if a nation had revolution and the Marxist side was recruiting abroad would you join?

[Adi Shankara]

be honest.

would you fight in another country's revolution to bring about communist change and an end to capitalism?

[Chimurenga.]

No and the FARC is a good example of this, they are accepting people from all over the globe to come and fight. I say no because the best thing I can do for international Communism is to increase the fight in the belly of the beast.

[RedRise]

It really depends on what country and who was leading it. And what, if any, difference I thought I might make. So I guess my answer is a definite possibly.:rolleyes:

[Invincible Summer]

It would be very romantic, but I have way too much tying me down at home to just pick up a gun and fight in what I assume would be a sweaty jungle and die because I'm a noob

[Angry Young Man]

I expect so. Probably train as an ambulance driver or something.

[Stand Your Ground]

It really depends on what country and who was leading it. And what, if any, difference I thought I might make. So I guess my answer is a definite possibly.:rolleyes:
This.

[Arlekino]

I would fight for communism but not fight I could useful for some cooking, helping some administration duties.

[Sam_b]

No because Psy would come in and fuck it up.

[bailey_187]

No and the FARC is a good example of this, they are accepting people from all over the globe to come and fight. I say no because the best thing I can do for international Communism is to increase the fight in the belly of the beast.

Obviously joining a protracted guerilla war would be pointless, but what about a large open civil war like in Spain in the 1930s?

[Sam_b]

A contemporary struggle like in Spain in the 1930s is exactly it - in the 1930s. A future revolutionary uprising would be vastly different from the model, and would be up against far different and stronger class forces with the development of imperialism and NATO etc.

[Il Medico]

I expect so. Probably train as an ambulance driver or something.
Hemingway much?

[Arlekino]

More we sit quite and sleep it would be harder to fight. Do some Robin Hood fighters one day will be start or some Paris Commune, I look forwards for that.

[Angry Young Man]

Hemingway much?

Auden, actually :)

[Forward Union]

be honest.

would you fight in another country's revolution to bring about communist change and an end to capitalism?

There are numerous Marxist "revolutions" or conflicts going on, and any of us would probably be more of a burden than anything given that most of us have little or no Military experience, are physically unfit, and probably don't speak their language. So a better question might be do you think you would actually be any use to a foreign revolution?

Though there is nothing stopping you from getting fit, experienced, learning Hindi and going to India, Spanish and going to you name where.

Though I had to laugh, I mean, if a Marxist revolution comes to revleft for help it is probably already fucked.

[Jazzratt]

I would be of absolutely no use. I'm hilariously unfit, skinny and a total coward - I'd probably start shitting myself and crying if people shot at me. Then I'd fall over coughing and wheezing because I just had to walk half a kilometer or something equally shit.

[samofshs]

This.
this definately. and how it's being run counts too.

[Qayin]

No because Psy would come in and fuck it up.


Forklifts deep in the Colombian jungles

[Lenina Rosenweg]

As RedRise said, it would depend a lot on the nature of the revolution. Do I think the orientation is correct? Would I have something to contribute in that situation? I don't have extensive military training and, in a country where I don't speak the language, would I be useful?

Capitalism is a global system and resistance to it also has to be global. The Revolution actually is everywhere. Where one lives one can provide important help

There is a fightback in Greece but that country is not close to a revolution.If there was a revolution there-a network of workers councils seriously contesting state power, and if I felt I could contribute something (even though I don't speak Greek), well, ...see you in Athens. A successful revolution there of course would have to be a prequel to revolutions in many other countries.

Being a revolutionary of course does not always imply military combat. The Mole digs tunnels everywhere.

[Comrade Wolfie's Very Nearly Banned Adventures]

http://thepriorart.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/dont_worry_sir_i_m_from_the_internet.jpg

This is what would happen.

[Jazzratt]

http://thepriorart.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/dont_worry_sir_i_m_from_the_internet.jpg

This is what would happen. Totally applicable.

[Forward Union]

Totally applicable.


Haha yes that was pretty good timing.

[El Rojo]

interesting pic. we have a british para, picking up a yank, and although i suspect he is wearing DPMs, I have no idea where Internet man is from (aside from the internet, the point i guess)

[praxis1966]

I think a better question is if a nation had a revolution and there was a Marxist side, would it even want you?

I recall watching a rather interesting film called Examined Life (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1279083/) (Taylor, 2008). In it, the filmmakers talked to several contemporary philosophers, one of whom was Michael Hardt, an American who actually fought with FMLN (aka 'El Frente') guerrillas in El Salvador. At a certain point, they basically told him, "You know, we really appreciate the help and all, but if you really wanted to help us you'd go home and start a revolution in your own country." He responded, "But I'm from the US. How would that even be possible?" Their response was, "Well, you have mountains in your country don't you?" "Yes." "You have guns in your country don't you?" "Yes." "Well, what else do you need?"

The point is, if you really want to help third world revolutionaries, start a revolution in the first world.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I recall watching a rather interesting film called Examined Life (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1279083/) (Taylor, 2008). In it, the filmmakers talked to several contemporary philosophers, one of whom was Michael Hardt, an American who actually fought with FMLN (aka 'El Frente') guerrillas in El Salvador. At a certain point, they basically told him, "You know, we really appreciate the help and all, but if you really wanted to help us you'd go home and start a revolution in your own country." He responded, "But I'm from the US. How would that even be possible?" Their response was, "Well, you have mountains in your country don't you?" "Yes." "You have guns in your country don't you?" "Yes." "Well, what else do you need?"

LOL! :lol: What a ridiculous notion.

I'm guessing that's Michael Hardt of Hardt & Negri fame?

[samofshs]

LOL! :lol: What a ridiculous notion.

I'm guessing that's Michael Hardt of Hardt & Negri fame?
that's not a ridiculous notion at all. we're all just too scared to do it. we need an american che.

[Sam_b]

Forklifts deep in the Colombian jungles

Those so-called 'revolutionaries' deserve Psy.

[Os Cangaceiros]

that's not a ridiculous notion at all. we're all just too scared to do it. we need an american che.

It is a ridiculous notion. You know how long "the American Che" would last? About as long as it would take for 1st Special Forces to incinerate him with superior firepower.

Even if a Focoist revolution managed to overthrow political power in the USA, that's all it would overthrow: political power. We don't seek political upheaval...we seek social upheaval.

[praxis1966]

LOL! :lol: What a ridiculous notion.

I'm guessing that's Michael Hardt of Hardt & Negri fame?

I just looked it up and it's the same Michael Hardt. Admittedly, I've never actually read any of his work, and the thinking of the guerrillas was obviously a little simplistic, but it's a valid point. Doing activist work in the first world to help end suffering in the third world is exactly the kind of thing I think leftists in the former should be doing. Why exactly is that so ridiculous?

[Os Cangaceiros]

Doing political work related to your beliefs isn't ridiculous.

Grabbing a rifle and heading into the hills for a protracted people's war is, though.

[Sam_b]

we need an american che

No we don't. We need a mass of class consciousness rather than some hero worship figure. People that make these comments seem to have no real respect for the power of the working class when organised, and instead go to 'great leader' politics and idolism.

[praxis1966]

Doing political work related to your beliefs isn't ridiculous.

Grabbing a rifle and heading into the hills for a protracted people's war is, though.

Well, yeah, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make. I was trying to say that even if any of us did make an effort to join a revolution someplace (which would most likely be taking place in the third world) there's a fair to middling chance that they [the revolutionaries] would tell us to fuck off back home.

[samofshs]

It is a ridiculous notion. You know how long "the American Che" would last? About as long as it would take for 1st Special Forces to incinerate him with superior firepower.

Even if a Focoist revolution managed to overthrow political power in the USA, that's all it would overthrow: political power. We don't seek political upheaval...we seek social upheaval.
we already have social upheaval, the people of america are pissed off for the most part. they are just scared of the political side. and unless you're stupid, a guerilla war in america would not be hard to hold up.

[Os Cangaceiros]

we already have social upheaval, the people of america are pissed off for the most part. they are just scared of the political side. and unless you're stupid, a guerilla war in america would not be hard to hold up.

lol k.

[Sam_b]

and unless you're stupid, a guerilla war in america would not be hard to hold up.

Go start one yourself then.

Seriously, there is so much idiocy in this statement it beggers belief.