We can't always be there at the high moments, and I certainly wasn't on June 18 in the City of London. They do produce the sort of shift of consciousness that Carl describes. But in the case of June 18th the ground work was laid by years of foolish, idealistic, boring work. The weekend before, a much larger entirely peaceful demonstration about "breaking the chains of debt" supported by Gordon Brown, no less, snaked around the main bridges of London. This opened the political space, creating credibility for more focussed action by the smaller group that entered the City on June 18th. Even among those, who were clearly well practised in non-violent protest, street theatre etc. it was only a small minority, spurred by the police losing control, that led to actions so shocking to capitalism that the independent police force of the City of London will have to be abolished.
I suggest in fact all serious marxist and reforming organisations, are more likely to be behind the vanguard thrust that bursts through unconsciously at unpredictable moments. The difference between reformist marxists and revolutionary reforming marxists is whether they can quickly adapt to the new agenda, the new possibilities, and bring the broad movement with them. That is quite different from the roving revolutionary bands of the ultra-vanguardists, who themselves are a variety of anarchists.
There will be different openings in the USA. The British are far from inherently more inspiring, but Britain is facing some very difficult choices about its position in the world. These translate into marked tensions in society.
Chris Burford
London