Revolution doesn’t actually need massive support, the US revolution had at most 30%. Che started with less than a thousand. You get the support by showing people it’s possible. Anytime anyone talks revolution in the US, what’s the response? “Hurr wut about the drones and tanks murica fuck yeah f22 m16” Well maybe not that exactly, but thats the gist. And it’s what everyone being oppressed but not as much as others thinks, that’s what oppressors want all oppressed to think, that its futile to resist, especially outside whatever rules they set up.
Incrementalism has the chance and historically just has suppressed the masses as each group feel they got enough, piece by piece. Say you get rail unions on board. They’re gun ho, they’ll help sabotage, they’re willing to fight to the end, etc; except we chose incrementalism, so when/if we get what they actually want, during the incremental improvement, they stop. They got theirs, and they will be scared of losing it if you go further. So they’ll become non revolutionary, then liberal, then conservative, all while growing more hateful and resentful. Not all of them mind you, but enough to hurt or kill your movement. We know this. This is primarily the black Republican vote in the US.
But maybe over a few generations, with tangible improvements in each?
Incrementalism doesn’t work, and the untold suffering and death caused by it rarely is less than a revolution and it’s consequences.
Incrementalism towards a revolution, then?
Revolution in Russia had the WW1, China, Cuba, Vietnam etc had anti-colonialism/anti-imperialism.
Revolution would need mass support, right? So the good people need to incrementally increase support among the populace too, right?
Revolution doesn’t actually need massive support, the US revolution had at most 30%. Che started with less than a thousand. You get the support by showing people it’s possible. Anytime anyone talks revolution in the US, what’s the response? “Hurr wut about the drones and tanks murica fuck yeah f22 m16” Well maybe not that exactly, but thats the gist. And it’s what everyone being oppressed but not as much as others thinks, that’s what oppressors want all oppressed to think, that its futile to resist, especially outside whatever rules they set up.
Incrementalism has the chance and historically just has suppressed the masses as each group feel they got enough, piece by piece. Say you get rail unions on board. They’re gun ho, they’ll help sabotage, they’re willing to fight to the end, etc; except we chose incrementalism, so when/if we get what they actually want, during the incremental improvement, they stop. They got theirs, and they will be scared of losing it if you go further. So they’ll become non revolutionary, then liberal, then conservative, all while growing more hateful and resentful. Not all of them mind you, but enough to hurt or kill your movement. We know this. This is primarily the black Republican vote in the US.
"It’s a cheap generosity that promises the future as compensation for the present. "