Revolutionary Worker #1238, May 1, 2004, posted at http://rwor.org
This May 1st marks the 25th anniversary of the Revolutionary Worker . This is an occasion of both celebration and challenge.
We are living in heavy times. A time when the rulers of the U.S., the most powerful imperialist country in history, are dead set on dominating and reshaping the world through brutal wars and repression. In response, millions have come into political life against this imperialist juggernaut. Record numbers of people have taken to the streets in protest. The urgency of today is also shaping other outpourings of struggle, from the anti-globalization movement to uprisings of the oppressed against police brutality and murder. And looking ahead, the U.S. program of war and repression will give rise to continuing resistance.
But as Chairman Avakian points out, "The masses don't just need a movement, although that is very valuable. They need a revolution. If we have a movement and not a revolution, then people's suffering is not going to end. These conditions are not going to be overthrown and uprooted."
And in order to make revolution, the people need a revolutionary press.
But some people ask what does a revolutionary newspaper have to do with preparing for and making revolution? And some see distributing and popularizing the revolutionary press as merely "paper work" or slow, patient educational work detached from the struggles of the day.
The Revolutionary Worker newspaper, the voice of the Revolutionary Communist Party, provides a consistent source of truth in a world of lies and lays the basis for revolution. The RW plays a strategic role in the revolutionary process: Create Public Opinion, Seize Power! Prepare Minds and Organize Forces for Revolution.
As the RCP's Draft Programme says, "This process and this struggle has a definite aim--simply put, we are working to bring the masses into the position where they are willing and determined to put everything on the line for revolution, where they grasp both the necessity and the possibility for this. This in essence, is the `public opinion' we are creating."
So how can the masses get to the point where they are "willing and determined to put everything on the line for revolution"? For this to happen, it is essential for the people to be trained in proletarian class consciousness--and the revolutionary press plays a pivotal role in this training.
Bob Avakian wrote, "In What Is To Be Done , Lenin emphasizes that the way the masses must and do develop proletarian class consciousness is by being enabled and trained to respond to all major social questions and world events, and how these find expression among all different strata; and they have to be trained to do this from a class-conscious proletarian point of view, and no other . They have to be trained to see not only how they come into confrontation with the ruling class in the more narrow and immediate sphere of their economic relations with their employers (or with their immediate exploiters and oppressors), and so on, but in the broader sense in which the proletariat as such comes into conflict with the ruling class. And they have to learn to make what Lenin calls a `materialist analysis and a materialist estimate' of all major social questions and world events and how this finds expression among different classes and strata--and therefore to recognize and distinguish the nature and interests of all different classes and strata in society."
One RW writer illustrated what the newspaper does like this: "The world it describes isn't just beautiful because its words or layout are pretty, but because you know it's not just a dream. You know there's a Party behind this paper taking responsibility for creating that world, and the paper brings it to life NOW. It doesn't just expose the horrors. It shows the people in the streets, with their fists or machetes in the air--you read interviews with artists, parents of kids killed by police, and youth and you can imagine a world these people could create together. This paper is a strategic tool for making the kind of revolution needed to make that kind of world a reality."
The Revolutionary Worker applies Marxism-Leninism-Maoism to "get inside the contradictions" and brings to life the inner workings of society. It shows where the contradictions in society come from and where they are headed--and how people can transform society in their interests. In this way, the RW spreads the truth in preparation for revolution.
But some people say "you have your truth and I have mine" and don't believe there is objective truth or objective reality. These people say, what difference does it make if I read your paper or any other?
As communists, we understand there is objective reality. That in order to change the world you must start from the way things really exist in the world. Such an understanding is not "our truth" or "our opinion." Understanding the actual laws that govern society reveals why and how it is possible to get rid of classes and class society--that there is a way to end oppression.
In order to maintain their rule, the oppressors have to continually lie to the people and cover up the exploitative nature of their system. But it is in the interest of the proletariat to expose how things really are and arm the masses with this truth to change the world.
As one youth commented while taking out the Revolutionary Worker , "If you knew the truth, wouldn't you want other people to know the truth?"
The Revolutionary Worker brings out from thousands of sharp examples that the whole system we live under is based on exploitation--here and all over the world. It compellingly puts forward revolution as the only viable option for the people. And it shows how only the proletariat--those with nothing to lose but their chains--can be the backbone of a struggle to overthrow this system that will put an end to exploitation and help pave the way to a whole new world.
The Revolutionary Worker lets people know that such a revolutionary struggle is possible and that there is a party that can lead such a struggle, a political party that speaks and acts for those with nothing to lose but their chains: the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA.
The Revolutionary Worker is a connector between Chairman Bob Avakian and the people. How important is this? It is critical. Chairman Avakian is the leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party. He is one of the foremost communist thinkers and leaders of our time. It is just a fact that anyone serious about transforming the world, about making a communist revolution and bringing about a socialist society, has to dig into the questions that are spoken to and wrangled with in the works of Chairman Avakian.
Those, especially in the new generation, who have connected with Bob Avakian through the pages of the RW , and have learned from and appreciate his method and approach--need to take up the challenge of connecting this paper with the tens of thousands coming into political life.
What would it mean to build a vibrant movement around the Revolutionary Worker newspaper?
Imagine if in the months ahead, through a concentrated effort, thousands and tens of thousands more people across the U.S. were reading, discussing, and distributing the RW every week--building RW networks and circles, from communities of the oppressed to college campuses, from progressive art scenes to sweatshop factories. How would that transform the political landscape?
Imagine the Revolutionary Worker becoming much more of a transformative pivot between the Party and the masses: reaching out to and attracting new forces, raising the consciousness of the people, "stretching a line" to wide-ranging movements and forces in society, "diverting" the spontaneous struggles into a revolutionary movement.
Imagine this paper playing an even bigger role as a political and organizational hub of the Party, connecting all the diverse elements of its work.
Imagine the hundreds of thousands of internet readers of the rwor.org becoming millions. Imagine thousands of them finding and linking up with the Party and becoming "revolutionary visionaries."
Every week the RW receives letters from prisoners illustrating the transformative and inspiring effect of the RW. Imagine many more networks being built among those behind prison walls.
Imagine many more people who aren't just the "usual suspects" reading and promoting the RW , debating what a world without capitalism would look like and how to get there.
Think about those newly awakened to the horrors of this system by its unjust war and repression. What viewpoints and outlooks will they grab onto if the outlook of the proletariat is not out there in a big way?
If we dare to prepare the ground for revolution in the belly of this U.S. imperialist beast, if we dare to transform this rotten world into a liberating world--then we must take up the challenge. We must grasp the role and importance of the revolutionary press and build a vibrant movement around the Revolutionary Worker.
Spread the Truth to Prepare for Revolution!