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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!

The current revolutionary movement has many people confused. In particular, the younger generation has never seen anything quite like this. This is not too surprising, and we cannot blame them for this, as nothing like this has happened in their lifetime. They are simply too young to have experienced the revolutionary motion of the nineteen sixties, commonly referred to as the ”sixties”, let alone remember it. As that is the popular term for that time period, I will continue to use it, at least for the purposes of this article.

It was a decade of great social change. At the beginning, girls were taught ”home economics” in school, in preparation for a life as a dutiful house wife. Most girls grew up with a ”hope chest”, in which they gathered various articles, such as dishes, so that they could bring something to a marriage. The newspapers carried ”help wanted” sections, one for men and one for women. Of course, women were expected to work for lower wages than men. The careers of women were strictly limited, although one of the highest of the respectable positions, which was open to them, was that of an ”executive secretary”. Then too, women were allowed to work in law enforcement, but only as ”meter maids”. They were limited to issuing parking tickets.

Of course, there were other fields of employment open to them, although somewhat less respectable. It was generally forbidden to speak of such subjects.

A popular television show of the day was Charlies Angels, in which ”Charlie” saved three ”Angels” from a life of drudgery, working as meter maids. He put them to work as private detectives. Awfully decent of him. The show was a smash hit.

There was one field of employment which was exclusively female, and that was working as a ”stew” on the airlines. Mind you, those girls were expected to have a ”sense of humour”, in that any time one of the ”good old boys” decided to give one of those girls a ”thrill”, perhaps by ”pinching her bottom”, she was expected to take this in stride. The same situation existed for girls who worked in bars and restaurants, as waitresses.

To think that the ”thrills” of yesteryear are the ”sexual assaults” of today!

As late as 1970, the ”stews”, on one of the airlines, were forced to wear a button on their uniforms, one which stated ”Fly Me”. Now wasn’t that just the cutest!

Some of the ”retired stews”, those with a proper sense of humour, formed a ”clipped wings club”. They joked about being fired because they were ”too old”, and were used by various businesses, at least in the field of advertising. As far as the bourgeois were concerned, they set the standard!

In the case of high class restaurants and bars, the girls were forced to step on the weigh scales, on a regular basis. Any girls who were ”too porky” were promptly fired. As well, any girl who objected to sleeping with the boss, should he so desire, was also promptly fired. A great many bosses so desired, and on a regular basis. A great many girls were also fired, also on a regular basis!

The field of entertainment, at least as was shown on nightly television, reflected this ”culture”, for lack of a better word. A popular series was Father Knows Best. At the start of each show, the housewife, wearing a proper dress, complete with pearls, greeted her businessman husband. He too was dressed in a proper suit, clearly tired after a hard day at the office.

Other television shows were less kind. Women were the butt of countless jokes, so that the expression ”dumb blonde” became a household term. The tv show of George Burns and Gracie Allen was a big hit, as she set the standard for stupidity.

The minorities, those currently referred to as Black and Brown, or ”people of colour”, also experienced widespread discrimination. It was understood, but rarely mentioned, that ”Negroes” and ”Indians” were not allowed to go into certain areas, such as bars and restaurants. Whites only.

Here too, this bias was reflected in the field of entertainment. Almost all the actors, in all the television shows, were Caucasian. One notable exception was the Jack Benny Show, in which Rochester, a Black actor, played the role of servant to Jack.

Perhaps the most blatantly racist depictions of minorities was portrayed in movies such as Tarzan, and westerns, in which ”Indians”, on horse back, fired flaming arrows into covered wagons.

This discrimination was not limited to ”visible minorities”. Even within the field of entertainment (or perhaps especially within the field of entertainment!), Jews were not allowed into certain clubs.

I mention this to give young people an idea of the conditions of life, in the ”good old days”. Then came the revolutionary motion of the sixties.

It is a common belief, at least among older folks, that the ”fifties” was a time of prosperity, of peace and quiet, of ”law and order”. In fact, it was a time of reaction. The revolutionary motion of ”years gone by” had died down, and the forces of reaction were ”in their glory”. The point is that revolutionary motion goes in cycles, and when it dies down, reaction ”takes to arms”. Yet, as Marx pointed out, it always rises up again, ”ever finer, ever stronger”.

Perhaps the sixties is best known as the time of the ”sexual revolution”. At that time, it was rather politely referred to as the ”women’s movement”, if for no other reason than that the word ”sex” was forbidden. Whenever possible, the word ”gender” was substituted. Of course, it was not always possible, so that the word ”sex” was simply not mentioned.

By the end of the decade, it was being ”shouted from the rooftops”.

At the same time, those who were referred to as ”Negroes”, or Coloureds”, started to refer to themselves as Black. ”Black Power” became a popular slogan. Marches became common place, especially in the South, frequently led by Reverend King. They demanded racial equality, just as the women demanded sexual equality.

Then too, there was the American Indian Movement, or AIM. They objected to being portrayed as feather wearing, moccasin walking, tomahawk waving, ”noble savages”. Who can blame them?

It was in the sixties that the movement against the ”War in Viet Nam” reached a fever pitch. At some point, it was revealed that the war was not limited to Viet Nam, but all of southeast Asia. The war had spread to the neighbouring countries of Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. The American military referred to this as ”secret bombing”, although it was hardly a secret. After all, it is pretty difficult to drop bombs on people and keep it a secret! The people of those countries spoke of it, frequently and at great length. The only people who were not aware of this, were the members of the American public. And the military people wonder why we scoff at the term ”military intelligence”!

The students were especially active, if only because they had more to lose. After all, as soon as they finished school, they could expect to receive a ”letter of Greetings” from the president. In other words, they, or at least the boys, could expect to be ”drafted” into the army, and almost certainly, sent to Viet Nam. This tended to get people excited, although not at all in the way the military intended!

The revolutionary motion picked up to the point that, in 1970, every university in the country went on strike!

But then the revolutionary motion died down, and reaction set in. The social scientists tend to refer to this as a ”time of apathy”. After several years of such reaction, the revolutionary motion began to pick up again, resulting in the ”Occupy Movement”. No doubt many of the younger members of the revolutionary motion of today, can remember this quite well. It was even finer and stronger than the motion of the sixties, as there was a vague awareness of classes.

During the days of the Occupy Movement, the capitalists, the super rich, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, were referred to as the ”one percent”. The implication being that they were ”one in a hundred”. Such is not the case, as they are closer to one in a million. Now the term ”one percent” is no longer used, as working people are becoming aware, that ”one percent” is not the case.

I mention this for the benefit of all those who are just now becoming politically active, as a result of the revolutionary movement, and wondering just what the blue blazes is happening! The answer is that a revolution is happening. The previous revolutionary motions failed to overthrow the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, so that now we are in one heck of a mess.

It may be argued that the working class, the proletariat, has made some significant gains. That is true. It is also true that there is a reason for the existence of Black Lives Matter. They will tell you that the police are still killing Black people, on a regular basis, and without provocation. Then there are the members of the Me Too movement. They can testify to the fact that they have been subjected to sexual assaults all their lives. Such assaults are now less open. The perverted, also known as ”skinners”, are merely more devious.

There are a great many other groups, and countless individuals, who are at the point of desperation. As I have documented this in a previous article, there is no need to repeat it here.

The point I am trying to make, is that revolutionary motion happens, and on a regular basis. In fact, it is happening now. Previous revolutionary motions achieved some remarkable success, but failed to overthrow the capitalists. One reason for this is the fact that at that time, as now, the working class was not sufficiently class conscious.

With that in mind, I will mention that we live in a class society. The class of capitalists, the ”super rich”, the billionaires, those who are technically referred to as the bourgeoisie, are in charge. They rule. Then there is the working class, technically referred to as the proletariat. We do all the work, and the capitalists ”skim the cream”, which is to say that they live off our labour power. The capitalists contribute nothing to society. They work us as hard as possible, while paying us as little as possible. We are ”wage slaves”. It is in the interests of the capitalists, our ”masters”, to keep us unaware of that fact. Hence, the widespread denial of the fact that classes exist.

For the sake of completeness, I will mention that all other classes, such as farmers and small business owners, have been all but wiped out. If nothing else, this simplifies the class struggle. Now it is simply a matter of us against them, workers against capitalists, at least here in North America.

The current revolutionary motion is far stronger and finer than the Occupy Movement of yesteryear. As yet, the press has not referred to it by any particular name, so for lack of a better name, I will refer to it as the Autonomous Movement, soon to become the Second American Revolution.

In order for the revolution to be completely successful, a few things have to take place. For one thing, a proper political party has to be formed, in order to provide the working class with the leaders they so desperately need. The two current mainstream political parties merely serve the capitalists, tweedle dee and tweedle dum. There is no essential difference between them. The leaders of both parties are mere puppets, with the capitalists ”pulling their strings”.

Then there are the parties which claim to be Marxist, but are social chauvinists. Socialists in words, chauvinists in deeds! There is no shortage of them! It is no wonder that working people are confused! So in the interest of clarifying matters, I will point out that the parties which claim to be Marxist, but deny the necessity of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, are mere chauvinists. They are in the service of the capitalists.

The reason I say this is because, as Lenin stated, it is the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat which is the very ”touchstone” of a true Marxist.

These social chauvinists are not to be confused with socialists who make no claim to be Marxists. Such people are referred to as ”utopian socialists”, and are the natural and desirable friends of the working class.

It is up to class conscious people, intellectuals, to get together and form a proper Marxist political party, an American Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, or ACP, DOP. As this is beyond the ability of most, but not all, working people, it mainly falls upon the shoulders of the middle class people, many of whom have been, very likely, ruined by capitalism. Further, as women are leading the revolution, such a Party will likely have to be created, mainly by women.

The internet provides us with a valuable tool, so that the creation of such a Party is not as difficult as it once was. There is no need to gather together in one place, as was previously the case. Now Skype can be used, for example. Bear in mind that the ”high tech” spies of the capitalists are a concern, but this cannot stop the creation of the Party. It does mean that reasonable precautions must be taken, by those who are more familiar with the internet, than I. Rest assured, the list of such people is long and distinguished! My grandchildren can testify to that!

The vast majority of working class people, those who have only recently become politically aware, can also become more active. By no means all of them consider them selves to be revolutionary, which is perfectly acceptable. My suggestion, to one and all, is to join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members. Further, I suggest that all your family and friends join the two parties. As card carrying members, you get to decide the candidates for any and all political offices. Feel free to run for Congress, or any other office, to your hearts content!

As mentioned in previous articles, when running for office, enlist the support of as many people as possible. Bear in mind that the seniors want free medical, the students want free tuition, the cancelling of all student loans, the workers want an increase in the minimum wage, and the sports people want to defend their democratic right to bear arms. At the same time you ask for their support, also ask them to join both parties. There is strength in numbers!

Bear in mind that Sleep Joe is already planning another Constitutional Amendment, in order to abolish the Second Amendment. Now is not the time to become complacent!

As I write this, it has been a week since the shooting death of Andrew Brown, in EIizabeth City, North Carolina. Apparently, ten police officers were involved, and the family wants answers. There are reports that he was shot numerous times, in the back, while driving away. All of the officers were wearing ”body cams”, yet the videos are being with held. As yet, one ”snippet” has been released, a twenty second clip of an ”execution”. As the death has reportedly been classified as a homicide, the word execution is appropriate.

This is to drive home the point that ”half measures” are not sufficient. Merely consider the results of previous revolutionary motions! The capitalists were left in charge, and there was no fundamental change. The poverty and suffering of working people continues as before. If anything, it is now more intense. Our children are going hungry, our women are being assaulted, our seniors are denied the meds they need. Yet the capitalists, the billionaires, are becoming ever more wealthy, at our expense, of course.

The journalists are also reporting that in the state of Arizona, a ”Cyber Ninja” group, is conducting a hand recount of the ballots cast in the previous presidential election. This is all part of the effort to place the ultimate reactionary, Donald Trump himself, back in power. The forces of reaction are on the offensive!

It is also a fact that the capitalists have recently executed a search warrant for the former lawyer of Donald Trump! That is the fellow, the former mayor of New York City, who maintains that the election was stolen, that Trump really won the election! The trouble is that he could be right! He and another famous lawyer recently demonstrated the manner in which elections are falsified! As it is safe to assume that they have experience is such matters, and have probably been ”fixing” elections all their life, it would be best to take them seriously.

The fact is that the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, the members of the ruling class, consider Trump, one of their own, a fellow billionaire, to be a ”loose cannon”, a threat to their rule. As that is the case, they are determined to ”send him packing”. They thought they had succeeded, with the last federal election, yet he ”refuses to go”. He ”cannot take a hint”, continues to ”stir the pot”, if only from a distance. So they are attacking the lawyers who are supporting him!

This could conceivably give rise to a situation ”stranger than fiction”. If it is proven that the lawyers are correct, and Trump in fact won the election, then the working people may be forced to support Donald Trump! God forbid, a ”fate worse than death”, but stranger things have happened. As they say, ”politics makes for strange bed fellows”.

As I have previously documented, just before the start of the Civil War, the capitalists of the north made an alliance with the southern slave owners, as a means of destroying the slave owners! Very strange, but true, and equally effective!

This is not to say that ”the end justifies the means”, because it does not! This is to say that we have got to prove to the members of the working class that we are people of honour, that we are prepared to stand on principle! If it is indeed proven that Trump is the legitimate president, then we must support him! That in no way changes the fact that we are revolutionaries, dedicated to the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, and after the successful completion of the revolution, then the imperialists, including Trump and all his flunkies, will be held accountable.

In the mean time, may I suggest that all workers make a point of reading that magnificent work by Lenin, State and Revolution. It was written on the eve of the October Revolution of Russia, in 1917. It outlines, quite clearly, that which has to be done, in order for the approaching revolution to be successful. The existing state apparatus must be destroyed, and replaced with a different state apparatus, to be used by the workers, in order to crush the capitalists. This state apparatus is referred to as the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

All capitalists, and in fact, all social chauvinists, want no part of workers reading this book by Lenin. As the social chauvinists are the most devoted servants of the capitalists, this is not too surprising.

The revolution is fast approaching. It will break out when it breaks out. We had best be prepared. It is up to us, workers and intellectuals, to make sure that it is carried through to its proper conclusion, to the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

As anyone who has paid the slightest bit of attention to the news can testify, the current revolutionary motion has given rise to the demand, of almost everyone on the ”Left”, to defund the police, and apply the money saved, towards social programs.

To this, the people on the ”Right” have responded that this will result in anarchy. As a great many people are concerned with this, it should be taken seriously. After all, anarchy is understood as a complete break down of law and order.

The fact that so many people are concerned is a natural result of the revolutionary motion, in that countless people, those whom have formerly been apathetic, are now politically active, demanding change, taking part in autonomous zones, demonstrations, marches and especially demanding an end to the killing of Black people. They are just afraid that with the police ”defunded”, criminals with guns will run wild, robbing and killing at will. Their concerns are certainly legitimate.

So for the benefit of the newly awakened working people -welcome, my Brothers and Sisters, my Comrades!- I will start by mentioning that we live in a class society. In North America, there are basically two classes, the working class, technically referred to as the proletariat, and the capitalist class, technically referred to as the bourgeoisie. The capitalists are the people commonly referred to as the ”super rich” or the ”billionaires”, formerly referred to as the ”one percent”. As there are only a few hundred billionaires in the whole country, they are not so much the ”one percent”, which is to say one in a hundred, as one in a million.

True, there still exists the remnants of other classes, such as the occasional small family farmer, referred to as peasants in other parts of the world. It is also true that there is the occasional small business owner to be found, here and there. For the most part, they are ”hanging on by their finger tips”, scraping by as best they can. Their ”days are numbered”, as the monopoly capitalists are applying ever more pressure, squeezing out all family farms and small businesses. Incidentally, all small business owners are referred to as middle class, or petty bourgeois.

The capitalists are of course well aware of the existence of classes, yet choose to deny this. Not too surprising, as it is in their interest to do so. Workers and capitalists are natural enemies, as our interests are diametrically opposed. That which is good for the capitalists, is bad for the workers. They are concerned with their profit, and only their profit, which they obtain from our labour power. The harder they work us, and the less they pay us, the higher their profit. The last thing the capitalists want is to have workers united, aware of ourselves as a class, challenging their authority.

For what it is worth, all other classes are aware of themselves as a class, yet the conditions of life of the working class, do not lead to that awareness. That is just the way it is.

As that is the case, it follows that class awareness must be brought to the working class, and that can be done only by members of the middle class intelligentsia. For those who are prejudiced against the intellectuals, bear in mind that Marx and Lenin were middle class intellectuals.

Now that we have the internet, and most working people have computers, in one form or another, the task of raising the level of awareness of the proletariat, is much easier. We can just send the information electronically. We would be fools not to use the tools on hand.

The current situation should also provide us with a little stimulation, and I am not referring to ”stimmy checks”. I am referring to the ”double whammy”, otherwise known as the twin crises in capitalism, in the form of the ”severe recession”, (the capitalists are not about to admit that it is a depression!), as well as the Virus. This has given rise to massive unemployment. People are not paying their bills, not because they do not want to, but because they cannot! They are no longer being forced to choose between putting food on the table and paying the rent, because they cannot pay either! Working people are going broke, not because they are lazy, but because there are no jobs! They are being forced into bankruptcy, losing their homes, life savings, vehicles and self respect, as they are reduced to relying on food stamps and hand outs. Such a manner of life is degrading. Yet the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, are becoming ever more wealthy!

It does not take an intellectual giant to figure out that something is dreadfully wrong. A handful of people, those who are extremely rich, the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, are becoming ever more wealthy, at the expense of the dirt poor, the working class, the proletariat. Further, only the most die hard, optimistic, kind hearted soul, is prepared to believe that such people, the billionaires, are about to respond to sweet reason. The billionaires know that the working class, the vast majority, the proletariat, is suffering. They just do not care.

The fact of the matter is that we live under capitalism, and not just any capitalism, but monopoly capitalism, which is capitalism at its highest, most rotten stage, referred to as imperialism. What we have now is complete reaction, which is to say that there is nothing progressive about the imperialists. They cannot be reformed. They can only be destroyed.

Capitalism must be destroyed and replaced with socialism, and not just any socialism, but scientific socialism. Of course I am referring to the socialism first put forward by Marx and Engels, two social scientists, who lived in an age of pre monopoly capitalism. In later years, as capitalism reached the monopoly stage, it was Lenin who applied it to the age of monopoly capitalism, or imperialism.

All other forms of socialism, referred to as utopian socialism, have been proven to be abject failures.

The revolutionary motion is nothing other than an expression of the class struggle, the working class against the capitalist class, the proletariat against the bourgeoisie. In each country, the revolution takes its own particular shape.

In America, the recent uprising in Seattle, of June, 2020, gave rise to an ”Autonomous Zone”, which lasted three weeks, before it was crushed. But then other Autonomous Zones have sprung up across the country, and we can expect many more to follow. As the Seattle zone lasted the longest, we can examine this particular zone, in order to know what to expect.

The zone resembled a commune in many respects, especially the Paris Commune of 1871. As I have documented this in a previous article, there is no need to repeat it here. For this article, the issue of police presence, or lack thereof, is our focus.

The police detachment within the zone was abandoned, yet this did not lead to anarchy. On the contrary, the zone was almost crime free. The ”protesters”, as the press referred to them, or revolutionaries, as is the more accurate term, those who occupied the zone, made sure of that! Armed guards patrolled the zone, at least along the perimeter, especially at night. These guards were armed with semi automatic rifles, and kept the crime to a minimum. Barriers were placed on the streets to prevent vehicles from running people down. As a result of this, the zone was possibly the safest place in all of Seattle! Yet there were no police!

This gives us an idea of what to expect, as it is a fundamental tenet of Marxism that the police and standing army (the National Guard) are used mainly to keep the working class subjugated. They are key parts of the ”state apparatus”, that which is used by the capitalists, in order to stay in power. In order for the revolution to be successful, this state apparatus must be destroyed. It must be replaced by a different state apparatus, a proletarian state apparatus, in order to crush the ”desperate and determined resistance of the capitalists”, as they try to ”restore their paradise lost”. This working class state apparatus, set up in order to crush the capitalists, is referred to as the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. It is the worst night mare of all capitalists.

The Seattle Autonomous Zone gives us an idea of the precise form this American Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, will assume. All members of the Zone worked together, came to a consensus, and no doubt, guards were selected by the members. There was no need for an outside police force.

Now we can examine the current situation, under the rule of the capitalists, the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.

As I write this, the former police officer, Derek Chauvin, has recently been convicted of the murder of George Floyd. Yet the police killing of black people, in particular, continues.

In Minneapolis, Duante Wright, a Black driver, was pulled over for a traffic violation and shot dead. Apparently, the officer, a veteran of twenty six years, confused her hand gun with her taser.

In March of 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky, a 26 year old Black medical worker, Breonna Taylor, was shot dead in her apartment, during a botched raid. Apparently, the police were looking for her boyfriend.

In Columbus, Ohio, sixteen year old Ma’khia Bryant, a Black girl, was shot dead by police.

In Chicago, a thirteen year old Black boy, Adam Toledo, was shot dead by police.

In Virginia, a thirty two year old Black man, Isaiah Brown, was shot by police, while holding a cordless phone, speaking to police dispatch, no less. Apparently, the officer confused the phone with a gun.

Now another Black motorist, Andrew Brown, was shot dead in North Carolina. Apparently ten deputies were involved, in trying to serve an arrest warrant. It is reported that of those deputies, seven have been ”placed on leave”, two have resigned and one has retired. Eye witnesses report that Brown was ”shot in the back”, possibly ”six or eight times”, while trying to drive away. They also report bullet holes in the rear window. Other witnesses report fourteen shell casings were found on the ground. The body cam videos have yet to be released, as the authorities do not want to ”hinder the investigation”. More likely, they are stalling. Possibly ”visions” of correcting those body cams are ”dancing in their heads”.

As a response to the revolutionary movement, and especially to the calls for ”defunding the police”, our democratically elected leaders, those who do such a splendid job of misrepresenting us, are rising to the occasion. In the finest tradition of service to the capitalists, they are making noises to the effect of ”reforming the police”.

This is little more than a fairy tale, as the police are part of the state apparatus, set up by the capitalists, in order to keep their wage slaves, the working class, the proletariat, under control, subjugated. As that is the case, it is not a matter of reforming them, but of destroying them. They must be replaced with another state apparatus, a proletarian state apparatus, as was demonstrated in the Seattle Autonomous Zone.

The one and only way this can happen is through full scale revolution. Working people across the whole country have to come together and oppose the capitalists, on all fronts. Various protest groups and organizations have got to unite. We do not have to love each other, but we have to respect each other. We have a common enemy.

Speaking of respect, I am well aware that there are countless working people, including some of those who took part in the Seattle Autonomous Zone, who think that the system can be changed from within. To those workers, I can only say that I respect your belief! With that in mind, may I suggest that you join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members. May I further suggest that you encourage your family and friends to also join both parties. And they can, in turn, encourage their friends to join, and so on and so forth. Before long, you may find that the two parties are filled with working class people, you and all of your friends. Then, as card carrying members, you can decide the candidates to run for any and all political office. Feel free to run as candidates of both parties. Run against yourself, if you like. Now that would be a hoot!

Why, before long, I can just imagine Congress, the House of Representatives, brimming over with working class people, the same people who are now marching and demonstrating, members of various Autonomous Zones. The Squad will no longer be a minority, as hundreds of workers become Members of Congress! AOC and her friends will no longer be quite so lonely! Nancy Pelosi will be thrilled!

No doubt Joe Biden is looking forward to joining the ranks of single term presidents. Perhaps he can assist Jimmy Carter in building houses for the homeless! I just hope that boy knows how to swing a hammer. To think that we may have our very own first lady president! (Not to be confused with the First Lady) A working class girl, no doubt. Or should I say presidentess? These days, it is so important to be politically correct.

As the members of the Senate serve six year terms, it will take a little longer to flood the Senate with working people. Chuck Shumer will just have to be patient!

Lest we forget, there are fifty offices of governor to be filled. Or should I refer to them as governess? As the American ladies are currently leading the revolution, perhaps a slogan can be Fight Like A Girl!

The list is endless, with local mayors and such. Feel free to take your pick, or get together and draw straws. Your choice.

Just remember that the capitalists assure us that this is democracy, and democracy means ”majority rule”. Feel free to take them at their word. Let us put that ”majority rule” to the test!

As for those who think that I am joking, you are mistaken. I mean, it is not like I have a sense of humour or anything. No, nothing like that. It is just that I am convinced that people learn from their own experience. At least, I do. Or I end up wishing I had. Repeating the same stupid mistakes can be most tiresome. It is so much easier to do something right the first time, rather than explain why we did not.

To all my American readers, I can only suggest that you get over your shyness, and join the Democrats and Republicans, as card carrying members. I guarantee you will receive a lesson in democracy, bourgeois democracy, no less. Do not be surprised if you find yourself having fun, at the same time.

For the moment, during marches and demonstrations, let the banners proclaim:

Become Card Carrying Democrats And Republicans

In 1871, in the city of Paris, country of France, the workers rebelled against the ruling class, the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, and established that which they referred to as the Paris Commune. This first attempt, by the working class, the proletariat, to seize state power, was short lived, as they first revolted on March 18, and the Commune was crushed on May 28, just over two months later. Yet Marx praised this as the ”first great uprising of the proletariat against the bourgeois oppressors”.

At that time, Marx was living in Britain, but was keenly watching the events, as they unfolded. He corresponded with the leaders of the Commune, yet his advice was largely ignored. The workers within the Commune, those who referred to themselves as Communards, paid a heavy price for this.

A few of the leaders were Jacobins, and they were determined to follow the French revolutionary tradition of 1793. Other leaders were Prondhonists, ”socialists” who supported a federation of Communes throughout the country. Still other leaders were Blanquists, also ”socialists” who demanded violent action. All were of the opinion that they knew more about revolution than Marx. They could not possibly have been more mistaken.

At the time of the uprising, the French government relocated to the nearby city of Versailles, and promptly plotted the overthrow of the upstart workers government, the Paris Commune. How dare the workers to challenge their betters! They needed to be put in their place! They needed to be taught a lesson they would never forget!

Marx was well aware of the attitude of the French bourgeois government, that which had relocated to Versailles, and encouraged the Communards to march on Versailles. He knew that it was their one and only chance to maintain power. Yet the leaders of the Commune preferred to ”live and let live”, so to speak. Rather than go on the offensive, they sat back and proceeded to build a new, proletarian state apparatus. It was a huge mistake, one for which the Communards paid dearly.

The capitalists are not about to share state power! As we live in a class society, the fact is that within any country, one class, and only one class, will hold state power. There can be no dual power! Either the slave owners will rule, or the slaves will rule. History has confirmed that any revolt by the slaves, has resulted in an immediate response by the slave owners, in that such a revolt is immediately crushed.

That was true at the time the first classes appeared, that of slaves and slave owners, and it is true now. The only difference is that the current crop of slave owners are the capitalists, the ”super rich”, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, and the current slaves are ”wage slaves”, workers, proletarians. The capitalists are in charge, they hold state power, and they certainly intend to maintain state power!

In the case of the Paris Commune, the French capitalists were able to raise a huge army and attack the Commune. After a week of heavy fighting, the Communards surrendered, as they ran out of ammunition. At that point, possibly twenty thousand prisoners, workers, both men and women, were murdered. This was the ”lesson they would never forget”. It is up to us to make sure that all workers never forget this!

The capitalists have not ”turned over a new leaf”. They have not ”changed their stripes”. The American capitalists, of the twenty first century, are no different from the French capitalists, of the nineteenth century! The American capitalists are not about to share state power! Any challenge to their authority will not be tolerated!

One of the latest uprisings, in Seattle, Washington, provides a clear cut example of this. During the first week of June, 2020, the American workers went on the offensive. The bourgeois press refers to these people as ”protesters”, and although the capitalists are trying to obscure the issue, it is clear that the workers were demanding an end to police brutality, especially as it applies to ”people of colour”, Black and Brown people. The organization Black Lives Matter, BLM, was intimately involved.

The ”protesters”, those who are really revolutionaries, achieved some remarkable success. A six block area of the city, as well as Cal Anderson Park, were occupied by the revolutionaries. As the result of extreme pressure, on June 8, the Seattle City Police abandoned the East Precinct.

At that time the situation was fluid, with no designated leaders. It is reported that the people within the zone favoured ”consensus decision making in the form of a general assembly, with daily meetings and discussion groups, as an alternative to designated leaders”. Other observers described this as ” a hybrid of other movements, part protest, part commune”, as a ”cross between a sit in, a protest and a summer festival”, a ”blend of Occupy Wall Street and a college dorm”. A large tent encampment was established, along with a community garden. Free food was available, as well as free health care and portable toilets. Observers were deeply impressed by the art work, in the form of murals, as well as the fact that the zone was absolutely clean.

There was also some slight confusion, in that there were people within the zone who protested that the zone was not an autonomous zone, but a Capitol Hill Organized Protest, or CHOP. This particular fellow, who was identified as a BLM organizer, was quoted as saying ”This is not an autonomous zone. We are not trying to secede from the United States. We are merely trying to have our rights upheld”. It is too bad that the capitalists do not see it that way!

This stands in contrast to a sign at the entrance to the zone, which stated ”You are entering Free Capitol Hill. You are now leaving the USA.” No doubt, that was merely the opinion of one person, but it was closer to the opinion of the capitalists.

Yet most of the people taking part in the protest, within the Zone, were of the opinion that the ”police should be defunded, more money should be spent on community based health and safety, and that all charges against protesters should be dropped.” Those were the three main demands put forward by the people within the Zone.

Of course Trump attacked these people as ”Domestic Terrorists” and ”Radical Left Democrats”. In fact, that was among the nicer things he said about them. The most right wing news outlet in the country joined in the offensive, accusing the protesters of shootings and acts of vandalism. Clearly a pack of lies, but considering the source, something of a compliment!

One journalist correctly assessed the situation, when he stated ”the Left is pretty much setting up a parallel country, a parallel system of law and order, and parallel media”. That was precisely what they were doing, even though it is likely that most of them were not aware of this. It may help to think of such ”Autonomous Zones” as the American equivalent of the Paris Commune.

As is characteristic of a revolutionary situation, as the police abandoned their precinct, they left behind ”barricades and walls, which provided the protesters the resources they need…Barriers have been placed in a zig zag maze” as a means of preventing people from speeding through the zone. All too often, radical right wing fanatics have used vehicles as weapons, attempting to drive over peaceful protesters.

As the capitalists are not entirely stupid, they quite correctly feared that such an Autonomous Zone, as small and weak as it was, could ”metastasize across the country”, as stated by one of the most ardent supporters of the capitalists, a truly right wing outlet. They went on to bewail the fact that the city council ”has handed over an entire portion of the city to domestic terrorists”. They went on to say that this ”group of rogue protesters” is attempting to ”get a stranglehold on the city”. This radical ”army” of ”Conquistadors” has ”rolled over the police like Cortez rolling over the Aztecs”.

They certainly do have a way with words!

A more moderate news outlet expressed it in somewhat different terms. ”The fluid protests, spearheaded by BLM but involving a wide spectrum of activists and ordinary citizens, coalesced with surprising rapidity into something like a provisional government, one which shook the world.”

That is perhaps less poetic than the view of the right wing journalists, but far more accurate.

Just as the French capitalists could not tolerate the Paris workers setting up a provisional government, the Paris Commune, so too the American capitalists could not tolerate any Autonomous Zone. On July 1, the police responded in force, tore down the tents, reclaimed their East Precinct detachment, cleared the area of ”protesters”, and restored ”law and order”.

If they thought that was the end of the Autonomous Zone, they were sadly mistaken. The protesters were perhaps dispersed, but not silenced. On July 25, several thousand protesters gathered in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood for demonstrations in solidarity with Portland, Oregon. The worst fear of the capitalists, that of the Autonomous Zones ”metastasizing across the country”, had by that time, already taken place.

In the case of Portland, on June 18, another Autonomous Zone appeared. It was declared the Patrick Kimmons Autonomous Zone, in honour of a 27 year old Black man who was killed by Portland police in September of 2018. This particular Zone lasted merely a few hours.

On June 22, in Washington, DC, in an area just north of Lafayette Square, another Autonomous Zone was established. This zone was named the Black House Autonomous Zone, in contrast to the White House. This choice of names was probably chosen in an attempt to infuriate the federal officials, and was almost certainly successful. It was quickly dismantled, by the police.

Later that week, on June 27, in Philadelphia, a crowd marched to an abandoned hospital, in a predominantly Black and low income neighbourhood, and reopened the hospital. Nurses began to treat patients ”on the spot”. The occupation was led by a coalition of health care workers and community members called ”Care Not Cops”. They call for funding, which currently goes to the local police force, to be reinvested in preventative public services, such as health care and community centres.

The city of Seattle remains a flash point for the revolution, as later that year, on December 10, protesters gathered once again and set up barricades, this time to prevent the eviction of a Black family from their home. The federal government responded by sending in federal agents, dressed in plain clothes and driving in unmarked vans, to quell the ”rebellion”. This despite the opposition of local authorities, both city and state, so that the appearance of federal officials was very likely illegal. Not that the capitalists care. This is their idea of ”law and order”. They make the law and they give the order!

The protest movement, a truly revolutionary motion, has spread across the country, and common people are responding. They are spontaneously coming together, supporting the protesters. Other examples of this include groups such as Wall of Moms and Wall of Vets. These protests are not limited to Autonomous Zones.

The strength of the movement is reflected in the fact that certain government officials, such as city officials, have joined the protesters. It was Marx who pointed out that, as the revolution ”approaches the decisive hour, a small section of the ruling class cuts itself adrift, and joins the revolutionary class”. It is clear that the ”decisive hour” is fast approaching.

The problem now is to raise the level of awareness of the working class, the proletariat, to bring together the various groups and organizations, those which have formed spontaneously. This is to say that we need a true Communist Party, one which calls for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Lenin refers to this Dictatorship as the ”touchstone” of a true Marxist. Without a proper Party to provide the direction, the working class will continue to flounder, striking out blindly in all directions, without coordination. It is only the American Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, which can manage this.

As the working class is not class conscious, not aware of itself as a class, it is up to class conscious people, mainly middle class intellectuals, to take part in the creation of such a Party. This may not be as difficult as it once was, because the various crises in capitalism have caused the ”lower stratum of the middle class to sink gradually into the proletariat”, as Marx phrased it. He went on to say that these ”supply the proletariat with fresh elements of enlightenment and progress”. The very people we need to help create a true Communist Party!

April 15. Another day, another shooting. This time in the city of Indianapolis, leaving eight people dead and five seriously wounded. The press is referring to this as the FedEx shooting. Ho hum.

On the day of the massacre, at the time of shift change, in that the ”night shift”, or second shift, was going off duty, and the ”graveyard shift”, or third shift, was just going to work, someone drove into the parking lot and started shooting. It is reported that all of the dead and wounded were workers, guilty of the ”crime” of going to work and earning a living.

Not too long ago, such an incident of mass murder would have given rise to major headlines, followed by magazine articles, and even documentaries, deploring the senselessness of the shooting. Now it is met with near indifference. The sad fact is that within the last month, there have been fifty ”mass casualty shootings”, to use the jargon of the press. As a result of this, now the public is no longer shocked by such events.

There is a reason that such acts of mass murder are now almost common place. Capitalism has now reached a state in which the working class, the members of the public, or common people, as they refer to themselves, are suffering terribly. Unemployment is at a level not seen since the Great Depression, the Covid 19 virus is raging out of control, countless people cannot meet their rental or mortgage payments, and expect to soon be homeless. Many of the homeless people count themselves fortunate if they are able to live in a car. Others seek refuge under bridges. Most have no medical coverage and are constantly hungry. The food banks cannot keep up with demand. Under such extreme pressure, people are ”cracking up”, to use the popular expression, or simply ”going crazy”.

On the other hand, the stock market is soaring, breaking records on almost a daily basis. The profits of the capitalists, the ”super rich”, the billionaires, technically referred to as the bourgeoisie, are at an all time high. It is truly, ”the best of times, the worst of times”.

Against this background, the public is focused on the trial of the former police officer who has been charged in the death of George Floyd. He has been charged with second degree unintentional felony murder, third degree depraved mind murder, and second degree manslaughter. To think that one man died, and yet the accused is charged with three separate crimes! Further, the jury can find him guilty of one, two or all three charges, or not at all. It would appear that the prosecution is trying to cover all the bases, and in so doing, managed to spread mass confusion. It also increases the chances of a mistrial, in the form of a hung jury, as the jury could be split, with several jurors wanting to convict on one charge, several others wanting to acquit on a second charge, and still others wanting to convict on a third charge. Then too, jurors may want to convict on two or even three charges, while others may disagree. Of course there is always the possibility of an acquittal.

As I write this, the press reports that the jury has just begun deliberations. It is safe to say that the tension within the country is extreme. It is also safe to say that the capitalists are well aware that the country is a ”powder key”, and that the results of this trial could be the spark that causes an explosion.

As Marx pointed out, in a time of crisis, the ruling class, in this case the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, can no longer rule in the old way, and have to change their method of rule. The ”bright lights” of capitalism, the leaders who were formerly so confident, so self assured, are now floundering, contradicting themselves and each other, even resorting to personal insults. They sound more like school yard kids than elder statesmen!

So now the Republican Party, in particular, is praising ”woke corporations”, by which they mean ”corporations with a conscience”. If there are two words which should never be mentioned in one sentence, it is ”corporations” and ”conscience”. This is referred to as an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. We can add this to the list of other oxymorons, such as ”friendly fire”, ”military intelligence”, ”secret bombing”, and my all time favourite, ”Holy war”. Just as war is anything but holy, so too corporations are strangers to a conscience.

Now the journalists are quite gleefully pointing out the hypocrisy of the capitalists. It should be noted that for perhaps the first time in living memory, the press is daring to use words such as capitalism and working class. On all previous occasions, capitalism was referred to as ”democracy”, or ”free enterprise”, while the working class, the proletariat, was referred to as ”blue collar”. The existence of all classes, at least in North America, was quietly and calmly denied.

As an example of that hypocrisy, the journalists are playing a clip from an old movie, one which was praised by all capitalists. In the film, the ”star” of the show states: ”Capitalism is good. Greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed is the essence of evolutionary spirit. Greed will save America”.

Now they are walking that back, stating that the Republican Party (!!) must ”rebrand its Wall Street image” (it is the essence of Wall Street), and ”must be more of a working class party” (and the lion shall lie down with the lamb! Ha!), and it ”must not not appear to be pro corporation” (which is precisely what it is!)

There can be no finer, more clear cut example of the confusion within the ranks of the capitalists!

Our task, the task of the revolutionary Communists, as leaders of the working class, is to raise the level of confusion and backstabbing within the community of capitalists, to an absolute brawl. This can best be done by raising the level of awareness of the working class, the proletariat, making them aware of the existence of classes. We must offer our whole hearted support to the Seattle Autonomous Zone, and encourage the formation of similar zones in other parts of the country. It matters not that the Seattle Autonomous Zone may be led by anarchists, or not. We can also encourage all Americans to join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members, and to run for any and all political office. This will serve as valuable training, in preparation for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

Communists must also form a truly Communist Party, one which calls for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Marches and demonstrations must be organized, and it would be best if they were also entertaining. We can support workers who are running for office, while at the same time making it clear that the system cannot be changed from within. It has to be destroyed.

We must also oppose the social chauvinists, those who claim to be Marxists but oppose the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, the very ”touchstone” of a Marxist. Such people are the most devoted servants of the capitalists, the worst enemies of the working class.

As I send this article to be published, the press reports that the jury has retired for the night, to resume deliberations in the morning. They also report that the whole country is waiting for the verdict, with protesters already gathered around the court house. Regardless of the verdict, our task is clear:

Prepare for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat