Victory
17th August 2010, 18:54
I've decided to write an article on "Focoism", the theory developed by Che Guevara after he took part in the Cuban Revolution and used his experience as a guerrilla to develop this theory.
The purpose of me writing this article is to educate people on the reality of Focoism, not some misinterpretation argued by somebody who has never studied Focoism or has misunderstand the actual meaning.
"Foco" in Spanish means Focus. The theory is labelled "Focoism" for a specific and accurate reason. - Because the principled idea of Focoism is to become the "focus" of attention.
Che Guevara put forward the argument that a small group of revolutionaries need not wait for revolutionary conditions to arise, instead Che Guevara argued that revolutionary conditions could be created by a popular uprising which would then become the Focus of attention and in-turn gain support from the oppressed masses.
I often hear Communists claim that Focoism does not work, that it is idealistic and that it has failed across the whole of Latin America. The truth could not be far more different, and would be known by all if they truly understood the theory of Focoism, and had not been told by others the incorrect meaning or analysis of it's history.
The FARC is based on the theory of Focoism. No matter what people outside the FARC claim, the FARC is not a principled Marxist-Leninist organisation. The FARC consists of progressive compatriots who support the stated goals of the leadership (Exactly the same strategy Che Guevara used in Bolivia)- Anybody who supports the objectives of the FARC can join, whether you be a social-democrat, a Socialist or a Communist.I am using the FARC as an example both because I know a lot about them and because they are a living example of a revolutionary movement based on the Focoist theory.
The FARC started out as a small group of revolutionaries that initiated an uprising in defence of the oppressed people living in the rural areas of Colombia, who were being isolated and left to die by the state of Colombia, as they still are today.By becoming the Focus of attention, the FARC gained the support of the popular masses and were able to build an army that can challenge the state of Colombia.
Even today, the FARC are still based on the Focoist theory. The FARC still prime themselves as being the alternative for the oppressed people of Colombia, and through resisting the state, they aim to influence enough people in joining the FARC in their efforts to resist and overthrow the state of Colombia. - This is the Focoist theory - To be an influential vanguard that offers a progressive alternative to the oppressed people, which in-turn aims to gain the popular support of the masses in order to overthrow the state in question and install a different regime.
People often misinterprete revolutionary struggles and automaticly don't consider them "Focoist", simply because they are not waving a banner saying "We base our strategy on the Focoist theory".
It is true that vanguards have failed in overthrowing a state whilst basing itself on the Focoist theory. However, the same can be said with the traditional Marxist-Leninist methods of creating revolution, which have been failing and creating nothing for more than a century in the vast majority of countries worldwide.- Yet people often feel the need to label the theory put forward by Che Guevara; "Idealistic", "Incorrect" and "Unworkable". - Using the same analysis in which those people criticize "Focoism", could be said in exactly the same way about the traditional methods in building revolution used by Communists. In fact, it could be said about any strategy ever used in human history, because, some struggles fail, and some struggles succeed. - The same way they have since time began.The fact is, and Communists should know this more than anybody. Different strategies are better used depending on the conditions. We should apply different strategies to conditions which make the strategy more likely to work.For example, A solely working class Revolution would not have succeeded in China at the time it did because the vast majority of people living in China were peasants - Therefore there needed to be a strategy developed which included the peasantry.
People often build an analysis of "Focoism" based on Che Guevara's attempts in Bolivia. - To do this is simplistic and would be a big mistake.
There were many, many reasons why the struggle in Bolivia failed. - Whether it be because the Communist Party of Bolivia refused to support armed struggle, whether it be because the miners strike which was triggered by the uprising was ruthlessly repressed, or whether it be because the local population in Bolivia did not trust foreigners.This does not mean "Focoism" does not work, simply because the struggle failed in Bolivia.To say that would be exactly the same as saying Marxism-Leninism does not work simply because the Soviet Union collapsed. - It's a simplistic warped analysis based on incorrect evaluations and conclusions.
Che Guevara always argued that the Focoist theory was based on developing countries, which is why Focoism was first argued in "Guerrilla Warfare", a type of warfare which is only ideal for developing countries.
But don't write off Focoism simply because other countries tried to use Focoism as a strategy, but failed. If you were to do that, you should be throwing the traditional methods of building revolution by slowly educating people about Socialism in the bin, because like Focoism, that has also failed in struggles.
The purpose of me writing this article is to educate people on the reality of Focoism, not some misinterpretation argued by somebody who has never studied Focoism or has misunderstand the actual meaning.
"Foco" in Spanish means Focus. The theory is labelled "Focoism" for a specific and accurate reason. - Because the principled idea of Focoism is to become the "focus" of attention.
Che Guevara put forward the argument that a small group of revolutionaries need not wait for revolutionary conditions to arise, instead Che Guevara argued that revolutionary conditions could be created by a popular uprising which would then become the Focus of attention and in-turn gain support from the oppressed masses.
I often hear Communists claim that Focoism does not work, that it is idealistic and that it has failed across the whole of Latin America. The truth could not be far more different, and would be known by all if they truly understood the theory of Focoism, and had not been told by others the incorrect meaning or analysis of it's history.
The FARC is based on the theory of Focoism. No matter what people outside the FARC claim, the FARC is not a principled Marxist-Leninist organisation. The FARC consists of progressive compatriots who support the stated goals of the leadership (Exactly the same strategy Che Guevara used in Bolivia)- Anybody who supports the objectives of the FARC can join, whether you be a social-democrat, a Socialist or a Communist.I am using the FARC as an example both because I know a lot about them and because they are a living example of a revolutionary movement based on the Focoist theory.
The FARC started out as a small group of revolutionaries that initiated an uprising in defence of the oppressed people living in the rural areas of Colombia, who were being isolated and left to die by the state of Colombia, as they still are today.By becoming the Focus of attention, the FARC gained the support of the popular masses and were able to build an army that can challenge the state of Colombia.
Even today, the FARC are still based on the Focoist theory. The FARC still prime themselves as being the alternative for the oppressed people of Colombia, and through resisting the state, they aim to influence enough people in joining the FARC in their efforts to resist and overthrow the state of Colombia. - This is the Focoist theory - To be an influential vanguard that offers a progressive alternative to the oppressed people, which in-turn aims to gain the popular support of the masses in order to overthrow the state in question and install a different regime.
People often misinterprete revolutionary struggles and automaticly don't consider them "Focoist", simply because they are not waving a banner saying "We base our strategy on the Focoist theory".
It is true that vanguards have failed in overthrowing a state whilst basing itself on the Focoist theory. However, the same can be said with the traditional Marxist-Leninist methods of creating revolution, which have been failing and creating nothing for more than a century in the vast majority of countries worldwide.- Yet people often feel the need to label the theory put forward by Che Guevara; "Idealistic", "Incorrect" and "Unworkable". - Using the same analysis in which those people criticize "Focoism", could be said in exactly the same way about the traditional methods in building revolution used by Communists. In fact, it could be said about any strategy ever used in human history, because, some struggles fail, and some struggles succeed. - The same way they have since time began.The fact is, and Communists should know this more than anybody. Different strategies are better used depending on the conditions. We should apply different strategies to conditions which make the strategy more likely to work.For example, A solely working class Revolution would not have succeeded in China at the time it did because the vast majority of people living in China were peasants - Therefore there needed to be a strategy developed which included the peasantry.
People often build an analysis of "Focoism" based on Che Guevara's attempts in Bolivia. - To do this is simplistic and would be a big mistake.
There were many, many reasons why the struggle in Bolivia failed. - Whether it be because the Communist Party of Bolivia refused to support armed struggle, whether it be because the miners strike which was triggered by the uprising was ruthlessly repressed, or whether it be because the local population in Bolivia did not trust foreigners.This does not mean "Focoism" does not work, simply because the struggle failed in Bolivia.To say that would be exactly the same as saying Marxism-Leninism does not work simply because the Soviet Union collapsed. - It's a simplistic warped analysis based on incorrect evaluations and conclusions.
Che Guevara always argued that the Focoist theory was based on developing countries, which is why Focoism was first argued in "Guerrilla Warfare", a type of warfare which is only ideal for developing countries.
But don't write off Focoism simply because other countries tried to use Focoism as a strategy, but failed. If you were to do that, you should be throwing the traditional methods of building revolution by slowly educating people about Socialism in the bin, because like Focoism, that has also failed in struggles.