Revolutions In "democratic" Countries

[Subversive Pessimist]

I hope this make sense.

What are we supposed to say to the people who we are supposed to "liberate", but have not voted for either the socialist or communist parties? Even though communists are generally popular in Eastern Europe, the majority have not voted for us leftists. So they had the chance if they wanted to, but they won't, so how are we supposed to say "hey, we're going to liberate you", when they do not want to be liberated?

[T_SP]

I think if we knew the full answer to this we would already be living in a Socialist country.
However consider this, how many Party political broadcasts have you seen for Leftist parties? How much newspaper space is dedicated to 'true' left wing politics?

Most Left parties are self funded and politics is a pricey business, as we refuse to affiliate with huge corporations ( not that they'd fund us when we want them publicly owned) finding the funds to get our ideology out there is a constant up hill struggle and it is only through the generosity of our members and supporters/sympathysers that we can even be a 'party'.

Also massive divides in the Left mean there are different variations and ways to essentially reach the same goal so who to vote for? Any Joe Bloggs on the street probably wouldn't have a clue when faced with 3 or 4 different parties all claimimg to be Socialist yet sniping at each other and saying there 'way' is best! I think if any Socialist party was given a huge injection of cash for an election campaign we may well get our revolution but until people stop believeing the lies of Capitalist politicians we may never stand a chance because it is they who whip our platform from under our feet!

Remeber the 'Red Scare'? People are still convinced 'Commies' are an evil breed hell bent on eating their kids and taking over the world :D

[YKTMX]

What are we supposed to say to the people who we are supposed to "liberate

Mistake one: "We" don't liberate anyone. We merely agitate so that, when the time comes, it's time for the people to liberate themselves.


but have not voted for either the socialist or communist parties

I don't really see the point you're making here. Voting for a left party in a bourgeois election doesn't give a worker any special impetus or insight. Most of the people who make the revolution will probably have never even considered socialist ideas 6 months before it happens


Even though communists are generally popular in Eastern Europe, the majority have not voted for us leftists

You seem to be confused between winning votes and the act of revolution. Revolution isn't done at the ballot box, it's done in streets and in the factories.


So they had the chance if they wanted to, but they won't, so how are we supposed to say "hey, we're going to liberate you

See answer one.


when they do not want to be liberated?

What your getting down to really here (even if you don't know it) is class consciousness. The working class just now doesn't see itself as a "class in itself", that is, a class ready to take power. They see themselves as individuals and "seperate". It doesn't stay like this though. When capitalism goes into crisis and the capitalists can no longer offer the "crumbs" they used to be able to, the workers revolt. Sometimes this leads to revolutionary struggle, sometimes it doesn't. The majority of the people who begin to see the world in a new light will not have been "radical" at all; the movement makes revolutionaries, it's not the other way about. The key point is this:

Revolutionaries don't make revolutions, people do.