>http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/black-bloc-inspired-by-weathermen/
>
> >From The Black Bloc Papers
>The purpose of such escalation in part lies in the belief that such
>conflict necessarily results in the unmasking of the brutal nature
>of the State. The subsequent brutality of the opposing
>police/military force is revealed. The idea is that by showing the
>larger population the violent means by which the status quo is
>maintained, a significant number of people will become further
>radicalized by this physical and visual demonstration of the nature
>of the State.
That's what I said before. It makes sense, as a strategy, only if that is the objective. Put bluntly, it makes sense as a strategy if your objective is to recruit to your tendency those already radicalised enough to be actively protesting.
However, given that it alienates radicals from the wider public, it is counter-productive to the objective of recruiting more people to the overall radical cause. In my opinion. Hence self-defeating in the larger sense of actually achieving anything.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas