[lbo-talk] Level of mass consciousness necessary for revolution (was Austerity In the Face of Weakness)

[c b]

The revolutiobn M&E wanted, I think, could only occur (if it was to
occur) in a world in which the capitalist system was world-wide. What
the Russian and Chinese Revolutions _did_ accomplish was to bring
their nations into the 20th-c, contribute to the wars of liberation of
the mid-20th c., and thus make possible the present world -- in which
it is possible to begin thinking seriusly, on firmer ground, of the
Revolution posited by M&E. All Glory to the Bolsheviiks! but let's not
use them as _our_ model. Ted is right that, for the Revolution we
need, a Vanguard Party will not do. But to project that back to the
Russia of 1905 or the China of 1935 is seriusly ahistorical.

Carrol

^^^^^^^^
CB: Yeah, but the level of consciousness of the masses necessary for a
revolution today in the US will not be less but more than it was in
1917 Russia.   If anything , it will have to be a _mass_ rather than
vanguard party that leads the revolution today ( partly because the US
has a really long history of democratic-republican institutions, much
longer than Russia 1917 or China 1949)  Even a larger percentage of
the population than the Bolsheviks were of the Russian masses in 1917
will have to have socialist consciousness. A big proportion of the
masses will have to have at least working class consciousness.

We aren't going to back into a socialist revolution. The wall won't
fall if it isn't pushed. The wall won't be unconsciously pushed.