Activists study revolutionary history
By
Jay Rothermel
Cleveland
Published Jan 8, 2011 7:25 AM
Readers and supporters of Workers World newspaper, Workers World Party and the
revolutionary youth organization Fight Imperialism, Stand Together (FIST) held
a 12-week educational class series this fall called “200 Years of
Revolution.”
The daunting scope of the classes was more than matched by the interest and
enthusiasm of the participants, who met at a local independent bookstore that
had earlier featured readings of Fred Goldstein’s “Low-Wage
Capitalism” and Karl Marx’s “Capital.”
The classes began with an overview of the development of scientific socialism
in the 19th century by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Two weeks each were
devoted to the USSR and China. Eastern Europe, Cuba, Latin America, Africa and
Asia were covered. Two classes covered U.S. labor and Black liberation
struggles. The class on Black liberation was led by a guest speaker from the
New Black Panther Party who had participated in many of the struggles
discussed.
WW newspapers and books provided reading on each week’s topic. Books by
Mao Zedong, Sam Marcy and Che Guevara, and FIST’s “What is Marxism
all about?” were snapped up as the classes progressed.
A presentation of 30 or 40 minutes by the class leader, Caleb Maupin of FIST,
would be followed by lively discussion periods lasting anywhere from 60 to 90
minutes. The presentation was recorded each week and posted to Cleveland
FIST’s YouTube channel. The classes, which can be accessed from anywhere,
can prove useful to anyone beginning to study the revolutionary continuity of
Marxism.
The liveliest and best-attended class was “History has absolved
Cuba.” Participants eagerly shared their excitement, knowledge and long
experience defending and supporting that country’s communist course. They
also related many useful and constructive personal anecdotes about local and
national solidarity efforts. A class participant who had been to Cuba gave some
concrete insights into daily life in that country.
Common to all the classes were the basic need for revolutionary mass work in
existing working-class institutions (unions, oppressed peoples’
organizations); the importance of independent working-class political action
apart from and opposed to the capitalist parties; and the need for
workers’ organizations to build alliances with the struggles of
nationalities, women, youth and the lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer
communities against oppression.
The classes were advertised by leafleting on a local college campus and sending
e-mails to contacts made at other local political activities. A Facebook page
was also created. All these efforts attracted young people becoming interested
in politics.
The scope, knowledge and confidence gained by looking at the world from a
working-class perspective will be irreplaceable as we combat Fox News-style
ruling-class slanders and move forward with a campaign to abolish capitalism
and reawaken the struggle for world socialism.
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