REVOLUTION 8

Revolution could happen: right here, right in this time

[Audio transcript]

BOB AVAKIAN—REVOLUTION

Number Eight

In previous messages I have made clear why we need a revolution—why this system of capitalism-imperialism cannot be reformed: This is a system that functions, and can only function, by viciously exploiting and murderously oppressing masses of people, here and throughout the world—a system that poses an increasing danger to the future and even the very existence of humanity, through its accelerating destruction of the environment and its endless wars which now threaten to go over to all-out war among nuclear-armed powers that could wipe out humanity.

So now, I’m going to get into why the revolution that is urgently needed is actually possible.

Many people, if they think about revolution at all, will say that what I am talking about is impossible (or just crazy).

Some people say this because they are “invested” in this system, and don’t want to see a fundamental change.

Some people say this because they are afraid of revolution.

And some people would love to be rid of all the terrible and unnecessary suffering that is actually caused by this system—but they just think the revolution I’m talking about could never happen.

Well, the truth is: it could happen—not just in some far off place and time, but right here and right in this time we are living in.

The basic reason why this revolution is possible now is because those who have ruled this country for so long are bitterly and deeply divided among themselves, while 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 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.

This rare time must not be squandered—wasted and thrown away. It must be actively and urgently seized on—to bring about a truly emancipating revolution.

With everything very likely coming to a head and coming up for grabs soon, the outcome of this rare time can’t be left to the brutal enforcers of this system, in one camp or another—or to any force which cannot, or will not, look beyond and lead people beyond the confines of an oppressive system, in one form or another. There must be—and there can be—an organized force of thousands, in a position to lead millions, to take this where it needs to go—to an actual, emancipating revolution.

With such an organized revolutionary force, it is possible to have a growing impact on all of society, changing the terms of how masses of people see things, and how every institution has to respond.

With thousands organized into the ranks of the revolution, millions can be won to revolution; and with millions won to revolution, there could be a real possibility for this revolution to win.

Too many people say: “Yeah, there are a lot of terrible things going on in the world, but I can’t do anything about all that.” Well, no, “you” can’t: You, yourself alone, as an individual are powerless to do anything about it—but, as part of a larger force of masses of people, you can play an important part in doing something truly important, something truly historic to change all this—and that is why you need to become part of the thousands that we revcoms (revolutionary communists) are working to organize now, so that those thousands can move millions for this revolution in this crucial time we are living in.

This is why everything must be focused now, and is being focused now, on actually bringing forward and organizing this revolutionary force.

So next, I’m going to get further into how it could be possible to seize on this rare time to make this revolution.