this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2026
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Dessalines already linked the reading guide I put together, but I want to address something you bring up. Conditions are different from past and present revolutions, correct. In what ways, though? What part of revolutionary strategy is general, and what part is particular? What do we take, and what do we have to figure out? The truth is that much of revolutionary strategy is very similar, but what changes is the class outlook.
Western countries are generally imperialist, and the US is also a settler-colony. This impacts the class demographics. The US Empire is also in decay. Gradually, the working classes have interests more aligned with the global south, ie ending the empire. This type of revolution has not really happened yet, but this doesn't mean revolution isn't still necessary.
Step one is to get organized, join an org like PSL. Step two is to educate yourself and others on theory, history, and practice. Step three is to agitate among the people and bring them into the fold, creating a unified and disciplined working class with the skills and knowledge to correctly overcome revolutionary obstacles.
The difference nowadays is honestly the internet and age of disinformation and psyops. People's brains are so physically damaged from being chronically online, plus the older generation increasingly losing their minds to lead poisoning and Facebook AI slop, and they are STRONGLY united. People don't leave their houses anymore, third places are dead, we have to completely remodel our if we are to take this on. I am not disagreeing with anything you are saying or the need for revolution. The issue arises that we cannot make this change happen quickly enough. We cannot change the sociopolitical system of an entire country, again with half of it brainrotted by cult ideology, within 2 years before the next election. Even if we have the biggest turnout of 3rd party votes in history in 2028, the right wing and capitalist class is united under their lord and savior, even if not all of them agree with him. The left is fragmented and cannibalizing itself, as we are seeing in this thread right now. We seal our fate if we vote a bunch of different ways while the right does not. We have to break out the bandaids and stop the bleeding. We absolutely can and should do all of what you're talking about - but we can't afford to lose another election while we do.
Now, if (when?) no elections happen at all in 2028, then all bets are off and the game changes completely.
I think a key difference here is that you believe the left to be represented in any way by the democrats. No matter which major party wins the next election, the tasks at hand remain largely the same, and the severity of the crisis remains similarly the same. The Democrats are merely the more competent managers of empire, not a way to avoid fascism.
I don't. The last thing I will say on the matter because this has become cumbersome to discuss is that if we had avoided Trump and gotten Harris, things would not be as they are now. People like me would not be in the danger that we are now. We warned about this, we begged the nation to prevent this. Both options are genocidal tyrants, but one of them would have had objectively less terror, destruction, and obstruction. But sadly, the people who have the privilege to say "they're both bad so it doesn't matter who wins until the revolution" will just not understand until they're the direct target. People of color, queer people, disabled people, we are all expendable to those who can't just pick the lesser of two evils in the meantime of working on rebuilding society from the ground up, starting with local communities, just because "both sides bad grrrr."
A Harris administration would be a similar imperialist decay. You are putting far more of an emphasis on a single seat and not on the overarching system itself, which is the primary cause for the conditions of today. Leaders have some degree of influence, that's why they exist, but it isn't correct to state that Harris would be "objectively less terror, destruction, and obstruction." Framing those who take a principled stance against imperialism and genocide as "privledged" for doing so is incredibly short-sighted, as much of the left is made up of marginalized groups. This is partially what builds up the left.
Let me ask, are you a member of a political party? Are you doing anything besides voting? Could it not be asked why you aren't listening to the principled socialists that have been advocating for the working classes to get organized? This isn't meant to shame you for not doing enough, being able to organize requires time and commitment not everyone has. However, to shame people who do for not doing enough is a bit silly if you aren't also putting in effort year-round.