On this day, millions of Americans, from ‘’coast to coast’’, took to the streets, to protest the efforts of President Donald Trump, to ‘’set himself up as king’’. Yet this protest was different from the three previous protests, as those same people were also encouraging all Americans to vote, in the forth coming ‘’midterm elections’’, of November 3.
This is significant, as Lenin made reference to the importance of voting, in his article, State and Revolution:
‘’We must also note that Engels very definitely calls universal suffrage an instrument of bourgeois rule. Universal suffrage, he says, obviously summing up the long experience of German Social Democracy, is ‘ ….an index of the maturity of the working class. It cannot and never will be anything more in the modern state’.
‘’The petty bourgeois democrats….all expect ‘more’ from universal suffrage. They themselves share and instill into the minds of the people the wrong idea that universal suffrage ‘in the modern state’, is really capable of expressing the will of the majority of the toilers and of ensuring its realization.’’ (italics by Lenin)
That is true to this day. Our modern day ‘’petty bourgeois democrats’’, those who refer to themselves as ‘’Democratic Socialists’’, would have us believe that the government will respond to the will of the majority of voters. They actually believe, and expect us to believe, that the government will enact significant reforms, if enough pressure is applied, through universal suffrage.
They refuse to face the fact – or are not capable of facing the fact? – that classes exist! Further, the current ‘’government’’ is merely a ‘’state apparatus’’, which has been set up, by the ruling class of multi billionaires, with the express purpose of crushing and exploiting the ‘’lower classes’’, and in particular the working class and family farmers. The fable of ‘’majority rule’’, through ‘’universal suffrage’’, is a mere fairy tale! It is merely, as Engels stated, ‘’an index of the maturity of the working class’’.
As that is the case, let us examine the current ‘’maturity of the working class’’.
The fact that the American working class is now not merely protesting, as in previous ‘’No Kings Days’’ events, but also encouraging all eligible citizens to vote, is a step forward in the revolutionary motion of the working class. This is technically referred to as a ‘’pro active’’ approach. As well, a great many people have already cast their ballots by mail, while others are taking advantage of voting before election day, in the states which allow such a procedure.
This can be considered to be a significant step towards ‘’class consciousness’’, in which the working class, the proletariat, becomes aware of itself as a class, complete with its own class interests. Bear in mind that those interests are diametrically opposed to the interests of the ruling class of monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie. At the point where the workers become aware of themselves, as a class, they are certain to embrace the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, including the fact that the ruling class of monopoly capitalists must be overthrown, the existing state apparatus must be smashed, at the time of the revolution, and replaced with a new state apparatus, in the form of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
At that point, we can expect a successful Scientific Socialist Revolution. Lenin covered this supremely well in his article, Left Wing Communism, An Infantile Disorder:
‘’The fundamental law of revolution, which has been confirmed by all revolutions, and especially by all three Russian revolutions in the twentieth century, is as follows: for a revolution to take place, it is not enough for the exploited and oppressed masses to realize the impossibility of living in the old way, and demand changes; for a revolution to take place, it is essential that the exploiters should not be able to live and rule in the old way. It is only when the ‘lower classes’ do not want to live in the old way, and the ‘upper classes’ cannot carry on in the old way, that the revolution can triumph. This truth can be expressed in other words: revolution is impossible without a nation wide crisis (affecting both the exploiters and the exploited). It follows that, for a revolution to take place, it is essential first, that a majority of the workers (or at least a majority of the class conscious, thinking, and politically active workers), should fully realize that revolution is necessary, and that they should be prepared to die for it; second, that the ruling classes should be going through a governmental crisis, which draws even the most backward masses into politics (symptomatic of any genuine revolution is a rapid, tenfold and even hundredfold increase in the size of the working and oppressed masses- hitherto apathetic- who are capable of waging the political struggle), weakens the government, and makes it possible for the revolutionaries to rapidly overthrow it.’’ (italics by Lenin)
Without doubt, the ‘’majority of class conscious, thinking, and politically active workers’’, are as yet unaware that revolution is necessary, and for that reason, are certainly not ‘’prepared to die for it’’. On the other hand, inflation, especially in the form of the high cost of fuel, is driving the cost of almost everything, to ever greater heights. After all, the truck drivers have an expression: ‘’If you bought it, we brought it’’. There is a great deal of truth to this. All ‘’consumer goods’’, which is to say the items we buy in grocery stores, as well as hardware stores and drug stores, were shipped there by truck. It stands to reason that the cost of transporting those goods depends, at least in part, on the price of diesel. The higher the price of diesel, the higher the price of goods.
According to Donald Trump, the best way to lower the price of fuel, is to drill for more oil. ‘’Drill, baby, drill!’’, is the slogan. He would have us believe that more oil will bring down the price of diesel, as well as other fuels, such as gasoline. Much as that is a ‘’happy thought’’, it is simply not true!
Allow me to do that which I do best- point out the obvious. Vehicles do not run on oil. Cars run on gasoline. Trucks and tractors run on diesel. Aircraft run on aviation fuel. Homes are heated by heating oil. All of these fuels are derived from oil. It is not enough to extract the oil from the ground. It must also be refined. And that is where refineries ‘’come into the picture’’. In fact, refineries have created that which is referred to as a ‘’bottle neck’’. This calls for a little explanation.
Refineries process crude oil into a mixture of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and heating oil for home heating. As per the internet, the United States has 130 currently operating petroleum refineries, with a total capacity of approximately 18.4 million barrels per day.
Incidentally, a barrel of oil has a volume of 42 US gallons, or about 159 litres.
The vast majority of these refineries are over forty years old, and most have ‘’seen better days’’, to put it in popular terms. Those which are not profitable, and are not worth repairing, are being ‘’phased out’’. There are no plans to replace them with new refineries, as it takes an estimated five years to build a new refinery, and costs many billions of dollars. It stands to reason that the current capacity is not about to increase, regardless of the amount of oil being made available. On the contrary, as old refineries are shut down, that capacity is bound to decrease.
There is a reason that there are no plans to build new, more efficient, modern oil refineries. That ‘’reason’’ has a name, and that is ‘’imperialism’’, monopoly capitalism. The imperialists have no competition! Why invest capital in oil refineries, when you can merely sit back, raise the price of fuel, as it becomes ever more scarce, and ‘’count your blessings’’? Or at least, ‘’count your profits’’! That profit, which the capitalists refer to as their ‘’bottom line’’, is their sole purpose of existence!
The working class, the proletariat, has got to be made aware of the fact that the high price of fuel, which leads to higher prices of everything else, is characteristic of monopoly capitalism, otherwise known as imperialism. There is absolutely nothing progressive about imperialism. As Lenin stated, ‘’it is reaction, right down the line’’. For that reason, the monopoly capitalists must be overthrown, the existing state apparatus must be smashed, and replaced with a new state apparatus, in the form of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
Lenin covers this supremely well, in his excellent article, Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism. All workers are encouraged to read that article.
Now to return to the subject of the midterm elections.
Just when we started to think that Donald Trump could not possibly surprise us with his idiocy, as well as his complete disregard for human life, he has managed to do just that. On October 5 of this year, in a rally in Nebraska, he managed to stoop to new and greater depths of depravity, with his disjointed speech concerning the war with Iran, and the high cost of fuel:
“Remember, with the war, it’s just artificial. It’s a little bit high. It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe. They could take out a city. Let them take — let it — let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. That’s — this is a very small price to pay, and it’s going to be over with very soon. It’s essentially almost over with.’’
The President of the United States just said that it is okay for Iran to ‘take out’’ the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego! The lives of millions of Americans means so little to him! Spoken like the true psychopath that he is!
The speech quickly drew outraged responses from Democrats and self described ‘’Independents’’, in California and nationally.
As the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom stated: “After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego. He is deranged and dangerous.”
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California echoed those sentiments:
“The President says the Iran war will end ‘very soon,’ How many times have we heard that promise? And if it means attacks on two major American cities in the process, he is not troubled by the cost.”
The ‘’Independent’’ Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who consistently votes with the Democrats, had this to say: “I can’t believe we have to say this, but the annihilation of two major American cities – more than 5 million people – is not a ‘small price to pay’ for Trump’s illegal war.’’
From this, it is clear that opposition to the completely reactionary, absolutely insane policies of Donald Trump, is wide spread. This includes opposition to the war with Iran. Properly so, I might add. Yet the mainstream press is portraying the members of the Democratic Party, as well as the few ‘’Independents’’, as the ‘’Good Guys’’, those who ‘’wear the white hats’’, as opposed to the ‘’Bad Guys’’, those who ‘’wear the black hats’’, as is portrayed in the early Hollywood western movies. Nonsense!
The two mainstream political parties, both Democrats and Republics, as well as the self styled ‘’Independents’’, serve the same class of monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, currently referred to as the ‘’Oligarchy class’’. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! Two sides of the same coin!
This is the fact that the ‘’Leftist’’ press, including those who claim to be Socialist or even Communist, completely overlook. They either will not, or cannot, face the fact that we live in a class society. The two main classes, the monopoly capitalist class of multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, and the working class of proletarians, are in a constant state of conflict. This ‘’class conflict’’ is about to erupt into a state of open class warfare. As these journalists are members of a country which was created through revolution, the fact that they cannot imagine a second revolution, is beyond strange.
The revolutionary uprising of the working class, is reflected in the upcoming midterm elections. The mainstream press is predicting a ‘’blue wave’’, at the time of the election. By that, they are referring to the expectation of an overwhelming number of Democrats and Independents, elected to both the House of Representatives, and the Senate. That remains to be seen.
In response to this, Trump is busy campaigning in various states, in an attempt at ‘’damage control’’. He is telling his supporters, referred to as the ‘’MAGA’’, Make America Great Again, to ‘’just pretend that I am running, when you cast your ballot’’. There are a great many Republican candidates for office, who are afraid that voters will do just that!
Even though the popularity of Trump is clearly in decline, he still has the support of a considerable number of people. He has been compared to the leader of a ‘’cult’’, in that his ‘’hold’’ over these followers is remarkable. This became clear in the state of Tennessee, when he said: ‘’I can say the stupidest things and you’d clap’’. His audience responded to this remark by clapping!
This is not to say that his most devoted followers are the enemy. They most certainly are not! Almost all of them are working people, and have been misled. Perhaps a little patience, and more popular literature, is required. In due time, as reality sinks in, they will no doubt ‘’come to their senses’’.
The fact of the matter is that the working people who live in cities, referred to as ‘’urban areas’’, tend to be more advanced than those who live in the countryside, referred to as ‘’rural areas’’.
This was brought out quite clearly in the article by Lenin, titled Left Wing Communism, An Infantile Disorder. In that article, written in 1920, Lenin gave the example of a speech by British Prime Minister Lloyd George. He, the Prime Minister, was concerned because, in his opinion, ‘’Civilization is in jeopardy’’, due to ‘’Communism’’, which he thought was being ‘’practiced in France’’. He was concerned that it might spread to Britain, so it was necessary for Liberals and Conservatives to unite. The Prime Minister went on to state: ‘’…If you go to the agricultural areas, I agree you have the old party divisions as strong as ever. They are removed from the danger. It does not walk their lanes. But when they see it, they will be as strong as some of these industrial constituencies are now. Four fifths of this country is industrial and commercial; hardly one fifth is agricultural. It is one of the things I have constantly in my mind when I think of the dangers of the future here. In France the population is agricultural, and you have a solid body of opinion which does not move very rapidly, and which is not very easily excited by revolutionary movements. This is not the case here. This country is more top heavy than any country in the world, and if it begins to rock, the crash here, for that reason, will be greater than in any land.’’
In response to this statement, Lenin expressed his opinion of the British Prime Minister: ‘’From this the reader will see that Mr. Lloyd George is not only a very intelligent man, but one who has also learned a great deal from the Marxists. We too have something to learn from Lloyd George’’.
The Prime Minister was correct, when he stated that the ‘’party divisions’’, in the ‘’agricultural areas’’, were as ‘’strong as ever’’, as they are ‘’removed from the danger’’. The ‘’danger’’ to which Lloyd George was referring, was that of ‘’Communism’’, which he thought was then being practiced in France. By implication, those who live and work in ‘’industrial areas’’, are less likely to be restricted by ‘’party divisions’’, much more likely to be attracted to the revolutionary theories of Communism. This is true! The conditions of life, of those who live and work in cities, tend to ‘’broaden the horizons’’ of workers, making them more open to the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin.
In reference to the people who lived and worked in the countryside, Lloyd George was also correct, when he stated that, ‘’when they see it, they will be as strong as some of these industrial constituencies are now’’. Truly, ‘’seeing is believing’’! Both the family farmers and workers, those who work for wages on the farms, referred to as the ‘’rural proletariat’’, are bound to ‘’come around’’ to our way of thinking, to join the workers in the cities, in embracing the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin.
As regards our current situation, the midterm elections make clear that the working people in urban areas, the cities, are far more open to change, than those in the rural areas, the countryside. It is also clear that the rural workers will follow the urban workers.
Allow me to stress the fact that the rural workers, referred to as ‘’MAGA’’, those who are still devoted to Trump, are not the enemy! They have merely been misled. In due time, they will join us, as our Comrades In Arms, in our war with the multi billionaires.
Lloyd George was also correct when he stated that Britain ‘’was more top heavy than any country in the world, and if it begins to rock, the crash here, for that reason, will be greater than in any land.’’
Once again, Lloyd George’’ hit the nail squarely on the head’’! By ‘’top heavy’’, he meant that, at that time, Britain was more heavily industrialized than ‘’any country in the world.’’ He was also afraid that it might ‘’ begin to rock’’, by which he meant that the working class might -perish forbid!- begin to be influenced by the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, to become conscious of themselves as a class, and of the necessity of overthrowing the ruling class of monopoly capitalists.
The subsequent revolution, or the ‘’crash’’, as he phrased it, would be ‘’greater than in any land’’, due to the fact that the country was so highly industrialized, with a far greater population of working class people. By implication, the approaching ‘’crash’’, the Scientific Socialist Revolution in America, is bound to be severe!
No wonder Lenin considered Lloyd George to be a very intelligent man! He certainly learned a great deal from the Marxists! Yet Lenin also stated that ‘’we have something to learn from Lloyd George’’. And just what is that?
Lenin documents the fact that Lloyd George was then asked a simple question, concerning the ‘’effect upon the industrial workers’’, as a result of this revolutionary movement. His answer made no sense whatsoever! From this, Lenin came to the following conclusion:
‘’It may be said, in passing, that this argument shows in particular, how muddled even the most intelligent members of the bourgeoisie have become, and how they cannot help committing irreparable blunders. That, in fact, is what will bring about the downfall of the bourgeoisie. Our people, however, may commit blunders (provided, of course, that they are not too serious and are rectified in time) and yet, in the long run, will prove the victors.’’
This helps to explain the fact that even the finest of the bourgeois journalists, as well as a great many self proclaimed ‘’Leftist’’ journalists, are unable to think in class terms. Almost all are completely ‘’muddled’’. In response to the insane actions of Donald Trump -or perhaps more accurately the criminal actions– the best they can recommend is that the Vice President and members of the presidential cabinet invoke the Twenty Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, in order to remove him from office. Or possibly to impeach Trump, yet again. It has not worked twice before, so why not try it again? They have raised ‘’muddled thinking’’ to a whole new level!
As I have pointed out in previous articles, the simplest, easiest way to remove both Trump and Vice President Vance from office, is to challenge the 2024 presidential election, on the grounds that it was unconstitutional. It did not follow the procedure laid out in the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution, as is required for all federal elections. To briefly summarize, there is no presidential election; there is no popular vote; there is no ‘’running mate’’; there is no ‘’president elect’’; there is no mention of any political party; it is up to the Electors, and only the Electors, to vote for the individuals of their choice, for the offices of President and Vice President; the states have no right to meddle in any such election; all states and the District of Columbia have laws which force Electors to vote for certain individuals; for that reason, the 2024 ‘’presidential election’’ was fraudulent.
It is simply a matter of hiring or persuading an attorney, an expert on Constitutional law, to challenge this, in a federal court. No doubt, the Trump administration would fight this, all the way to the Supreme Court. Equally without doubt, it would attract the attention of the working people. The Supreme Court could refuse to consider the matter, in which case the working people would learn that the courts are by no means impartial, merely in the service of the monopoly capitalists. Or the Supreme Court could rule that the Twelfth Amendment does not apply. This too, is in the service of the multi billionaires. Then again, they could surprise everyone by ‘’growing a backbone’’, by declaring the 2024 presidential election to be fraudulent, and removing both Trump and Vance from office. Not likely, but if the revolutionary motion of the working class is strong enough, this could well take place.
Regardless of the outcome, the level of awareness of the working class is certain to be elevated. As the capitalists are supremely well aware, and for that reason, are determined to avoid it. God forbid that the working class should become aware of themselves, as a class! That is very likely the reason they avoid any mention of the Twelfth Amendment.
In conclusion, we can say that the No Kings Day protests, which call for all Americans to not only protest, but also to ‘’get out and vote’’, in the midterm elections, proves that the revolutionary motion of the working class, is becoming ever stronger. The movement is clearly broad and deep, with a great many progressive organizations taking part. This is most encouraging, and fine, as far as it goes. It does not go far enough.
As previously mentioned, the conditions of life, of the working class, do not lead to the awareness of itself, as a class. Nor is the working class aware of the existence of the class of monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, currently being referred to as the ‘’Oligarchy’’. For that reason, it is simply not reasonable to expect workers to call for the overthrow of the ruling class of multi billionaires. Workers are not even aware of their existence!
The working class is now functioning near the limit of its ability. It is demanding full and complete democracy, properly so. As for the overthrow of the ruling class of bourgeoisie, to be replaced with a state of Scientific Socialism, in the form of Soviet Power and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat, there is not a word. Even though the proletariat is destined to take this course of action, it is not aware of this!
The Scientific Socialist revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin are taught only in University, and then only with a view to distorting them. As very few working class people are able to attend University, it is mainly the children of the ‘’propertied classes’’, who are exposed to these theories.
This awareness must be brought to the working class, from an outside source. That outside source is middle class intellectuals. Lenin goes into this, in considerable detail, in his excellent work, What Is To Be Done? As I have gone into this, in great detail, in previous articles, there is no need to repeat it here. Suffice it to say that it is in the best interest of middle class intellectuals, to raise the level of awareness of the working class, the proletariat, to make them aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin.
Allow me to stress the fact that such people have no future under monopoly capitalism. On the other hand, they have a bright future under Scientific Socialism, in the form of Soviet Power and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Their education and training, especially in the fields of organization and management, will be in great demand. They will be paid accordingly.
The strength of the revolutionary movement has convinced me that a full scale revolution, is ‘’on the horizon’’. Bear in mind that a revolution is similar to a force of nature, such as a volcano. We never know the precise date of the eruption. We just know that it is bound to happen, and prepare for the inevitable.
I most sincerely hope that no middle class intellectual takes offence to that which I am saying. That is certainly not my intention. Bear in mind that at the time the Oligarchy declared that five businesses were Too Big To Fail, they also implied that all other businesses were Too Small To Succeed! They plan to drive your business into bankruptcy! They were not joking! Rest assured, they do not have a sense of humour!
Marx has a few words to say concerning this time of preparation for a revolution, in the Communist Manifesto:
‘’Finally, in times when the class struggle nears the decisive hour, the process of dissolution going on within the ruling class, in fact within the whole range of old society, assumes such a violent, glaring character, that a small section of the ruling class cuts itself adrift, and joins the revolutionary class, the class that holds the future in its hands. Just as, therefore, at an earlier period, a section of the nobility went over to the bourgeoisie, so now a portion of the bourgeoisie goes over to the proletariat, and in particular, a portion of the bourgeois ideologists, who have raised themselves to the level of comprehending theoretically the historical movement as a whole .’’
Now we can expect a ‘’portion’’ of the bourgeois intellectuals, those who are capable of honesty, to raise themselves to the level of ‘’comprehending theoretically the historical movement as a whole’’. We can further expect their numbers to be small, as most bourgeois cannot bring themselves to face the ‘’horrors’’ of Scientific Socialism.
The revolution could break out at any day. For that reason, there is no time to waste. Now is the time to make a decision. Either become active, in the revolutionary motion, raising the level of awareness of the working class, taking part in Councils, fighting for Scientific Socialism, or not. Bear in mind that, at the time of revolution, the polite norms of civilized society tend to ‘’fall by the wayside’’. Consider the fact that Americans have a revolutionary tradition of ‘’tar and feathers’’! You do not want to be on the receiving end of that ‘’protest’’!
As for those who choose to work in the service of the working class, may I suggest that you take part in the creation of a true Communist Party, one which calls for Soviet Power and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Bear in mind that the word Soviet means Council. Such a Party is necessary to provide the working class, with the proper leadership.
We will know that we are successful in raising the level of awareness of the working class, to that of Scientific Socialists, when the posters and signs proclaim:
Workers of the World, Unite!
Dictatorship of the Proletariat!
Scientific Socialism!
Soviet Power!
