Tasks after the Revolution

[Lenina Rosenweg]

For the sake of argument I'd like to assume that the world will have a socialist government by 2050. What I mean by this is that, after a period of turmoil, a network of worker's councils, communist groups of different tendencies, and related organizations have taken or replaced state power in most of the world.

Also, for the sake of argument, I'd like to assume that the world of 2050 is still recognizable. Environmental destruction is more severe, coastal areas of the world are under threat. Northern Canada and Russia may be more habitable than today.The working class in the developed world has faced depression conditions for several decades. There have been interesting developments in genetics, biotech, and computer science but no "Singularity" and the world isn't run by AIs. VR is advanced but nano-tech is still in its infancy. Space exploration is a sideshow for the wealthy and there's no terraforming of Mars.

By 2050 people may not fully understand socialism but there's overwhelming recognition that the world needs radical change. Capitalism has lost its credibility.Most people have much more of an international view than they do today.

Okay, what are our first tasks in transforming the world? What would be longer range tasks?

[tellyontellyon]

To learn how to be fully human, and to value each other for our humanity rather than what profit they can provide us with, or with their supposed 'status'.

I think the psychological effects of capitalism are very destructive to our human-ness.:crying:

[Blake's Baby]

I don't understand the question.

If the workers' councils have taken power, but there are still 'wealthy' people, then the civil war is still going on. Or has it finished? How have the people disillusioned with capitalism but not convinced of socialism overthrown the capitalists and their governments? I don't understand the mechanisms that are at work in this society - it seems to me that you're mixing up a pre-revolutionary (capitalist) society with a revolutionary sitiuation (including the world civil war) and a post-revolutionary (socialist) society. There will be decades between these things, surely? I can't imagine the capitalists will give up without a fight, certainly.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

I admit my thoughts may have been a bit confused. An actual global civil war would probably go on for several decades and be very destructive. In the course of this the working class will certainly develop socialist consciousness.

The scenario I had n my mind was more on the line of a quick and dirty but partial takeover by elements of the working class. After decades of a horrendous depression, workers councils take power in several countries. Elsewhere there are "top down" revolutions led by vanguard parties or radical military groups.

The ruling classes are in a state of shock. There isn't a world civil war yet and we want to avoid one. In some areas the working class is very militant and revolutionary. Other areas though people are dispirited and desperately hoping for something better, but are completely cynical about politics. The situation is very roughly similar to Russia after October. Large elements of capitalism remain. There's also environmental catastrophe and mas unemployment.

In either scenario there will be some sort of transistion. I was wondering what would the "first 100 days" be like? What would the first 5 year plan be like? How do we begin (or continue)the transformation to socialism?

[Boboulas]

No one really know whats going to happen, but we will adapt and change acordingly.

[Sir Comradical]

Widespread persecution, arrests, forced-labour camps and executions. Yes it needs to be done unfortunately.

[Blake's Baby]

I can't see it. If workers' councils had seized power in some areas, the ruling class wouldn't be in a state of shock, it would probably be in a state of war.

My own view is that the build-up to a revolutionary situation would happen over some time (general/mass strikes in the biggest economies etc), but the actual seizure of power would have to be pretty well co-ordinated world-wide, and fairly rapid. Large parts of the world left 'capitalist' while the workers are in control elsewhere is too unstable a situation to be left to chance. We don't want to blow our chances for another century.