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Title: Revolution Author: Joe Black Date: 1991 Language: en Topics: revolution, Workers Solidarity Source: Retrieved on 9th October 2021 from http://struggle.ws/ws91/revolution32.html Notes: Published in Workers Solidarity No. 32 — Autumn 1991.
ANARCHISTS SAY that capitalism can not be reformed away. We say it must
be overthrown through a revolution. Many people however believe that the
failure of the Russian revolution of 1917 shows revolutions just replace
one set of rulers with another. The failures of the revolutions in
Nicaragua, Iran and Cuba to fundamentally change life for the workers of
these countries seems to point to the same thing. So why all this talk
of revolution?
A revolution essentially is a sudden upheaval in society which
fundamentally alters the way that society operates or who that society
is run by. It occurs when the mass of the people desire change that
their rulers are unwilling or unable to grant. It can not be the result
of the action of a small group of plotters.
History is full of revolutions. Capitalism gained dominance over
feudalism through revolutions, particularly the French revolution of
1789. Revolutions in countries like Cuba, Nicaragua and Iran since the
second world war have had major effects on a global scale.
Of course none of these were anarchist revolutions. They all resulted in
the substitution of one ruling class for another. They failed to bring
about classless societies.
What was missing was an independent working class fighting for its own
class interests. Instead working class militancy was harnessed by
radical nationalists in a fight for ‘national liberation’. In power
these radical nationalists crushed the working class at home while
seeking terms with imperialism abroad.
In the case of Nicaragua and Cuba at least the radical nationalists in
power used socialist jargon as a cover for their policies. Cuba went so
far as to nationalise the economy. A successful socialist revolution
however involves more than nationalisation and left wing jargon.
In the course of a revolution the working class spontaneously throws up
organs through which it tries to re-organise society. These organs
however are normally made subservient to the new state within a short
period of time. Normally there is some resistance to this but such
resistance is brutally crushed. In 1917 the Bolshevik state apparatus
crushed the Soviets and factory committees, in Iran the radical
nationalists around Khomeini performed the same function.
This could only occur because the vast majority of the workers accepted
the necessity of state rule. This is why anarchists emphasise the
importance of smashing the state rather then using it’s apparatus to
introduce socialism. There is no more utopian idea then the idea of a
minority introducing socialism through the state apparatus.
Anarchists believe that a successful revolution which introduces
socialism must for the first time in history involve a huge subjective
factor. This subjective factor is a large proportion of the working
class holding anarchist politics. This does not mean the WSM must be the
largest faction or even that anarchist groups must be the largest
faction. It does mean that workers must see the introduction of
socialism as something that is their task, and that the state has only a
counter-revolutionary role to play.
This will not just happen spontaneously. Some anarchists make the
mistake of thinking politics will become irrelevant once workers seize
the factories. They think that the various Leninist and reformist left
theories will become instantly irrelevant. In actual fact this is the
period when politics will become relevant as never before. It is a
period where millions of workers will be looking for a political
direction.
In the past revolutions have been led to disaster because the ideas that
led the working class were reformist or author-itarian. Once in power
such parties brutally crushed working class activity. This is as true of
the reformists in the German revolution of 1919 as it is of the
Bolsheviks in 1917–21. Anarchist organisation must be capable of
debating and defeating such ideas as they arise.
Not being crystal ball gazers we can not predict when the next
opportunity for revolution will occur. In Ireland at least it would
appear to be many years away. We do know such opportunities will arise
however, they are a product of the inability of capitalism to meet the
needs of all the people. Capitalism may have changed and developed over
the years but this has not changed.
This does not mean we do nothing until such an opportunity arises. Now
is the time for us to develop and spread anarchist ideas. We need to
build strong anarchist organisation(s), not just in Ireland but
internationally. Indeed it is likely that revolution will arrive on the
agenda in Ireland due to the success of revolutions elsewhere. We ensure
the continued relevancy of our ideas by involvement in the struggles of
fellow workers and demonstrating the usefulness of anarchist politics
and tactics.
This is the purpose of the WSM. We are in the process of building an
organisation capable of asserting anarchist ideas. We are developing
these ideas while being involved in struggles at all levels of society.
We are building international links with anarchists in other countries.
If you too wish to see this rotten system smashed and replaced with
anarchism then get in contact and get involved.