REVOLUTION 55
NO Fascist Trump! NO Genocide Joe! The Whole Damn System’s Got To Go!
BOB AVAKIAN—REVOLUTION
Number Fifty-Five. NO Fascist Trump! NO Genocide Joe! The Whole Damn System’s Got To Go!
In messages Fifty-One through Fifty-Four, I examined some crucial historical experience of communist revolution, and the application of basic principles and methods of revolutionary strategy and tactics, in speaking to why it became necessary to vote for Biden in 2020—and why it would be very wrong and harmful to vote for Biden (or Trump) in the election this year (2024). Since this covered a lot of ground, and dealt with a number of complex contradictions, the following is a summation of essential points.
* There can be times and situations when it is necessary, in the course of working for an actual revolution, to adopt policies and take actions which are in unity with, or objectively support or aid, bourgeois and reactionary forces. However, this must be done not by abandoning the strategic orientation of working for revolution, but instead by handling contradictions in a way that actually advances the revolution overall. I spoke to this in message number Fifty-Two.
* In the extraordinary circumstances of 2020, it became necessary, as a tactic, to vote for Biden in that election, to prevent further consolidation right then of the fascism represented and spearheaded by Trump (who lost the election but then nearly succeeded in pulling off a coup to remain in power). I got into this particularly in message number Fifty-Three.
* In message number Fifty-Four, I spoke to why it would be terribly wrong and very harmful to vote in the upcoming election this year:
Voting in the election this time would not simply mean enacting once more the repeated ritual of voting for the “lesser evil” Democrats (or, in the case of some, actually voting for the “greater” evil, Trump, out of disgust with Biden/the Democrats). Arguing for voting in this election would in essence make a principle of getting drawn into the deadly trap of voting for this system (which is really what these elections represent). It would greatly reinforce the already powerful pull that—however much people become alienated from, and even rise up in resistance against, this system and the atrocities it continually perpetrates— they will never break out of the confines of this system, because every few years they will get drawn back into accepting the terms of this system, and “validating” its monstrous crimes, by taking part in its elections.
* Not only is voting for Biden this time terribly wrong in principle and would have very bad consequences, but as a practical matter it could not provide any assurance of preventing Trump from taking power. This time, the Republicans are even more firmly consolidated in their unity with Trump that the only acceptable outcome of the upcoming election is a victory for Trump—and any other outcome (a win by Biden) will not be allowed. And they are continuing to whip up a fanatical mass of mindless fascists around this basic position.
* To quote a crucial part of an earlier message (number Eight):
The country as a whole is being torn apart by divisions that can no longer be covered over and things can no longer be held together in the way they have been for generations.
Everything will very likely be coming to a head and coming up for grabs this year, 2024, with the presidential election this year a sharp focus of the fight between the dominating ruling class parties—Democrats and Republicans—a fight that is very likely to break all out of the bounds of the “normal way” they exercise power over the people, and keep their whole murderous system going.
* This whole situation could lead to armed clashes between the opposing sections of the ruling class, which could even develop into large-scale military confrontation—a new kind of civil war.
* All the institutions of this system would be profoundly affected by this whole situation, with a real possibility of these institutions splitting apart. All of these institutions are illegitimate—they serve to enforce this monstrous system of capitalism-imperialism and its continuing crimes against humanity and destruction of people and the environment, here and in the world as a whole. The splitting apart of these institutions would add a very favorable dimension to the struggle for an actual revolution.
* Again from message number Eight:
This kind of deep division—and especially this bitter antagonism among the powers-that-be—has not been seen in this country since the time of the Civil War way back in the 1860s.
This is not a time to be siding with one group of oppressors or another. This is a rare time—a very rare opening—a chance that may come only once in a lifetime—a chance to take advantage of the deep divisions among the ruling oppressors and go after their whole system, with the aim of bringing the whole thing down, and putting something much better in its place.
* Everyone who hates the injustices and atrocities constantly perpetrated by both Democrats and Republicans, in enforcing the interests of this system of capitalism-imperialism, needs to join with us— the revcoms (revolutionary communists)—now, and in an ongoing way, in bringing out sharply the reality of what is happening, and why, and bringing alive revolution as the only positive solution to all this; winning masses of people, from every part of society, to break with this whole system and become part of the organized forces actively working for this revolution; building up the basis to go for the whole thing, with a real chance to win.
* Becoming part of and working urgently for that revolution, now, is what is required in order to really meaningfully oppose both the deranged and dangerous fascism represented by Trump, and the very real horror represented by Genocide Joe Biden and the destructive violence he has wielded, and threatens, in asserting the depraved interests of this system. Actively working for this revolution is the only means to sweep away this system as a whole, which is the source of very real madness and suffering all these politicians represent and seek to enforce, by truly monstrous means.
* Once more, concentrating a basic point of strategic orientation and practical approach in this “rare time” we are living in now, when revolution is not only urgently necessary but is actually possible:
NO Fascist Trump! NO Genocide Joe!
The Whole Damn System’s Got To Go!