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The working class movement has now merged with the Afro American movement, as well as with the struggle of all minorities, against violent police repression. Protesters are now marching all across the country, and for the most part, engaging in peaceful demonstrations. Criminal elements, vandals and looters, are of course taking advantage of the occasion to damage and thieve, but they are the exception.

The revolutionary motion is very broad and deep. In the city of Seattle, state of Washington, the protesters were so strong that the police in the East Precinct were forced to board up their detachment and abandon the building. The people then occupied several city blocks around the detachment. They are referring to this as the CHAZ, the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone. It is also being referred to as the Seattle Safe Zone, or the Seattle Commune. There is no visible police presence within the Zone.

This Zone or Commune is a fundamental political force, one which has grown out of the revolution. It is nothing less than a workers government, one which expresses the interest of the working class, the proletariat. As yet it is weak, very weak, but that in no way changes the fact that it is the embryo of a workers’ government. For that reason, it requires our full support.

Protesters have hung a sign on the East Precinct Police Station, saying ”THIS SPACE IS NOW PROPERTY OF THE SEATTLE PEOPLE”. Food and drink is largely free of charge, and the people have planted a community garden in Cal Anderson Park. The people within the Zone are working together, sharing that which they have. No one person is trying to take advantage of any other. The profit motive is conspicuous by its absence. It is only the more astute journalists who are referring to this as the Seattle Commune.

Inside the Zone, workers have held long ”town halls” to discuss their plans and hash out a strategy. As a result of this, they have put forward a list of demands, which include:

Abolish Seattle Police Department

Ban Use of Armed Force

Remove Officers From Schools

Eradicate Juvenile Jails and Prisons

Distribute Reparitions to Victims of Police Brutality

It should come as no great surprise to anyone that Trump ”disapproves” of these shenanigans, to put it politely. As he phrased it, ”Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle, run by Radical Left Democrats”. He also ordered the city and state officials to ”Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stopped IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST”.

Trump is absolutely correct when he says that this is not a ”game”. Aside from that, his statements are full of slander and threats. American workers who are exercising their democratic right to protest are not Terrorists and Anarchists. That is a fact, just as it is a fact that his threat to ”take back the city” should be taken seriously. He fully intends to send in the American military, to invade the state of Washington and ”take back” the city of Seattle.

In response, the governor of Washington had a few harsh words of his own for Trump: ”A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington states’ business.” In addition, the mayor of Seattle issued her own statement: ”The threat to invade Seattle, to divide and incite violence, in our city is not only unwelcome, it would be illegal”.

These two statements, by the governor of the state of Washington, as well as the mayor of the city of Seattle, are absolutely correct. This in no way changes the fact that Trump has just announced his plans to invade a soverign state.

The current situation in America bears striking similarities to the situation of Russia, in early 1917, in the months immediately following the bourgeois revolution of February-March, in which the Czar was overthrown. The capitalists and landlords then assumed undisputed power, under a democratic republic.

At that time, Lenin was living in Switzerland, as he had been exiled years earlier. Still, he was tracking the Russian revolution as best he could, and offering advice in his letters, known as his Letters From Afar. As he put it, the capitalists are ”prepared to stoop to any brutality, to any crime, to ruin and strangle any number of citizens in order to preserve the ‘sacred right of property’ for themselves and their class”. (italics by Lenin)

Over the years, the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, have not ”changed their stripes”. The bourgeoisie of all countries are completely reactionary. We too are cursed with the capitalists, the billionaires, the class of people known as the bourgeoisie. Without doubt, these American capitalists see the occupation of those few city blocks in the city of Seattle as a threat to their ”sacred right of property”, as indeed it is. For that reason, they too are ”prepared to stoop to any brutality, to any crime, to ruin and strangle any number of citizens”. Hence the plan of Tump to send the American military into the city of Seattle, which is strictly against the law, in the interests of ”law and order”. Trump is not bluffing. He refers to himself as the ”law and order president”. By that he means that he lays down the law and gives the orders. To hell with the Constitution!

There are other similarities between Russia of 1917 and America of today. At that time, in Russia, the common people, both workers and peasants, had been schooled in the previous Russian revolution, the three years of 1905-1907. That revolution had failed to overthrow the Czar, but it had succeeded in educating the Russian people. That experience served them well in the February-March revolution of 1917, in which the Czar was finally overthrown, as well as the November 7 revolution of the same year, in which the capitalists were also overthrown.

In the months following the momentous occasion of the February-March revolution, there appeared in Russia an organization, that which Lenin referred to as a ”workers government”. The people taking part in those organizations referred to themselves as the ”Soviet of Workers Deputies”. This particular organization first took shape in the capital city of Saint Petersburg. Lenin also referred to this organization of workers as an ”embryo of a workers government, the representative of the interests of the entire mass of the poor section of the population” (italics by Lenin) In a short time, this organization of workers spread across all of Russia. It also spread to the Soviet of Soldiers Deputies and to the Soviet of Poor Peasants Deputies.

This was exceptionally important, for as Lenin went on to explain, this Soviet of Workers Deputies was nothing less than a ”transition from the first stage of the revolution to the second, and why the slogan, the ‘task of the day’, at this day must be: Workers, you have performed miracles of proletarian heroism, the heroism of the people, in the civil war against tsarism. You must perform miracles of organization, organization of the proletariat and of the whole people, to prepare the way for your victory in the second stage of the revolution.” (italics by Lenin)

Of necessity, this ”victory in the second stage of the revolution” was a reference to the planned overthrow of the bourgeoisie and the establishment of a socialist republic. There is no alternate, as there are no other social forces in the political arena, nor can there be. In Russia, 1917, as in America, 2020, it is the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, against the workers, the proletariat. The bourgeoisie stand for capitalism and the workers stand for socialism. There is no middle ground.

It is not a coincidence that the leaders of the newly formed Russian bourgeois republic, those who were members of the Kerensky regime, referred to the Soviet of Workers Deputies as ”Anarchists”. This was nothing less than slander, just as Trump is referring to peaceful protesters as Anarchists and Terrorists. Such tactics, that of slander, is characteristic of the bourgeoisie. It is merely a screen to conceal the interests of the capitalists, those who are concerned only with making a profit. In the process of pursuing their lust for that profit, they introduce anarchy and starvation into the country. It is only the working class, the proletariat, who can introduce law and order into the country, making sure that the basic needs of all are met. In the process, starvation, homelessness and imperialist war will be abolished.

Now, here in America, many of the members of the public, common people, are veterans of various protest movements. These include the Civil Rights Movement, the Anti War Movement and more recently the Occupy Movement. Those people are no doubt sharing their experiences with the younger members of the Zone. This Zone is the rough equivalent of the Soviet of Workers Deputies within Russia of 1917. I should mention that the word Soviet means Council. Just as the Soviet of Workers Deputies spread across the country of Russia, we can expect the Zone of Seattle to spread across the country of America.

The capitalists, the bourgeoisie, the class of people of whom Trump is a member, is also well aware of this. They too expect these self described Autonomous Zones to take shape in various cities and towns, and even to spread to the military, possibly in a different form, just as the Soviet of Soldiers Deputies made an appearance and spread across Russia. After all, the capitalists are not entirely stupid. They see the Zone as a threat to their authority, which is precisely what it is! For that reason, Trump is determined to ”nip it in the bud”.

The Capital Hill Autonomous Zone, CHAZ, is nothing less than a working class, proletarian area of occupation, within a vast sea of capitalism. The bourgeoisie view this as a ”cancer” which could well spread throughout the whole ”organism” if left unchecked. For that reason, they are determined to wipe it out. For the same reason, we are equally determined to offer it all support.

The fact is that we live in a class society, under capitalism. The capitalists are in charge, and we live under the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. They rule! These parasites must be overthrown and capitalism must be replaced with socialism. The one and only way to do this is through revolution. After the bourgeoisie are overthrown, they must be crushed under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. That is a fundamental tenet of Marxism.

Another fact is that there can be one and only one class in power, at any given time. Either the bourgeoisie is in charge, or the proletariat is in charge. The workers of Seattle have occupied a section of the city which they consider to be ”Autonomous”. For this they deserve a great deal of credit. It was a major accomplishment, a huge step forward on the road to revolution and scientific socialism. This is not to say that the Zone is Autonomous, because it is not.

It does mean that this is a transitional moment, a time of passing to the next stage of the revolution. It is the duty of Marxists to learn from the experience of previous revolutions, to understand precisely the peculiarities of this transitional moment, and from those peculiarities, to determine the tactics which must be followed.

With that in mind, it is safe to say that the revolutionary motion is becoming ever stronger. Each day, more people are marching and protesting. As I write this, yet another Black man has been killed by a White policeman, this time in the city of Atlanta. He is reported to have committed the ”crime” of sleeping in his car. Ever more citizens are rising up in protest.

Further, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has issued an apology to the members of the public, for the role he played in the ”photo op” of Trump in front of a church. Even the top military people are standing up to Trump! They are joining the ranks of the politicians, including the governors, mayors and members of the federal government, who are opposing Trump.

We can conclude by saying that the strength of the revolutionary motion is rising, growing ever stronger, while the capitalists are deeply divided. This in no way changes the fact that the American bourgeoisie and the American bourgeois intelligentsia are still very strong, deeply entrenched. They must be overthrown and then crushed under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. The only solution is that the proletariat must be organized! The one and only way to achieve durable victory in the forthcoming revolution is to perform miracles of proletarian organization!

Even after the revolution, we will still need a revolutionary government, a state. That is what distinguishes us from the anarchists. The difference between revolutionary Marxists and the anarchists is that the Marxists are for utilizing revolutionary forms of the state, in the form of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, after the revolution, while the anarchists are against this.

Organization is the slogan of the moment. This is not to say that workers should only join trade unions and mainstream political parties. They should also form Zones, or ”Communes”, if you prefer, modelled on the Seattle Autonomous Zone. Such Zones are certainly not legal, but should be set up all across the country, in all cities and towns. This should result in a fine combination of legal and illegal activity. These Zones must be regarded as organs of insurrection, of revolutionary rule, if only in embryonic form, because that is precisely what they are.

To suggest that working people should confine themselves to strictly legal activity is to work in the service of the social chauvinists and the centrists, those who are determined to maintain the rule of the bourgeoisie. Such legal activity is completely acceptable to the bourgeoisie, as it is not a threat to their rule. The creation of Zones or Communes is very much a threat to the rule of the bourgeoisie.

Now is the time to organize the proletariat. The people who have proven to be excellent organizers in the recent past are the American women and students. You have worked miracles of organization before, and you can do so again. As the proletarian revolution is very close, there is a crying need for your services. As you have the talent and skill, you also have a moral obligation to put those skills to good use. Now is no time to rest on your laurels. It is in the best interests of revolution, of scientific socialism, of the proletariat, that you once again organize. Only this time, do not limit yourself to Trump. Broaden your horizons. Go for the throat. Focus on destroying the bourgeoisie. Focus on the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. With that in mind, may I suggest organizing zones in all towns and cities, and not just small blocks. Occupy the whole town, the whole city. Occupy the whole state. Put the ”Autonomous” in Autonomous Zones. Organize groups of states. Form separate socialist independent republics. Let the bourgeoisie know that the American founding fathers gave all Americans the right to ”abolish any government which does not represent them”, and that is just what you are doing. In short:

Organize the Proletariat!

Create More Autonomous Zones!

The death of another unarmed Black man, at the hands of the police, has apparently triggered another American revolution. His murder was caught on video, by a bystander who recorded this on her cell phone. The video has gone ”viral”, and has been shown around the world. Countless people are outraged, not just in America but in numerous other countries. Protests have taken place all across America, in cities and small towns. Statues which have stood for years, in honour of such people as the Confederate General Robert E. Lee, are now being torn down. General Lee was a slave owner and staunch supporter of slavery. It was his firm belief that Black people were an inferior race, and he fought at the head of an army, in an effort to preserve the institution of slavery. Statues in honour of such people are an insult to all Black people, as well as to all minorities. For that matter, they are an insult to all those who fought for the Union in the Civil War. The sacrifice of those valiant soldiers should not be marred by honouring the memory the slave owners, the very people whom they destroyed.

The mass movement against violent police repression and racism has even spread overseas. In England, the statue of a man who lived several centuries ago was torn down and thrown into the river. The reason is that the statue honoured a man who was a slave trader. There too, the people are taking action, doing the ”right thing”, even if that right thing is not strictly within the absolute letter of the law. Some things just have to be done.

In America, the movement is very broad and deep. Even the journalists are now using the word revolution, if only in whispers, so to speak. It is clear that the word is cause for embarrassment. They are having a difficult time facing the fact that the current uprising, the protests, the marches, the calls for an end to police brutality and racism, is nothing less than a full scale revolution.

Never in the history of the country have so many distinguished figures, including former high ranking members of presidential administrations, as well as former high ranking military men, spoken out so clearly and passionately, against a sitting president.

One former four star general referred to the current protests as ”the beginning of the end of the American experiment”. This statement is perhaps not so much clear, as it is passionate.

It is characteristic of such people that they cannot bring themselves to use the word capitalism, much less socialism. The general used the expression ”American experiment”, as a reference to capitalism. Also, his expression ”the beginning of the end” is a reference to the end of capitalism. Of course, it will soon be replaced by socialism, but that is a thought which the general finds too terrible for words.

A former Secretary of Defence referred to Trump as a ”threat to the Constitution”, someone who ”tries to divide us”. In this, he is absolutely correct.

The current Secretary of Defence has just openly disagreed with Trump on the question of using the American military against the protesters. The Defence Secretary considers it to be an ”abuse of executive authority”. Trump, by contrast, has no concept of abuse of executive authority. As far as he is concerned, he has absolute authority, and fully intends to use it, as he sees fit.

Even a high ranking member of the American Senate, a former candidate for the presidency and a member of the same political party as Trump, has marched with Black Lives Matter. He is perhaps the one and only such politician to go to that great length.

For the benefit of working people who are just now becoming politically active -welcome, my brothers and sisters, my comrades!- I will mention that there is a law referred to as the Posse Comitatus Act, which forbids the use of American military against American citizens. Trump responded to this by saying that the Insurrection Act of 1807 allows him to use the military within the country, in case of an ”insurrection”, as he sees fit. According to the same law, federal troops can be sent in to each state only at the request of the governor of that particular state. Trump has his own interpretation of the law. As far as he is concerned, if the governors are not doing their job, then he will do it for them!

Trump refers to himself as the ”law and order president”, yet his latest stunt made a mockery of law and order. In the interests of a ”photo op”, which is shorthand for photo opportunity, he had his Attorney General, the ”top cop” in the country, clear an area, Lafayette Park, next to the White House, so that he could march to a nearby church and have his picture taken.

The park was occupied by peaceful protesters at that time, those who were exercising their democratic right to express their disapproval, as is guaranteed in the Constitution. The Attorney General of the country then gave the illegal order and the police responded by attacking those law abiding citizens with pepper spray, tear gas, shields and clubs. So much for law and order!

Trump then very proudly marched to the church and waved around a bible. He also posed with his closest aides. The journalists were quick to point out that all were White, although one of them was a female.

Trump is able to justify this by accusing all protesters of being ”terrorists”, members of an organization he refers to as Antifa. That is short for Anti Fascist, and very likely such an organization does not even exist. If it does exist, then it stands to reason that our parents and grandparents, those who fought the Nazis in World War 2, were terrorists! Such nonsense! It is also an insult to the millions of brave men and women who fought the fascist Nazis.

As mentioned in a previous article, cracks are beginning to appear in the American Empire. Several republics are starting to take shape. On the east coast and the west coast, the two population centres, states have come together. Also, in the midwest, the industrial heartland of the country, seven states have also formed an alliance. One of those states is Minnesota, home to Minneapolis, the city in which George Floyd was murdered. In other words, the epicentre of the revolution.

That is most significant, because the City Council of Minneapolis has just decided to take revolutionary action. In particular, they have decided to disband the Minneapolis City Police! They plan to replace it with a ”new model of public safety”. Now people across the country are calling for the ”defunding” of various police agencies.

As for those who are confused concerning this ”new model of public safety”, there is a good reason for this. It has yet to take shape! It is a new creation of the revolution! The precise form it will assume remains to be seen.

The mayor of Minneapolis is dead set against this as he is in the service of the capitalists, but the City Council is reported to have a ”veto proof majority”.

It is to the credit of the journalists that they interviewed a young lady -clearly a leader- who stated that people were at first confused, suspecting that the police were not working the way they were supposed to work. But then they had second thoughts and came to the conclusion that the police are doing precisely that which they are supposed to be doing!

This is a huge step forward in the revolutionary working class movement. The members of the public are now aware, if only on an instinctive level, that the role of the police is not to protect and serve but to crush the working class! The police are nothing other than members of a state apparatus that is set up by the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, to crush the working class. It has nothing to do with ”serve and protect”!

Now it is absolutely necessary to read the Essential Works of Lenin. May I suggest starting with State and Revolution, a book which was written immediately before the November 7 revolution of 1917. That was the revolution which brought the proletariat, the workers, to power in Russia. That book is as relevant now as it was then. Working people must be made aware that the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, are in charge. The capitalists make sure that the working people are kept under control. In fact, they have a fine apparatus set up to keep the working people suppressed. As Lenin put it, ”A standing army and police are the chief instruments of state power”. (my italics)

The point being that the more advanced members of the working class, the proletariat, are correct in thinking that the police are behaving precisely the way they are supposed to behave! They are the ”chief instruments of state power”! It is the police and standing army, and in particular the National Guard, that is responsible for crushing the working class, the proletariat! It is the police and standing army that must be disbanded! Those are the ”chief instruments of state power” which the capitalists use to crush the workers!

In Russia, 1917, it was only after the successful November revolution that the police and standing army were disbanded. Then the separate independent socialist republics took shape. At that time, it was first necessary to crush the capitalists under the newly created state apparatus, the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, and only then was it possible to disband the police and standing army.

By contrast, here in America, 2020, several independent republics are already taking shape. As well, the working people are more aware that the police are crushing them. Even before the revolution, they are taking the proper steps to disband the police departments. As the City Police are one of the ”chief instruments of state power” of the capitalists, there can be no doubt that the capitalists will take a ”dim view” of the attempt of the City Council to disband one of their most useful tools. The resistance the City Council is about to meet in trying to disband the City Police will prove to be most valuable training. This will serve them well after the revolution, as they assume positions of authority, under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

Further preparations must be made for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Workers, or at least the most advanced workers, must be encouraged to become members of any and all organizations, those which allow working class membership. This includes sports clubs, trade unions and political parties, especially the two mainstream parties, Democrats and Republicans. As card carrying members, party bosses, they can then run for any and all political offices. The purpose is to gain valuable experience in the class struggle, not to secure socialism through democratic elections. Regardless of what the social chauvinists say, socialism cannot be secured in that manner. On the other hand, such elections are a useful tool, to be used in the interests of raising the level of awareness of the working people.

There is also a desperate need for a true Marxist political party to lead the workers, the proletariat. Such a party can distinguish itself from the chauvinist parties by openly calling for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

As for those individuals who are referred to as ”conscious people”, which is to say people who are well aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, may I suggest that you perform your duty. To paraphrase the old expression, ”to whom much has been given, from whom much is expected”. You have the education and training. Use it. Feel free to form a true Marxist political party:

American Communist, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

Once again, an unarmed black man, George Floyd, a ”person of colour”, has been arrested and killed by police in America, in the city of Minneapolis, state of Minnesota. The only difference is that this time, the event has been captured on video. At least one bystander has recorded this on his cell phone, and the whole country is shocked and outraged. The video suggests that four Caucasian officers, or ”white policemen”, arrested this man, subdued him by handcuffing him with his hands behind his back, placed him on the ground face down, and then one officer placed his knee on the back of the neck of the prisoner. Floyd complained that he could not breathe, but the video suggests that the officer kept his knee on the neck of the prisoner for possibly eight minutes. It is further suggested that the officer kept his knee on the neck of Floyd for almost three minutes after he became ”unresponsive”. Floyd was later taken to hospital, and upon arrival, declared legally dead.

The details of the ”incident” have outraged people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. As the journalists phrase it, ”unrest is erupting across the U.S.”, as a ”rainbow coalition of political discontent.” This is their rather stilted way of saying that all Americans are outraged by this act of police brutality.

Floyd was arrested for allegedly ”passing” a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. The officers involved in the ”incident” have all been fired, and the police department issued a statement saying that an investigation is underway, ”expeditiously”, following ”due diligence, gathering evidence as quickly as possible”. As it is now four days after the killing of that man, the members of the public are convinced that the authorities are merely stalling.

On the third night after the killing, the protesters turned violent. The journalists who are covering the protests are correct in distinguishing between those who are protesting peacefully, as opposed to those who are engaging in acts of violence, as well as those who are vandalizing and looting. This stands in stark contrast to the government officials, those who are referring to these protesters as ”THUGS”, as Trump phrased it. He is suggesting that the protesters are guilty of ”rioting”. He has wasted no time in fanning the flames of discontent, suggesting that ”as soon as the looting starts, the shooting also starts”. The message is quite clear. Damage to property is punishable by death.

The governor of Minnesota made an official statement, in which he made it clear that he disapproves of the use of violence as a means of protest. As he put it, the government ”cannot address problems if anarchy reigns… violence leads only to more violence. ” No doubt this was spoken in the finest tradition of Martin Luther King, a noted pacifist. Equally without doubt, the governor has never heard of the American Revolutionary War, or the American Civil War. Perhaps someone should point out to the good governor that the country, of which Minnesota is a state, was created as a result of revolution. King George of Great Britain did not respond to sweet reason and failed to grant independence to the American colonies. King George responded to violence. That is the reason for the existence of the United States of America.

In much the same way, the American slave owners parted with their slaves as a result of war, the American Civil War, not through appeals to their humanitarian impulses. In each case, violence achieved a great deal. It took a civil war to secure the abolition of slavery. War is absolutely violent, and revolution is civil war.

The third night of protest was significant, in that for possibly the first time in the history of the country, a police detachment was set on fire! This building is referred to as the headquarters of the ”Third Precinct”, apparently the precinct in which this man was killed. As the protests grew in strength, the local police decided to vacate the premises, rather than confront the protesters. The detachment was then set on fire, along with various other buildings. It is very likely that the destruction of the police station was more an act of protest rather than an act of vandalism. By contrast, the firing of other buildings and looting of businesses was an act of vandals, those criminal elements who took advantage of the revolutionary situation in order to pursue their own ends.

The journalists who were present at the protests reported that for several hours during the night, there was no police presence. Of course, the fire department also refused to respond. Who can blame them? They get paid to fight fire, not to fight protesters. It was not until day break that the police showed up, in the form of state troopers, local police and National Guardsmen, dressed in riot gear. In the interests of ”restoring law and order”, they proceeded to arrest various people, including a CNN camera crew!

The arrest of these journalists was not only illegal, but also an act of incredible stupidity. This arrest of a journalist and his camera crew was filmed and broadcast live on national television. It was immediately obvious to all viewers that the journalist was black, or a ”person of colour”, to put it in politically correct terms. Even though the journalist politely identified himself, and produced identification to prove his credentials, as a member of the press, he was still arrested. The arresting officer refused to say the reason for the arrest, merely stating that he was ”following orders”. Perhaps someone should explain to this misguided soul that such an excuse is not a legal defence. It is quite possible that this officer could be charged with unlawful arrest.

The protests have now spread to various other cities across the country, and it is not just confined to the death of one man in Minnesota. The members of the public are convinced that this discrimination and police brutality is not an isolated incident. Numerous other acts of violence against other people of colour are being mentioned. Citizens of all races and ethnic backgrounds are now active, protesting police brutality.

The death of Floyd has been compared to the beating of another black man in Los Angeles in 1992. In that case also, people were outraged. The protests resulted in various buildings being burned and businesses being looted, no doubt by criminal elements, those who took advantage of the revolutionary uprising. The journalists who are covering the death of Floyd are reporting the situation is more intense than the similar situation of 1992 Los Angeles.

The press is also reporting that ”stars and celebrities” are now taking an interest in the murder. This is most significant, as it clearly indicates that the revolutionary motion is now broad and deep. This brings me to the opinion of Lenin, as expressed in 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 exploited and the exploiters). 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 government crisis, which draws even the most backward masses into politics (symptomatic of any genuine revolution is a rapid, ten fold and even hundred fold 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.” (all italics and punctuation by Lenin)

I have chosen to quote this passage by Lenin, in rather great length, as it is so important. Without doubt, the country is in a state of crisis, as it is currently entering a Second Great Depression, as well as being devastated by the corona virus, with over a hundred thousand Americans fatalities so far. To top it off, the working people are fed up with violent repression on the part of the police, and are determined to enact change. Countless people, those who have never taken the slightest interest in politics, are now demanding change. In short, the situation is certainly revolutionary.

As I have mentioned in other articles, it is my opinion that the most advanced workers must raise their level of awareness, starting with reading the Essential Works of Lenin. Such proletarians have got to take the bull by the horns and become true revolutionary leaders. The success -or failure!- of the approaching revolution depends upon such people. Without a proper revolutionary theory, that of Marx and Lenin, the revolution is doomed to failure! It is absolutely necessary to overthrow the capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, and crush them under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. For that reason it is necessary to form a true Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, in order to combat the social chauvinists, those who are socialists in words, chauvinists in deeds. It is not enough to hope that the middle class intellectuals, those who are aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, will take action. As yet they are disgracefully silent, although it is possible that in the future they may well surprise us. I do so love pleasant surprises!

Bear in mind that the size of the membership is not nearly as important as the message it carries. Working class people are not fools. They are experts at distinguishing the truth from a pack of lies. They have come by this skill the hard way. Numerous servants of the bourgeoisie have a rather annoying habit of spreading lies and confusion among the public.

Now the police have arrested one of the officers who was involved in the death of George Floyd. The one who was sitting on his neck has been charged with third degree murder and man slaughter. To be charged with one or the other is reasonable, but it is not clear how a person can be charged with both. It is strange that the press has not clarified the confusion.

This arrest has not served to ”defuse” the explosive situation. On the fourth night, the police have declared a curfew in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, but at the beginning of the night, it was ignored. An experienced journalist expressed her astonishment at the fact that there was no police presence, at least until the protesters attempted to storm another police detachment. It took such motivation for the police to work up the courage to confront the protesters! This is an indication of the strength of the revolutionary movement.

From the video footage it is clear that some of the protesters are members of a trend known as the centre. Such people are determined to maintain peaceful protest. They are true pacifists. Such misguided souls think that dramatic change can be secured through non violent protest. Perhaps they are not aware that the American founding fathers have given Americans the right to ”abolish any government” which does not represent them. This right was given to them in the Declaration Of Independence.

Revolutionary protests also flared up across the country. Over thirty cities reported ”riots”, as they referred to them. The current situation is similar to the situation which existed during the ”civil rights” movement of the sixties. The American imperialists responded to this movement by ordering the murder of the leader of the Black people, Martin Luther King, in 1968.

At that time, China was a socialist country, and Mao was their leader. He issued a statement, titled: In Support of the Afro-American Struggle Against Violent Repression. It is as pertinent today as it was then. He pointed out that even though King was a pacifist, the imperialists did not spare him for that reason. King was a leader, so he had to die. Mao stated that the movement was an ”extremely powerful revolutionary force… manifestation of the comprehensive political and economic struggle now gripping U.S. imperialism… The Afro-American struggle is not only a struggle waged by the exploited and oppressed Black people for freedom and emancipation, it is also a new clarion call to all the exploited and oppressed people of the United States to fight against the barbarous rule of the monopoly capitalist class. It is a tremendous aid and inspiration to the struggle of the people throughout the world against U.S. imperialism…Racial discrimination in the United States is a product of the colonialist and imperialist system. The contradiction between the Black masses in the U.S. and the U.S. ruling classes is a class contradiction. Only by overthrowing the reactionary rule of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class and destroying the colonial and imperialist system can the Black people in the United States win complete emancipation. The Black masses and the masses of white working people in the U.S. have common interests and common objectives to struggle for. Therefore, that Afro-American struggle is winning sympathy and support from increasing numbers of white working people and progressives in the U.S. The struggle of the Black people in the U.S. is bound to merge with the American workers movement, and this will eventually end the criminal rule of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class…The struggle of the Black people in the U.S. for emancipation is a component part of the general struggle of all the people of the world against U.S. imperialism, a component part of the contemporary revolution…” (my italics)

Here too, I have chosen to quote this at considerable length, as it is so important. Mao did more than give the struggle of Afro-American people his blessings. Mao also gave it direction. That direction is to the merger with the American workers movement. That is precisely the very thing which is now happening! The journalists are now reporting -to their astonishment- that the protesters are composed of a broad section of the population, of various colours, ages and ethnic backgrounds. Truly, the struggle of the Black people is indeed merging with the American workers movement!

Mao also made it quite clear that paltry reforms are not enough. The imperialists have to be ”overthrown”, the ”colonial and imperialist system” destroyed, and this can only be achieved under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. May I suggest that the social chauvinists and the central pacifists take note of this! Feel free to follow in the revolutionary steps of Lenin and Mao!

Onward to Revolution! Create a Truly Marxist Communist Party! Prepare For the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

The contradictions in the world of capitalism are becoming ever more intense. Now even the journalists are daring to mention that capitalism is in a state of crisis. They are further reporting that unemployment is at a level which has not been seen since the days of the Great Depression. There is currently a great abundance, a vast surplus of almost all commodities. Under socialism this is a great blessing, but as we live under capitalism, it is considered to be a terrible curse, in that prices have been driven down. The business reporters are suggesting that profits have been ”negatively impacted”, which is to say that the capitalists are losing money.

As well, the corona virus is causing death and devastation on a scale not seen since the days of the flu epidemic of a century ago. Of the confirmed number of dead due to the virus, roughly a quarter of them are confined to one country, which is America. In fact the official death toll in that country is approaching 100,000. As well, tens of millions of people in the same country are currently unemployed. The ruling class, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, are at their wits end, not sure of which way to jump.

The government first responded to the twin crises by shutting down the country, aside from essential services, and initiating various ”economic stimulus packages”, in an attempt to get the country ”back on its feet”. The latest such package, approved by the House of Representatives, amounts to 3 trillion dollars. If approved, this will send the national debt to heights never before imagined, possibly 30 trillion dollars. Of course, that is just the debt the government chooses to acknowledge. They manage to keep the national debt at artificially low levels, by simply denying the existence of money they owe.

Now the government has decided to initiate ”limited reopening”, in an attempt to further ”stimulate the economy”. This has also resulted in further ”stimulating the virus”, in that hospitals are reporting an increase in the number of patients who are suffering from the virus. We can count on the bourgeoisie to deal with a situation which is desperate and transform it into an absolute disaster.

This is another way of saying that the situation is truly revolutionary, as the ruling class, the bourgeoisie, can no longer rule in the old way. As well, the class which is being ruled, the proletariat, is no longer content to be ruled in any manner. They are rising up, demanding change, holding their leaders accountable. At least, they are making a supreme effort.

In response to these twin crises in capitalism, President Trump has managed to scale the twin peaks of stupidity and incompetence. His latest brainstorm is to declare religious services as ”essential services”, and to order the buildings of all such religions, whether churches, mosques or synagogues, to be opened. He is also threatening to override any governor who dares to disobey that order.

The journalists are reporting that Trump does not have that authority, as no where does the Constitution grant him that power. That is certainly true, yet those same journalists are overlooking the fact that Trump declared that he has ”total power”. He was not joking. He was also not joking when he said that any governor who dared challenge his authority was committing a ”mutiny”. He ”welcomes mutiny”, and promises to be harsh with the mutineers. The various governors of the states, as well as any one else who dares to cross Trump, would do well to bear in mind that he has just threatened such people with death by hanging, as that is the penalty for mutiny.

Incredibly enough, it is just possible that the spark which sets off the American revolution, or at least the break up of the country, could well be the presidential directive to reopen the religious buildings!

Cracks are now appearing in the American empire. A number of states on each coast have come together in alliances, to form the nucleus of two republics. These are the two major population centres. As well, several states in the midwest, the industrial heart land of the country, have also come together, to form the nucleus of a third republic.

As mentioned in a previous article, the breaking up of the American empire and socialist revolution is on the horizon. Trump is doing his best to hasten the collapse of capitalism, at least in America. Now it is up to conscious people, Marxist intellectuals, to form a proper Communist Party. Working people need proper leaders, as they are not capable of setting up a scientific socialist society by themselves, a truly Marxist Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Their conditions of life do not lead to this awareness. This class consciousness can only be brought to them from conscious people, those who are aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin.

In years gone by, that meant only middle class intellectuals were aware of those theories, and it was up to them to bring that awareness to the proletariat, to form a proper Communist Party. But now the situation has changed, in that most working people in America are literate and have access to the internet. As that is the case, I am encouraging all working people who are deeply discontent with the current situation to take action. By that I mean that all advanced workers, proletarians, must study the essential works of Lenin, raise their level of awareness and also take part in the creation of the Communist Party. Of course middle class intellectuals are also welcome to take part in creating the Party.

As members of that Party, they can expect to be faced with three trends in the revolutionary movement, according to Lenin. It is absolutely essential to recognize the existence of these trends and to fight consistently for the trend that is truly revolutionary.

The first trend is that of the social chauvinists, those who are socialists in words and chauvinists in deed. They may claim to be Marxist or Marxist -Leninist or Communists, while at the same time defending the bourgeoisie. They may or may not be members of a political party, while at the same time demanding nothing but paltry reforms. They absolutely do not demand anything that is not acceptable to the bourgeoisie. They are careful to not make any reference to revolution or to the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. They are MINO, Marxists In Name Only.

Historically, these people have generally not been members of the working class, the proletariat, but middle class intellectuals. That was before the virus and the Second Great Depression. Now the situation has changed quite dramatically. A great many middle class people have recently been ruined, forced into the ranks of the working class, and most of the remainder are soon to follow. That includes many of the social chauvinists, now being reduced to the level of proletarians. Now these former members of the middle class are joining their ”comrades in arms”, the upper stratum of the working class, those who have been bribed by the bourgeoisie. Together they do a fine job of defending the bourgeoisie, making every effort to divert the revolutionary motion onto some harmless path of social reform. As that is the case, these people, the social chauvinists, are the enemy.

As opposed to the social chauvinists, there exists a second trend, referred to as the ”centre”. The members of this second trend, that of the centre, are best described by Lenin: ”the ‘Centre’ is not convinced of the necessity for a revolution against ones own government; it does not preach revolution; it does not carry on a whole hearted revolutionary struggle; and in order to evade such a struggle it resorts to the tritest ultra ‘Marxist’ sounding excuses”. (italics by Lenin)

As anyone with any considerable experience in the revolutionary movement can testify, there is no shortage of such people. They tend to be middle class, or at least of a middle class background, petty bourgeois. As the middle class is currently being wiped out in America, we can expect a great up surge of such people into the ranks of the proletariat, and into the class struggle. They may refer to themselves as Leftists, although most prefer the term Democratic Socialists or Independent Socialists. They tend to be well educated, aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, including the theory of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Yet few of them are at all anxious to put those theories into practice. There is a big difference between being aware of the revolutionary theories and believing those same theories.

On occasion, individuals drift from one position to the other, from Centre to social chauvinist or the reverse, much as boats without anchors tend to drift around a lake. In fact, such people have no anchor, which is to say they take no guidance from the theories of Marx and Lenin.

This is not to say that the members of the centre are the enemy, because they are not. A great deal of patience is required in dealing with them, as they seem to be impervious to logic. No doubt their conditions of life, as members of the petty bourgeois, have led to this vacillating outlook on the class struggle, one day supporting the proletariat and the next day siding with the bourgeoisie. As the revolution gains strength, ever more of them will gravitate towards the proletariat.

This brings us to the third trend, and we will once again quote from Lenin, as it is so important. In reference to the third trend, he stated: ”Its distinctive feature is its complete break with both social chauvinism and ‘Centrism’, and its gallant revolutionary struggle against its own imperialist government and its own imperialist bourgeoisie. Its principle is: ‘Our chief enemy is at home’. It wages a ruthless struggle against honeyed social pacifist phrases (a social pacifist is a socialist in words and a bourgeois pacifist in deed; bourgeois pacifists dream of an everlasting peace without the overthrow of the yoke and domination of capital) and against all subterfuges employed to deny the possibility, or the appropriateness, or the timeliness of a proletarian revolutionary struggle and of a proletarian socialist revolution in connection with the present war”.(all italics and punctuation by Lenin. It should be noted that this was written at the time of the great imperialist slaughter referred to as the First World War)

It is people who are members of this third trend who are destined to form a true Communist Party. It matters not if they have a petty bourgeois or a proletariat background. The important thing is that they are true Marxists, dedicated to scientific socialism, the revolution and the subsequent Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Their class background is of absolutely no consequence.

This is not to say that it is easy to be a Marxist, a member of the third trend, and to take part in forming a true Communist Party. It is not easy at all. That is a fact, just as it is a fact that certain things simply have to be done. May I suggest that those of you who are aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin consider it your duty to take action, as it is your duty. As the old proverb states, ”To whom much is given, of him much is required”. To once again quote Lenin: ”Such people are few; but it is on such people alone that the future of socialism depends; they alone are the leaders of the people, and not their corrupters…It is not a question of numbers, but of giving correct expression to the ideas and policies of the truly revolutionary proletariat”. (italics by Lenin)

It is to be expected that the members of the public should be confused, if only because the social chauvinists make a supreme effort to spread confusion. It is for that reason I recommend the name of the party be Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, or CP,DOP. The social chauvinists are dead set opposed to the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, as it is the worst nightmare of their lords and masters, the bourgeoisie. This should help to draw a clear distinction between the social chauvinists and the true Marxists.

May I suggest that Lenin wrote the previously quoted lines immediately before the German revolution of 1919, a revolution which spread across Western Europe. As is well known, that particular revolution was not successful, mainly because most of the leaders betrayed the working people and called for ”defence of the fatherland”, in support of their ”own” bourgeoisie. Now it is up to American Marxists, true internationalists, to make sure that history does not repeat itself. There is only one way to do that:

Embrace the third trend. Form the Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

The number of ”confirmed” deaths, due to the corona virus, is now over 70,000. There are a great many unconfirmed deaths, due to the corona virus, but the government prefers not to recognize them. Most of the states are now beginning a ”process of phased reopening”, as they explained it. At the same time, the number of daily cases of confirmed deaths, due to the virus, has reached an all time high. The medical professionals expect the daily death rate to possibly double as states ”reopen”, people mingle, and the virus has a better chance to spread.

As the virus runs its deadly course, the Second Great Depression also takes root. Within the last several weeks, thirty million workers have filed for benefits. That number is expected to rise dramatically as ever more small businesses file for bankruptcy. As well, various states are also close to that point, and are already in the process of laying off workers. For that matter, the federal government is in danger of going broke, although the officials are reluctant to admit this.

The working people are rapidly approaching the point of desperation. So many people are living paycheck to paycheck, and those paychecks are running out. As a result, people are being faced with the choice of paying rent or putting food on the table. The government officials have graciously decided to bless the fortunate few with paltry handouts, which merely delays the day when so many people will lose their homes.

Working people are rising up, in violation of any ”stay at home” orders, as well as any ”social distancing” orders. In the state capital of Michigan, armed protesters made this abundantly clear. As well, in the state capital of California, protesters also gathered, but without any firearms. As these citizens were not such a threat, the government officials became quite brave and arrested a great many of them.

People are protesting more than just ”social distancing”. They are convinced that the government is doing next to nothing to prevent the spread of the virus, and even less in trying to find a cure for the sickness. As well, workers want jobs. There is an increasing awareness, or at least a growing suspicion, that nothing is about to change. If the government has its way, that is precisely the way it will remain.

Under these conditions, it is only natural that thoughts of socialism should enter the minds of people. It is also only natural that the capitalists, the billionaires, technically referred to as the bourgeoisie, should respond that socialism, or Communism, has been tried, and has been proven to be a disaster. They then give the examples of Russia and China.

In fact, I have personally spoken to numerous people from Eastern Europe, those who are clearly not ”Communists”, but have lived in ”Communist countries”. These people, workers one and all, say that ”Communism is not what Lenin thought it would be”. In this, they are absolutely correct.

This calls for a little explanation. It is true that the Russian Revolution of October, 1917, gave birth to a socialist republic, in that the bourgeoisie were crushed under the working class, the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. A similar thing happened in China, after the Chinese Revolution of 1948. Since that time, in each country, the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, have managed to return to power. In Russia, or the USSR, as it was then called, this happened after the death of Stalin. In China, the capitalists returned to power after the death of Mao.

This does not mean that scientific socialism, the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, are not valid. It does mean that after the revolution, after the billionaires are separated from their wealth and power, after they are deprived of their life of luxury, after they are no longer being waited upon hand and foot, then their rage, their fury, their hatred, will rise to heights which cannot be imagined, at least not by mere mortals. After these people are ”reduced” to the state of ”paupers”, a state of life which they never imagined, a state in which they are forced to ”work for their daily bread”, ”degraded” to the lot of common toilers, then they will make every effort, they will resort to any length, any subterfuge, they will spare no lies, in an attempt to return to power.

That is precisely the thing which happened in Russia and China. The capitalists of those countries went to the extreme length of pretending to be Communists, infiltrated the Communist Parties of each country, and managed to restore capitalism.

Strangely enough, this is not as surprising as it may sound. It was Lenin who pointed out that it is far less difficult to start a revolution in a ”petty bourgeois” country, but far more difficult to carry it through in successive stages. By contrast, it is far more difficult to start a revolution in ”developed” countries, but far easier to carry it through in successive stages.

A developed country is far more cultured, so that the bourgeois influence is far more wide spread. By contrast, most people in a petty bourgeois country, as was Russia in 1917, were illiterate peasants. Those peasants were less exposed to the bourgeois influence.

Lenin explained that in 1917 Russia, the ”overwhelming majority” of the population was ”petty bourgeois”. I found this rather surprising as it was my idea that small business owners are middle class or petty bourgeois. That is true, but Lenin pointed out that the vast majority of peasants are also ”small proprietors” and can be ”nothing else…They have not been schooled; their economic and political conditions do not bring them together, but rather tend to separate, alienating them from each other, and transforming them into millions of lone wolf small proprietors”. This is to say that all peasants, even the most poverty stricken, are small time capitalists!

At the time of the October revolution in Russia, all peasants were united in their hatred of the landlords. As the landlords were the allies of the nobility, as well as the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, the revolution was against all of these classes. This made the peasants the natural allies of the working class, the proletariat. Immediately after the revolution, the landlords were stripped of their property and the land belonged to the tiller. This is referred to as the land socialization law, so that the land the peasant was tilling belonged to him. Further, much of the equipment, such as draft animals and tractors, was distributed to the poor peasants.

This is certainly not socialism, but under the circumstances, a step forward. It was simply not reasonable to expect the peasants to embrace socialized, collective farming. They only gradually became aware of this, so that it took time and patience. In the mean time, the capitalists did their best to ”stir the pot”, to ”cause trouble”, to spread discontent.

It is partly for this reason that the capitalists were able to restore capitalism in Russia, after the death of Stalin, and to restore capitalism in China, after the death of Mao. This is no reason for despair. This does not mean that we are destined to endure capitalism until the end of time. This does mean that we have got to learn from the mistakes of previous revolutions.

The current situation is far different, at least in North America. The capitalists have succeeded in simplifying the class conflict. The family farmers, the American equivalent of the European peasant, have been all but wiped out, although a few are still in existence. The vast majority of small businesses, the petty bourgeois, are either broke or going broke. That leaves the working class, the proletariat, and the capitalists, the bourgeoisie. That narrows it right down. It also means that the revolution is far more difficult to start, but once started, will not face the resistance from the petty bourgeois, as the class of people we refer to as the petty bourgeois, has been all but wiped out.

Now comes the not so little matter of starting the revolution, which is very difficult in a developed country, although perhaps not as difficult as in previous years. As Lenin stated it, ”It is much more difficult to start a revolution in West European countries because there the revolutionary proletariat is opposed by the higher thinking that comes with culture, and the working class is in a state of cultural slavery”. He also explained that ”the culture of the advanced countries has been, and still is, the result of their being able to live at the expense of a thousand million people.” As a result of the export of capital, ”the capitalists of these countries obtain a great deal more in this way than they could obtain as profits by plundering the workers in their own countries…out of this tidy sum, at least five hundred millions can be spent as a sop to the labour leaders and the labour aristocracy, on all sorts of bribes. The whole thing boils down to nothing but bribery. …In America, Britain and France we see a far greater persistence of the opportunist leaders, of the upper crust of the working class, the labour aristocracy; they offer stronger resistance to the Communist movement… the purging of the workers parties, the revolutionary parties of the proletariat all over the world, of bourgeois influences, of the opportunists in their ranks, is very far from complete... Opportunism is our principle enemy. Opportunism in the upper ranks of the working class movement is bourgeois socialism, not proletarian socialism. It has been shown in practice that working class activists who follow the opportunist trend are better defenders of the bourgeoisie than the bourgeoisie themselves. Without their leadership of the workers, the bourgeoisie could not remain in power…This is where our principle enemy is, an enemy we must overcome.” (my italics)

I should add, for the benefit of those who are just now becoming politically active, that opportunism merely means unprincipled or dishonest. As Lenin has pointed out, there is no shortage of that scum in the working class. The capitalists are quite adept at identifying such people, those whom are generally referred to as ”trouble makers”. They are then offered a bribe of one sort or another. Those who accept are ”off to the races”, in the ”pocket of the capitalists”, referred to as ”labour lieutenants of the capitalist class”. They soon become devoted servants of the bourgeoisie, earning every dime of their pay.

Then along comes a crisis and there is weeping and wailing in the land of the class traitors. Our present crisis comes as twins, in the form of a virus and a Depression. The profits of the capitalists have been reduced dramatically and they have responded by cutting expenses. The bribes are an expense, and they have been suspended, or at least dramatically reduced. Hence the crying of the class traitors, true crocodile tears.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, now is the time for working class people to become active. Prepare for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Assume leadership positions in working class organizations, especially trade unions, but also sports clubs and any other organization. As well, become card carrying members of the two mainstream political parties. Run for any and all political office, on behalf of both parties. Study the Essential Works of Lenin, and prepare to form a true Communist Party, one which calls for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

Without such a party, it is doubtful that the revolution can succeed. Membership in the Communist Party must be exclusive, as only such a Party can give the required leadership. By contrast, we want to have as many working people behind us as possible, from all walks of life, in as many organizations as possible, everything from trade unions to mainstream political parties.

All of this is a tall order, but we have to start some where. Feel free to draw inspiration from the words of Lenin: ”World imperialism shall fall when the revolutionary onslaught of the exploited and oppressed workers in each country, overcoming resistance from petty bourgeois elements and the influence of the small upper crust of labour aristocrats, merges with the revolutionary onslaught of hundreds of millions of people who have hitherto stood beyond the pale of history, and have been regarded merely as the object of history.”

The current situation is such that the virus has spread around the world, and is causing widespread devastation. As well, the Depression is adding to the suffering of countless people. It is clear that many of the countries which are being hit very hard are the same countries which are the most developed. It is a fact that a successful socialist revolution in all of those countries, or at least many of them, will make a huge difference. It will be a big step towards a World Socialist Republic.

Assuming that the revolution is successful in all, or at least several advanced countries, it is a mistake to assume that the capitalist stage of economic development is inevitable for under developed countries. Lenin was asked such a question, and he replied: ”If the victorious revolutionary proletariat conducts systematic propaganda among them, and the Soviet governments come to their aid with all the means at their disposal -in that event it will be mistaken to assume that the backward peoples must inevitably go through the capitalist stage of development….with the aid of the proletariat of the advanced countries, backward countries can go over to the Soviet system and, through certain stages of development, to Communism, without having to pass through the capitalist stage.”

It is clear that the revolutionary motion is raging in several countries of the world. In North America, it is being led by women, if only because so many working class leaders are men, and many of them have been bribed by the bourgeoisie. As those bribes are drying up, it may well be not so difficult to expose them and remove them from positions of authority. Not that it will be easy, as people who are in such positions generally get the idea that it is their God given right to rule.

On the other hand, as Lenin pointed out, ”The experience of all liberation movements has shown that the success of a revolution depends on how much the women take part it it.” In North America, the women are leading the revolution. Well done, ladies! Now is no time to be shy. Place no restrictions on yourself. Exercise the talents you have, whether it is in the field of entertainment, organization, music or writing, to name a few. As well, study the essential works of Lenin. There is no time like the present to learn Marxist revolutionary theory. You have distinguished yourselves in the recent past, so build upon that which you have started. Like it or not, countless people are counting on you. How is that for pressure?

Without doubt, the revolutionary motion is also taking place in other parts of the world. At the moment, the press is focused mainly on the corona virus, so it is difficult to obtain any particular facts on the subject.

We just have to do out part, in preparation for the revolution and the subsequent Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Perhaps that will serve as an inspiration for other revolutionaries in other parts of the world. Or perhaps they are doing their part too, and it is just not being reported.

It may help to give some thought to Rosa Luxemburg, one of the martyrs to the cause. She devoted her life to the cause of scientific socialism, to the emancipation of the working class, to the emancipation of women. As she put it, ”the working class has nothing to lose but their chains”. With her memory in mind, may I suggest another slogan:

Victory or Death!