Spiritual Power 

It is a fundamental tenet of Marxism, that the state apparatus came into existence, at the same time that classes came into existence. Of course, those first classes were composed of slaves, and slave owners. As the slaves had a rather ‘’annoying’’ habit of rebelling, the slave owners created an organization, a ‘’state apparatus’’, whose sole purpose was to ‘’discourage’’ such behaviour. 

This generally involved men, frequently mounted on horseback, armed with weapons such as spears, swords, whips and clubs. In addition, as a means of discouraging any further ‘’acts of insurrection’’, a method of execution was devised, which was as prolonged and painful, as possible. This was meant, not so much as punishment for rebelling, but to serve as a warning, to all other slaves. They were made aware that there was a heavy price to be paid, for rebellion.

The Romans perfected this method with the art of crucifixion, in which an individual could be nailed to a tree, and suffer a prolonged, painful death, for as long as a week.

Since that time, various classes have come into existence. The state apparatus has evolved, as the classes have evolved. It is now more subtle, less barbaric, but is still used by the ruling class, as a means of crushing the ‘’lower classes’’. 

It was Engels who conducted a detailed analysis of society, and published his conclusions, in his landmark work, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State. Concerning the state, Engels wrote: ‘’The state is therefore by no means a power imposed on society from the outside; just as little is it ‘the reality of the moral idea,’ ‘the image and reality of reason’, as Hegel asserts. Rather, it is a product of society at a certain stage of development; it is the admission that this society has become entangled in an insoluble contradiction with itself, that it is cleft into irreconcilable antagonisms, which it is powerless to dispel. But in order that these antagonisms, classes with conflicting economic interests, might not consume themselves and society in sterile struggle, a power apparently standing above society became necessary, for the purpose of moderating the conflict and keeping it within the bounds of ‘order’; and this power, arising out of society, but placing itself above it, and increasingly alienating itself from it, is the state.’’

It was Lenin, who also made clear his attitude to the state, in his great work, State and Revolution. As he stated: ‘’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. (italics by Lenin)

In State and Revolution, Lenin stresses the necessity of smashing the existing state apparatus, which has been set up by the capitalists, for the sole purpose of crushing the working class. It must be replaced with a different state apparatus, for the purpose of crushing the monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, as they make every effort, after the revolution, to ‘’restore their paradise lost’’, to return to power. This new state apparatus, is referred to as the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.

That is quite well known, at least among Leftist people, especially Marxists, Communists. That which is not so well known, is that Lenin was referring to something more than the ‘’physical force elements of repression’’. These physical forces include the police, military, jails, prisons and courts. As they are visible, it is relatively easy to target them! And rest assured, at the time of the Insurrection, they will be targeted and destroyed.

This brings me to the spiritual forces, which are also part of the bourgeois state apparatus, also used to crush the working class. As they are not visible, they are, all too often, at the time of the Revolution, overlooked. A huge mistake!

In the case of the formerly socialist Soviet Union, as well as the formerly socialist country of China, the capitalists were able to return to power, at least partly due to the fact that the spiritual power of the bourgeois, was not smashed. 

As for those who are skeptical, concerning the existence of ‘’spiritual power’’, may I refer you to that which Marx said, concerning the first working class attempt at self government, the Paris Commune:

‘’Having once got rid of the standing army and the police, the physical force elements of the old government, the Commune was anxious to break the spiritual force of repression, the ‘parson power’’’. (my italics)

Allow me to add that there are various sources of spiritual power. That of the clergy, Marx referred to as ‘’parson power’’. That of the scientists, academics and intellectuals, I refer to as ‘’professor power’’. That professor power, the spiritual power of the bourgeois, was not smashed, in the Soviet Union, or in China. 

Yet spiritual power is every bit as real, as the physical elements. Also invisible, which makes it more dangerous, in my opinion. The American bourgeois is supremely well aware of this, and has mastered the art of spiritual power, through their use of propaganda. It is a master piece of distortions, half truths, lies and deception. American propaganda sets the standard for bourgeois ideology! 

For the benefit of those who are skeptical, allow me to provide one simple example. Most Americans are aware that slavery was abolished, by President Abraham Lincoln, with his historic Emancipation Proclamation, of January 1, 1863. The Great Emancipator! The pride of the Republican Party! His statue is displayed in Washington. Countless people visit that statue, every year, to honour his memory. 

Reality check! Every fifth grader is well aware that the president does not have the authority to amend the Constitution. They are also well aware that, in 1857, the Supreme Court ruled, in the Dred Scott case, that slavery was guaranteed, in the Constitution. To abolish slavery required an Amendment to the Constitution, which is completely beyond the authority of the president.

Yet to this day, people continue to believe that Lincoln abolished slavery! Even those who know better, or should know better, continue to believe this lie! The spiritual power of bourgeois propaganda!

The sad fact is that very few Americans have even bothered to read that Proclamation. Even middle class, intellectual Americans, tend to believe those lies! Including those who consider themselves to be ‘’Independent Socialists’’!

Allow me to stress the fact that the Emancipation Proclamation is not called the Abolition Proclamation, for a reason. The word abolish is not mentioned, in that Proclamation! 

The only slaves Lincoln ‘’emancipated’’, were those over whom he had no control! Those were the slaves who were under the control of the Confederates! Those slaves were not released from bondage!

The slaves over whom he had control, those who were owned by slave owners, within the ‘’slave states’’ which remained loyal to the Union, Lincoln did not emancipate!

Slavery was abolished in December, of 1865, almost three years after that famous Proclamation. By an Act of Congress, as required by Constitutional law.

There is a reason that I have gone into this, in such detail. Certainly not to offend any American middle class intellectuals! Especially not Independent Socialists! I consider such people to be my Brothers and Sisters, my Comrades In Arms! And very soon, they will be! Whether they know it or not, and they probably do not!

Some things just have to be said! Regardless of the consequences! Certain facts have to be faced! No matter how unpleasant those fact may be! One of those unpleasant facts, is that countless people, including middle class intellectuals, are under the influence of the spiritual power of the bourgeois! And most of them, are not even aware of this!

I can only hope that this will serve as a ‘’wake up call’’. In that case, feel free to break those ‘’invisible chains’’, the spiritual power of the bourgeois. Further face the fact that Marx and Lenin were correct. Social Scientists! Embrace those revolutionary theories! Take part in overthrowing the monopoly capitalists! The Oligarchy! Put Trump and Musk in their place! Under the Dictatorship of the Proletariat!

The alternative is a Dictatorship of the Oligarchy, led by Elon Musk. 

Gerald McIsaac