Tactics

[igod]

What are the best tactics for spreading socialistic ideas in virtual life (forums) and real life?
Does anyone has any experience in starting socialist or communist party in your country?
How to organize people?

[ckaihatsu]

This is an excellent question, igod. I can assure you that I wouldn't even be a Marxist if I felt that I couldn't win arguments on the basis of it. If I were arguing from a liberal point of view I would have to twist and turn based on current currents, which to me is twisting in the wind and wasting one's life.

In fact, I would even argue that, given the volatility of the times we're living in, it's actually *safer* to be a revolutionary that an opportunistic liberal or reformer. I recently responded to a question from a Ron Paul supporter who asked me if there was a chance that Mr. Paul could be assassinated. I had to admit that the nature of the times we're living in are not good for reformers, because of society's extreme polarization. I noted that Benazir Bhutto, a careerist reformer, or politician, was just assassinated based on the disappearing political ground on which to manuever.

Things are getting so stark that all you have to do is determine if people are merely cognizant of current events. Find out where people's heads are at. Obviously they're not with the wars of aggression against Afghanistan and Iraq, so start there. Given that the establishment is only concerned with securing oil supplies (okay, and geo-strategic hegemony), at any economic or financial cost, ask if the person feels there's a potential solution to the energy question, based on the know-how and ability of the working class.

These days you can quickly cut to the chase by digging into how the establishment deals with the modern need for energy supplies. In recent years the chaotic whirlwind of capitalist speculation has ripped through the technology sector (late '90s dot-com bubble), the housing sector, and now the food, energy, and "green" sectors.

Do we need to put up with speculation in what can be considered essential services, or can the working class press for democratic, worker-based centralization of these services? The markets are substandard, especially in these days of capital crunches, so let's nationalize these major industries, already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we're beyond the point of patiently explaining -- now it's about being the expert when everyone else is in disarray!


Chris





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[revodec]

I agree with ckaihatsu that been well informed and being able to argue convincingly is very important in making an impression on people that Socialism is essential for humanity now.

For example, I am a member of a socialist organisation in Ireland. Here we have had an economic boom in the last 10-15 years but the last 7 or so of years of economic growth has been based mostly on a housing boom which is unsustainable. The organisation I am in has been very critical of the economy in analysing its weakness, and the fact that it has created greater inequality.
From being in the organisation I have learnt a great deal of knowledge on the economy and now it is a hot topic in Ireland giving the current  economic crisis. I have impressed people with my arguments and analysis of the economy and they are more willing to discuss socialism as a solution to the problems facing our society now.

So in short embrace current hot topics relevant to the failures of capitalism and how socialism can solve these problems. Read up on the topics or even better try and discuss with comrades.
Once you have learned new stuff, you should go try and teach a family member or friend who will listen to you about your new found wisdom. Doing this helps you remember and develop your arguments for socialism.

Key thing though is to have an answer on the basic argument against socialism in that it is against human nature.

[ckaihatsu]

Great point about Ireland's recent economic activity, revodec. I agree that any time we hear capital-minded people crowing about growth rates in this-or-that up-and-coming national economy (Ireland, Pakistan, India, China, etc.) we need to point out how hollow that growth is, with enormously long lines of investors waiting for their turn at the trough, based on their investments.

We know that imperialism enables the rise of finance capital, which is parasitic on the products of labor. According to the system, merely waving around wads of stock certificates grants the bearer legal access to looting wages and benefits of workers.

So -- wherever we see people providing financial "services" we know what's really going on: A circling of the sharks around industries that are essential to the collective functioning of society, like housing, technology, education, risk, capital, and so on. Speculation causes artificial bubbles which raises prices for legitimate consumers of these staple goods and services.

Perhaps the challenge we can put to capital hounds is to ask what they consider to be leadership for capitalism. Instead of merely defending socialism we can ask what *their* "next big thing" is, now that the Dow Jones is under 13,000. I think at this point all we have to argue is for the absence of headaches...!

(Regarding the "human nature" argument, I'll refer someone to the human race's preponderance of existence within the hunter-gatherer mode. This proves that our economics are *not* due to genetics. Please see:)

http://discussion.newyouth.com/index.php/topic,2258.msg20690.html#msg20690


Chris