readytorunbook Chapter 311 Revolution, Not Revolutionary Bureaucrats
Chapter 311 Revolution, Not Revolutionary Bureaucrats
Alice, Alice, how many people have heard this name, how many have dreamt of it? How many young people have taken it as their guiding light, and how much glory has been embellished within it?
Since Amelia, how many people have regarded her as a role model of civilization, and how many have followed this embellished light?
Even though most of the West Columbia Front knew that Alice was among them, the small, pure white figure still surprised everyone when the August Faction launched their fiercest offensive after the conference began.
"So similar...too similar."
People admire her because she gave dignity to the land she ruled for the first time; people love her because she gave the world its present appearance. Alice is not only a wise ruler to the people of this planet, but also an advocate of science and a defender of humanism. Monarchists see power in her, capitalists see open trade and markets in her, and proletarian revolutionaries can grasp the revolutionary spirit in her words.
No one dares to say they understand her, because after Alice disappeared, people could still find statements in her words and writings such as "Truth is built within the range of cannons," "Science and technology are the primary productive forces," and "Only the people are the creators of history." Although she claimed that these were not theories she had first proposed, people have never been able to find the original authors of the annotations she used.
Now, despite the disbelief of many, she stands in this small city, Montana City on the shores of Lake Montana. The main members of the August Faction constantly remind themselves that she is an imposter, but she cannot suppress the emotions surging within her.
"...Comrades, fellow proletarians, we have summarized our past work, and our front has completed the great westward revolution, bringing us a people's army that has been tempered and refined..."
Is that Alice? No? Yes?
People couldn't tell, and several people came to their senses to find that the smaller, more dazzling figure was standing there.
"I propose that we reorganize our current revolutionary organization and grant supreme power to the committees established within the front. I, Alice Delalaye, hereby declare: 'Despotism is tyranny, and tyrants will inevitably suffer the consequences!' Our front will not accept the birth of a dictator!"
Alice believed that their revolution could not be built on the ambition or benevolence of any single person, but she was also certain that it could not be built on division.
In such a critical moment, strong individuals can usually provide the strongest will and determination, but she also firmly believes in the power of a strong collective, and she needs everyone to participate.
The Great Revolution of Proletarian Consciousness is not merely a learning movement, but also a movement of criticism and self-criticism. Its purpose is to instill a high level of revolutionary consciousness and emotion in society through extensive scientific and revolutionary education and collective revolutionary education among the working class. The movement will be carried out simultaneously within the broad revolutionary masses and fronts.
"There is a widespread understanding not only within our own ranks but also in our revolutionary base areas along the coast—that our revolution, like those before, is nothing more than an attack by a new regime on an old one."
Alice emphasized, "Indeed, but not entirely." She looked at the others in the room and said, "That is a one-sided view. Comrades, our revolution is not only an attack on the old regime, but also a self-liberation of our proletariat!"
"Since the dawn of civilization, labor has been the behavior that distinguishes humans from other animals. However, as civilization evolved and the family, private property, and the state emerged, labor was alienated. Workers were stigmatized in society and became the lowest of the low. Capitalists regarded them as pigs, and tyrants regarded them as weeds. And what about some of our revolutionaries? They also looked down on the working people, considering them stupid, inferior, and in need of us, the so-called 'awakened' and so-called 'vanguard,' to lead them."
"But I think our revolutionary comrades have realized one thing, in our practice with the laborers, we have realized one thing: the wisdom of the working people is brilliant, and they do not need any gentleman to raise his 'noble' head to 'save and liberate' them. They were considered dirty and ignorant by society in the past because capitalists needed them to be dirty and tyrants needed them to be ignorant."
Alice's words undoubtedly resonated with some people. Although the entire state of Montana had fallen into the hands of the Revolutionary Front, the problem was that not everyone in the Front was pure. A considerable number of them were opportunists. They raised their heads, accepted the official positions of the Revolutionary Front, and transformed themselves into so-called "revolutionary bureaucrats" to take office. Everything remained the same except for the red flag.
After the revolution, workers and peasants continued to be despised by some within the front. So what difference did it make before and after the revolution? Before the convention, Alice traveled to many places in Montana. She saw all of this and knew that if everything remained the same, what was the point of the revolution?
"And our people's revolutionary regime, as our equal working citizens, as the only important members of our new society, our vast working masses, the masses of our front, it is time for us to begin our transformation as citizens of the new society. The great revolution of proletarian consciousness will surely destroy all backward ideas and backward relations of production. Wherever the ideas born from the self-revolution of our revolutionary masses go, a new society will surely sprout!"
The Great Revolution of Proletarian Consciousness was summarized by Alice. The revolution she envisioned was not a group of people talking in a conference room, nor was it paving the way with guns and cannons, nor was it about wearing red flags while actually eyeing official positions.
Her ideal was to start from the minds of the workers, from the feet of those who actually stood in front of the machines, on the ground. She wanted those who were truly working to open their eyes, to know what they were supposed to do, why they were doing it, and how they were supposed to do it, instead of having empty heads and moving around by the so-called front representatives waving strings.
"Comrades! Long live our proletarian comrades, our workers, peasants, scientists, and soldiers! Long live the great proletarian revolution!"
Alice knew that her words today would offend many people, but she also knew, and she could see, that many people in the room were jubilant—those tanned by the sun, those with calloused hands, those who had actually done the work—who supported the decision. Regardless of the internal divisions within the front, everyone else knew that today's proposal would permanently change the future of the Colombian revolution.