Author
Alex
Summary
Is there an important distinction between the rule of a single organization like a Communist Party and the rule of the working class? Every single "workers' state" to date has failed because they_assumed_that the working class leadership must take the form of a single organization. To gather activists, Leftists must distinguish themselves from these failures and recognize the need for democratic rights of free speech.
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What is "The Red Beacon?"
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This is a news channel run by Alex.
The goal of this channel is to spread news, opinions, and various other articles based on the principles of information war -- or the democratic, open struggle for ideas.
The ultimate aim of this channel is to create an environment where serious discussion can be held regarding important political and theoretical questions that will advance the anti-war and revolutionary movements. This is part of an attempt to end the crisis of theory in the leftist community today, and make way for the coming of a movement that will end war and end ultimately end bourgeois rule.
This channel also believes that readers have the right to have their comments known to an international audience, and to have their comments responded to with something thoughtful and useful (if they want it).
More info can be found in the "Afterword" section of this article.
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Introduction
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A couple of weeks ago, I sent a letter to SAIC (Seattle Anti-Imperialist Committe )and Frank (a SAIC supporter and founder of the Communist Voice Outreach [CVO]) regarding some changes that SAIC could make in its policy to attract more serious activists. In Frank's reply to me, he made several points, one of which stated that what Ben Seattle and I have been advocating was discarded by Lenin as "'Left' childishness."
Frank has stumbled upon an extremely important theoretical question. Should the workers be led by a single organization? Here is what I wrote to Frank regarding that subject:
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Lenin’s “Left-Wing Communism”
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In his letter to me, Frank cited Lenin’s work “Left-Wing Communism, An Infantile Disorder” to somehow prove that the ideas that Ben and I have advocated (like the necessity of multiple workers’ parties under workers’ rule) were discredited by Lenin as “‘Left’ childishness” and are therefore wrong ideas. In all honesty, this argument is flimsy. Frank used a very small amount of Lenin’s words, and after reading “Left-Wing Communism,” Ben and I have concluded that they were used out of context.
In chapter V of “Left-Wing Communism,” Lenin criticizes the German “Left communists” for their practices. However, he does not criticize their theoretical practices as much as he criticizes their_sectarian_practices. The German “Left communists” split from the German Communist Party and labeled all political parties as “bourgeois.” Lenin felt that it was reactionary to use the various opportunist parties in Europe to plaster all political parties with the same image, and I agree.
But Frank uses this argument to back up his own, which says that what Ben and I have advocated is unsound. We have not labeled all political parties as bourgeois, so I believe that this argument is weak. However, it does raise a very important theoretical question:
Should the workers be led by a single organization?
“Left-Wing Communism, An Infantile Disorder” can be found here:
http://www.marx2mao.com/Lenin/LWC20.html
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Rule of a single organization?
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Lenin notes in criticizing the German “Left communists” that naturally, the workers will form a system of leaders because certain people are more experienced, have better leadership qualities, etc. Ben and I have no opposition to this statement, and we recognize the need for political organization. However, Frank’s mistake is that he_assumes_that this working class leadership must be in the form of a single organization.
If working class leadership must take the form of a single organization, the only way for it to maintain its monopoly over political power is to suppress democratic rights of free speech. But true workers’ rule is inseparable from these rights. Just as a mass organization cannot represent the people without transparency, a political party cannot rule on behalf of the workers unless the workers have concrete democratic rights of free speech, and this implies that multiple workers’ parties will eventually spring up and demand a role in the government.
Every single “workers’ state” to date has degenerated into a police state because people have assumed that the workers’ leadership must take the form of a single organization. Upon taking power, the Communist parties have had to suppress free speech (i.e. have had their political opponents shot) to maintain their control. This is unacceptable and completely avoidable.
But how, you might ask, can we prevent the bourgeoisie from buying their way back to power without a monolithic party that ultimately suppresses workers’ rights as well? The solution is to separate speech and property. Under workers’ rule, no one will be able to buy free speech, and the workers’ voices, being the majority, will drown out the cries of the bourgeoisie.
Many activists have seen the degeneration of the various “workers’ states” in the world, and they have massive doubts as to whether a world without bourgeois rule is even possible. And when organizations like SAIC and the CVO fail to address this issue, many will feel reluctant to join up with them. However, if organizations do address the issue of the need for democratic rights of free speech, they will reassure activists that a world without bourgeois rule is possible and become a pole of attraction for activists all over the country (and the world).
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Afterword
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Contents
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1. How to get a reply to your comments/criticism
2. Why can’t we get a response at Indymedia or RevLeft?
3. What is "The Red Beacon?"
4. Our mission
5. Links for more info
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1. How to get a reply to your comments/criticism
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YOUR COMMENTS/CRITICISM ARE WANTED AND NEEDED! I am an activist much like yourself. I make mistakes. Therefore, your thoughtful comments and criticism can only help me in achieving my goal, and they are most welcome.
However, if you are seeing this on an Indymedia or RevLeft page, here is what we recommend:
1. Refrain from posting on Indymedia . Instead, post on this channel’s page where the article was originally posted: http://theredbeacon.blogspot.com/2007/08/author-ben-seattle-reposted-by-alex.html
2. If you want a serious response, make that clear in your post.
3. It would be nice if you listed the site where you saw this.
4. Wait, and we should make a useful response within TEN DAYS.
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2. Why can’t we get a response at Indymedia?
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First of all, Indymedia articles only stay in the main column for a couple of days. Honestly, thoughtful responses can sometimes take several days, which is time we don't have with Indymedia. Anyone can write something quickly, but to write something thoughtful takes more time.
If you post on this channel’s page, it gives me more time to generate a useful response to your comments and criticism: http://theredbeacon.blogspot.com/2007/08/author-ben-seattle-reposted-by-alex.html
Note that if you're already here on our blog, you can just post here (obviously).
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3. What is "The Red Beacon?"
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Again, this is a news channel run by Alex.
It is part of a broader community called the Media Weapon community, which can be found here: http://mediaweapon.com
At this stage, the "community" is more of a community-in-embryo, as very few activists post frequently and with useful information.
However, this can change, and this channel is part of an attempt to change it.
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4. Our Mission
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The goal of this channel is to spread news, opinions, and various other articles based on the principles of information war -- or the democratic, open struggle for ideas
My ultimate aim is to create an environment where serious discussion can be held regarding important political and theoretical questions that will advance the anti-war and revolutionary movements. This is part of an attempt to end the crisis of theory in the leftist community today, and make way for the coming of a movement that will end war and end ultimately end bourgeois rule.
This channel also believes that readers have the right to have their comments known to an international audience, and to have their comments responded to with something thoughtful and useful (if they want it).
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5. Links for more info
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Ben Seattle -- http://struggle.net/ben
"Cargo-Cult Leninism" vs. Political Transparency -- http://struggle.net/struggle.mass-democracy
The Red Beacon -- http://theredbeacon.blogspot.com/
Mediaweapon Community -- http://mediaweapon.org/
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1 comment:
Good post.
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