in Esperanto
Chapter 9: THE PROCESS OF THE UNARMED REVOLUTION
A communist society can be realized through the unarmed revolution by plebs. A powerful means of achieving this is collective non-voting as mentioned earlier. So what is the specific process?
1. Figure out the timing of the revolution.
1.1. Continuation of social pain
In this chapter, I would like to consider a process that could serve as a model for a possible revolution, focusing on the other method of revolution discussed in the previous chapter, namely, a revolution based on collective non-voting. The first hurdle in doing so is determining the timing of the revolution.
While a revolution does not take place on a set date like a coup d'état, it also does not suddenly erupt one day like a major earthquake. There is a time when a revolution is ripe. In particular, revolutions based on collective non-voting are different from popular uprising revolutions, which are often sparked by spontaneous demonstrations, and the timing is delicate. So, what is the timing?
First of all, it is necessary for many people to clearly recognize the limitations of capitalism. It means that the fear that we will no longer be able to live under capitalism takes on a realistic sense of urgency.
However, a sudden Great Depression situation will not immediately lead to a revolution. Historically, the Great Depression that began in 1929 did not lead to revolutions, not only in its epicenter, the United States, but also in Europe, Asia, and other countries.
In the midst of a sudden economic crisis, the masses can endure temporary poverty and feel that the sun will rise again once the storm passes, so the will to end capitalism through revolution does not emerge. As stated in the United States Declaration of Independence, "mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
Therefore, the timing of a revolution would be when a situation of continued insufferable pain becomes established. Specifically speaking, this social pain, which should also be called capitalist pain, is not only general anxiety about food and shelter due to the worsening environmental crisis, but also chronic conditions such as constant life insecurity due to job insecurity and pension insecurity, the disintegration of local communities and family breakdown due to the progressing loss of human sociability, and an increase in crime due to these factors.
On the other hand, if established parliamentary politics (or electoral politics in general) is unable to take any effective and appropriate measures to deal with such chronic crises, and if the situation continues without any measures, people's patience will reach its limit. When these conditions is almost certain, it can be said to signal the beginning of a revolution.
1.2. The era of late capitalism
So, when exactly will the revolution begin? In this regard, the currently progressing and expanding "global capitalism" is taking on the aspect of a "tsunami economy" in which an economic and financial crisis in one country spreads throughout the world. It is also necessary to take into account the stagnation of economic activity caused by natural phenomena such as abnormal weather, major disasters, and infectious diseases, which can trigger a global economic recession.
In addition, even if the economy turns into a boom/growth phase for a while, capital companies will prepare for unforeseen circumstances and strive to save on personnel costs more than ever (preventive exploitation), resulting in a "(stable) economic recovery/economic growth without employment." There is a high possibility that this will happen. In that case, the paradoxical phenomenon of "hard life in a booming economy'' becomes quite normal.
"Global capitalism" will destabilize the world economic system, and the limits of capitalism will be strongly exposed in each country of the world in its own way. If we look at it this way, we can be allowed for diagnosing that capitalism has already entered a late period of sustained suffering as described earlier - if not the apocalyptic stage.
1.3. The time to form the Commons' Convention
If this is the case, it can be said that the momentum for the establishment of the Commons' Convention as a revolutionary movement organization, as proposed in the previous chapter, is arriving. The basic structure of this organization was described in the previous chapter, so I will not repeat it.
What I would like to summarize here is that the new communist revolution of the 21st century (and beyond) will be a global series of revolutions that begins with the formation of the World Commons' Convention, completes revolutions by the Commons' Conventions at the national level, and ends with the creation of the World Commonwealth. The subject of this chapter is to further refine the details of that process.
