On May Day and Occupy in the USA
On May Day and Occupy in the USA
(llco.org)
On the first of May, many people celebrate International Workers’ Day or May Day. Even though the day has not always been widely celebrated in the United States, its origins trace back to labor struggles there. May Day commemorates the victims of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in 1886. During a general strike by workers in Chicago, USA in 1886, a bomb was thrown by an unknown person. In response, the police fired into the crowd killing many workers. Also, many police died from friendly fire. At the first congress of the Second International in 1889, Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests. In 1891, at the second congress of the Second International, May Day was formally recognized. Later, there were May Day riots in 1894. And in 1904, the International Socialist Conference in Amsterdam called for demonstrations to be held on May Day by social democratic and trade unions to establish the eight hour workday. May Day has since become celebrated in many countries around the world, sometimes as an official holiday. In the old socialist regimes, May Day was often one of their biggest holidays.
In the United States, May Day celebrations have diminished. The official holiday for workers is Labor Day, which is observed on the first Monday in September. Labor Day was established, in part, as an alternative to the radical May Day. Labor Day was promoted by more mainstream, reformist organizations like the Central Labor Union and Knights of Labor. Thus President Grover Cleveland moved the workers’ holiday to the Labor Day celebrated by the more reformist organizations in 1887. Fascist and reactionary states have often worked to eliminate or repress May Day. Even though the state actively worked to draw attention away from May Day, the main reason for the lack of strong May Day demonstrations in the United States can be traced to changes in global class structure. With the rise of US imperialism, the standard of living of workers in the United States increased. More and more concessions were won through reformist struggles. The economic burden was shifted onto Third World peoples. Social peace was won in the First World by increased exploitation and oppression of the Third World. Thus workers in the United States had less and less need of a May Day as workers in the First World became bourgeoisified. May Day became a holiday mostly for insignificant leftist sects and nostalgists. However, in the last decade, May Day has been revived due to protests by migrants in the United States against racism. Even so, May Day protests have been diminishing. The Occupy movement is seeking to revive May Day this year. Although, such a revival can be used by Leading Lights to educate and organize, the premises of the Occupy effort are deeply flawed. The revival of May Day is an honorable goal, however, Occupy profoundly misunderstand the balance of forces globally. A populist attempt to revive May Day, at best, will only gather support from the usual communities of activists and their allies. There may be some spectacles in a few major cities, but the kind of mass outpouring that Occupy expects will not happen. A real general strike will not happen. The general public in the United States simply does not want revolution nor is it in their interest to make real socialist, communist revolution. The conditions for real revolution do not exist in the First World, especially in the United States. The workers here do not have a class interest in uniting with the proletariat in the Third World. Workers in the First World have far more in common with their own overlords than they do with workers, peasants and lumpen in the Third World. Contrary to Occupy’s populist rhetoric, the reality is that most First World peoples are part of the metaphoric global 1 percent, not the global 99 percent. Populist movements in the First World tend to stroke up fascism and social imperialism, not proletarian internationalism. However, such movements will exist whether or not Leading Light participates. At least by participating, Leading Light has some ability to influence some attendees to break left toward internationalism, anti-imperialism, and communism instead of breaking right toward economism, chauvinism, populism, and fascism. Establish a pole for global equality, anti-imperialism and decolonization, revolutionary environmentalism, and Leading Light Communism this May Day. Criticize economism, populism, chauvinism, imperialism and social imperialism, fascism, and First Worldism generally. Participate. Educate. Lead.
International Women’s Day Orientation
International Women’s Day Orientation
(new-power.org)
First Worldist feminism is a major stumbling block for many on their way to Leading Light consciousness. Those who want revolution want a better world without any systematic oppression, including gender oppression or sexual oppression. So they want to address injustice and inequality in their everyday lives. They want to also address historic injustices by men against women. This sentiment is a good thing in people. They want to do good by others. However, a problem can arise when they think that simply because First World women are sometimes junior partners in power when compared to First World men that First World women are therefore a revolutionary social base. While it is true that First World women suffer various injustices that we should try to address, it is completely false that this makes them a social base for revolution. First World women have more common interests with First Word men than they do with either Third World women or men. We need to carry ourselves in an egalitarian and humble way that recognizes the various form of suffering people in the First World face, but we need to recognize that First World peoples on the whole, women and men, are not a social base for revolution. We need to have big hearts and big brains. We need to sympathize with everyone’s suffering, but we need to recognize that we need to go deeper to find the real people. The real people are mostly in the Third World, not the First World.
First Worldist feminism is used in all kinds of reactionary ways. It is used as a cover to attack Third World countries. First Worldist feminism seeks to split Third World women from their unity with Third World men. It is used by non-profits and grass-roots Democrats against the revolutionary movement in the United States. It spreads confusion. It is a bourgeois, enemy ideology.Real feminism is Third Worldist feminism. Real feminism means standing with the vast majority of women in the Third World whose gender and class interest is in anti-imperialist and revolutionary struggle. Our revolution, the Leading Light revolution, will come from the darkest and most oppressed places. It will be led by women and youth.
We need to celebrate this International Women’s Day by doing something extra for the movement or donating something extra. This revolution is moving to a higher level, we need everyone to help us get there.
Orientation toward Occupy
Orientation toward Occupy
(new-power.org)
The Occupy protests continue to dwindle in the Unites States. This is expected. The weather has played a role. It is harder to organize in the winter. The police repression has played a role. The inability of the Democrats to fully co-opt Occupy has resulted in Occupiers losing their status as media darlings. The media has turned against them. Media coverage is much more hostile today than it was at the beginning of the movement. Also, people in the United States have short attention spans. They are easily bored. People lose interest. However, most importantly, Occupy is running up against the social forces of trying to sustain a movement for social change in the First World. The vast majority of First World peoples do not have an interest in radical, egalitarian social change. They simply benefit too much from the system. They are too comfortable. Occupy is not about Leading Light Communism, is not about a radical reorganization at the deepest levels to bring about a world without oppression. Occupy is dominated by social-democratic and populist rhetoric. Even though social-democratic reform is often in the interests of most people in the United States, most people are simply too comfortable to fight very hard for it. People are too a-politicized and comfortable to even stand up for their own bourgeois interests. This is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, increasing the living standard of First World peoples as a whole is almost always connected to impoverishing Third World peoples. Nonetheless, Occupy still lingers on.
Could Occupy get a second wind? It will pick up a bit in the spring, but probably not return to previous levels. If the economy goes downward, then we could see more people at Occupy in the spring. However, at the moment, it does not appear the economy is falling. Rather, the latest numbers indicate a slight improvement in the situation. Occupy may be able to get a boost of energy by combining its efforts with the May Day efforts of the migrants. Occupy may get some kind of traction out of combining its efforts with the NATO/G8 protests this year. The “full-moon factor” could also boost Occupy’s numbers. It is 2012. Many New Religious Movements believe that 2012 heralds the transformation of the world. This idea, based upon, often chauvinist, misappropriation and misinterpretation of the Maya calendar, is widespread in pop culture. Movies have been made about the supposed significance of 2012. Many tomes have been written on the topic. There is a long history of apocalyptic “Great Awakening”-type movements in the United States. There is a possibility that Occupy could get a second wind if its numbers are boosted by people thinking that Occupy is somehow connected to the end of the world. In a country where economic contradictions are not sharp, culture plays a more significant role in social motion.
The correct orientation toward Occupy is the same as before. Do not bother trying to lead directly. For those who can, create a Leading Light pole in the movement. Look for the most caring, the most daring, and the most intelligent. They are the ones who will be drawn toward the Leading Light. Educate. Recruit. If the economy does go downward, we need to have the organization ready to mobilize that minority who break left, toward internationalism. Discipline. Organization.
If you are not carrying your burden, you are making others lift more
If you are not carrying your burden, you are making others lift more
(new-power.org)
The capitalist system is a nightmare. It is time to wake up. It is time to really make a change.
If you are not carrying your weight, then what are you doing? You are shifting the burden onto others. It is easy to declare oneself a “communist,” it is another to act. Being a real revolutionary means upholding the most advanced, scientific line, the Leading Light line. It means educating and training yourself. It means getting serious. It means real unity, real discipline. It means making some sacrifice for the organization. We are on this long march. Some are doing the heavy lifting. Some are helping. Some are just watching, on the sidelines. There are lots of things to overcome. Individualism and ego are a big part of the First World way of life. Those who are on the sidelines need to begin sharing the burden.
Organization. Discipline. Sacrifice. Donation. Small steps will lead to great leaps. We are on our way, but it is your turn to help — even if it is a little. Helping, acting, donation is a regular part of revolutionary work. Stand up. Begin helping. Red Salute!
History is unfolding in front of our eyes.. a look back
History is unfolding in front of our eyes.. a look back
(new-power.org)
This was a historic year. We have burst onto the world scene. We have shifted the debate. We continue to elevate revolutionary science to ever new heights. Our organization spreads. Our influence grows. We have momentum.
We published MSH 1 and 2 in English. These works broke new ground in political economy. They are the most advanced works in the world. These works are the key to understanding the global economy.
We published LL1, 2, 3, and 4 in English. We published LL1 and 2 in Spanish. These magazines set forth the general line of the Leading Light. All comrades and fellow travelers need to study the LL series. Everyone must read these at least three times. Study these closely. These are training manuals.
We published our Forward! booklet for those just coming into our circles. Forward! is currently in English, but will soon be in Polish and Spanish. All need to study this booklet.
We produced two amazing movies: A Storm is Coming and Walk the Road with Us. These are currently in English, Polish, and Spanish. Soon they will be in Tagalog.
We have created webpages in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Polish, and Greek.
This is incredible outpouring of creativity will continue. Our global reach continues to grow. Our organizational capacity grows. What you see here is the tip of the iceberg. Our online and public work is not our main work. Our real work is beneath the surface. We are a mostly clandestine organization. Some of you are beginning to see our deep work.
We have correctly led the international communist movement at every key turn. We do not tail. We lead. We see further than all others. We are the vanguard. We pull others forward — even when they do not fully understand. This is not hyperbole, it is reality.
We are making history. Things may seem slow sometimes, but, the reality is that what we have accomplished this year is unprecedented. We have put scientific communism, Leading Light Communism, front and center internationally. We have comrades across the world. Our organization is expanding everywhere.
Everyone needs to look inward. Everyone needs to ask themselves if they are serious or not. We have pulled you forward. You stand at a crossroads. You are now beginning to see the possibilities. You now see our the true depth of our work. This is about revolution in the real world. This is not a game. Our science, organization, and leadership has brought us to this point. We need serious people who are willing to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly. We need people who will sacrifice. We need people to lead, to organize study circles, to work, and, especially, to donate. Donating is what allows us to keep operating on the global level. There are several roads before you. It is time to step up.
Science. Courage. Sacrifice. Honor. Discipline. Organization. Leadership.
We are dedicating our lives to this. We are red soldiers. We are Leading Lights.
Let’s make history. Let’s make 2012 a year to remember.
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