight of emphasis in the average agrarian program to be shifted to the Soviet of Agricultural Labourers’ Deputies.
”Confiscation of all landed estates.
”Nationalization of all lands in the country, the land to be disposed of by the local Soviets of Agricultural Labourers’ and Peasants’ Deputies. The organization of separate Soviets of Deputies and Poor Peasants. The setting up of a model farm on each of the large estates (ranging in size from 100 to 300 dessiatines, according to local and other conditions, and to the decisions of the local bodies), under the control of the Soviets of Agricultural Labourers’ Deputies and for the public account (A dessiante is approximately one hectare- GM)
”7) The immediate amalgamation of all banks in the country into a single national bank, and the institution of control over it by the Soviet of Workers’ Deputies.
”8) It is not our immediate task to ‘introduce’ socialism, but only to bring social production and the distribution of products at once under the control of the Soviets of Workers’ Deputies.
”Party tasks:
”Immediate convocation of a Party congress;
”Alteration of the Party program, mainly;
”(1) On the question of imperialism and the imperialist war;
”(2) On our attitude towards the state and our demand for a ‘commune state’;
”(3) Amendment of our out of date minimum program;
”(c) Change of the Party’s name;
” 10) A new international (italics by Lenin)
I have chosen to present this ”Draft Platform” in its entirety, as a model for a Political Platform, for a new International Communist Party, Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
Granted, not all of this applies to our current situation. The First World War is ancient history, but numerous other wars are being fought. As well, at least in North America, there are few family farmers, and there may not be any ”large estates”. Yet in other countries of the world, that may still be a major problem.
As North America breaks apart, and several separate Soviet Socialist Republics take shape, each may prefer to form their own separate Communist Party. Excellent. But in the mean time, as we have no true Communist Party, I can only suggest an International Communist Party, or a North American Communist Party. Or possibly both.
Only a true Communist Party is capable of coordinating the various revolutionary movements, currently taking place, within North America. At the moment, they are isolated, spontaneous. The same is true of the Soviets. We have got to bring them together, coordinate their activities, focus on the common goal, that of Soviet Power and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
This requires the raising of the level of awareness of the working class, the proletariat. The conditions of life, of the proletariat, do not lead to the awareness of itself, as a class. That in no way changes the fact that the interests of the proletariat, and that of the monopoly capitalists, are diametrically opposed. This is to say that the two classes are at war. The problem being that the proletariat is not aware of this. That gives the capitalists a huge advantage!
In previous articles, I have compared this to a boxing match, in which one boxer is blindfolded. Of course the match is between the capitalists and the proletariat, with the proletariat blindfolded. The proletariat is striking out wildly, in all directions, occasionally landing a ”lucky blow”. This is completely unacceptable.
The role of the Communist Party is to raise the level of awareness of the proletariat, to make all workers class conscious, to ”remove the blindfold”. They must become aware of the importance of Soviet Power, and of the fact that they are destined to overthrow their class enemies, the capitalists, and crush them, under the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
As I write this, the working people are focused on the trials of the former president, Donald Trump. The first trial just ended, with a guilty verdict on all of the thirty four charges against him. Yet he can still, once again, run for president, and fully intends to do so!
The reason this is so important, is because the working people are focused upon this. We can use this as a means of raising their level of awareness. In particular, we can point out that the presidential election is Unconstitutional.
As I have documented in a previous article, the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution, lays out the procedure to be followed, in all federal elections. The election of the President, as well as the election of the Vice President, is decided by the Electors, who are appointed by the states. The states have no right to meddle in a federal election.
Under the current ”two party” system, a popular vote is held in November. Based upon the results of that vote, each state forces the Electors to vote for the candidates of one party, or the other. This is completely Unconstitutional!
It is up to attorneys, preferably experts in Constitutional law, to present the arguments, in court, to that effect. Without doubt, the working people will be paying strict attention.
As soon as all state laws are struck down, which meddle in a federal election, then it will not matter if the Republican Party nominates Trump for president. The Electors are free to vote for the candidate of their choice for President, as well as the candidate of their choice for Vice President!
The two mainstream political parties, Republican and Democratic, have nothing to say about this. By Constitutional law, it matters not who they put forward for candidates. For that matter, the American citizens also have nothing to say about this. The popular vote is a mere formality, completely pointless. A mere waste of time and money.
In the interests of taking part in the formation of a true Communist Party, one which calls for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat and Soviet Power, may I suggest that all those who are interested, get in touch, with myself and each other. There is no need to get together in person, as the internet makes such gatherings possible, without any physical contact.
As for the name of the Party, may I suggest we go with the term International Communist Party, Dictatorship of the Proletariat, ICP,DP. The reason for this is that Lenin refers to a world socialist revolution, which is no doubt ”on the horizon”. The revolution is not about to be confined to the United States and Canada. If it was, then the term ”North American” would be appropriate. It is certain to include many countries in Europe, as well as Asia, and possibly elsewhere. They too, may prefer to join the Party.
Both the United States and Canada are about to break up, and form separate independent socialist republics. It is only reasonable to expect each republic to create their own independent Communist Party. It is also reasonable to expect each Communist Party to come together, in the form of an International Communist Party. After all, that is the very thing that happened in the former Russian Empire, immediately after the October Revolution. Lenin also referred to a World Socialist Republic. There is strength in numbers! Of course, each separate Party is free to withdraw from the Union, at any time.
With Fraternal Communist Greetings,
Gerald McIsaac
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 