PHL323H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Structural Similarity, New Zealand National Rugby Union Team, Class Consciousness
Race and Resistance
Effect of race on methods of resistance
Connection between race and economic/class status
○
•
Newton: The Correct Handling of a Revolution
Watts riots
•
LA had segregated neighbourhoods still
Watts was a black ghetto
○
•
Black man drunk driving, physical altercation
Allegations of police brutality = 5 days or rioting
○
•
Rioting ineffectual (Newton)
Guerilla warfare = strategic and methodological
○
•
But the person who starts a riot is respected
Need to respect the BPP to imitate it
○
Use this to motivate organised guerilla warfare
○
•
BPP should use Lenin-style vanguard strategy
Most class conscious
○
Do anything to raise the consciousness of the proletariat
○
"True representative of the proletariat"
Goes against Marx
§
○
•
Engaged in violent resistance and social programmes
Mounted armed patrols and followed police in ghettos
Many incarcerated/killed
§
○
Free Breakfast for Children program
Propaganda spreading
§
○
•
Vanguard comprised of activists
Tested revolutionaries
○
Lead by example
○
Engage in educational initiatives
○
Must be visible until necessary to hide
○
•
Mass media
Needs its own communications organ + revolutionary art
○
•
Destruction and appropriation of oppressor's property
•
Cleaver: On the Ideology of the Black Panther Party
Relationship between BPP's race concerns and Marxism-Leninism•
Lumpenproletariat = sector of proletariat that is unable to achieve
"class consciousness"
They are not part of production and cannot be part of
revolutionary struggle
○
Receive welfare or state aid
○
•
Original ideology needed
Newton gave them this
○
But his teachings aren't known
○
Incarcerated for shooting a police officer
○
Watered down opinions passed on
○
Confusion between mass line (what party does) and party line
(what its goals are, institute non-racist socialist state)
○
•
Marxism-Leninism is a white movement concerned with the
European proletariat
European solutions to European problems
○
Evidence of racism
○
•
BPP wants (1) genuine application of Marxism-Leninism to the US
and (2) a genuine application of Marxism-Leninism to the Black
Urban population
Learnt from China/Korea to apply what is beneficial and
discard what is specific to Europe
1.
Fanon linking Marxist-Leninist ideas to non-white people
Only indirectly applicable to urban US
§
2.
•
Claims POCs in the US are also colonised so Fanon's ideas are
relevant
Internal colonisation = a colonial power structure between
groups within a single state
○
Structural similarity, not genetic origin
○
Applied Fanon's analysis of colonisation to US
○
White = colonisers, black = colonised
○
With class distinctions among white
○
All black people are Lumpenproletariat
○
•
White & black workers inhabit different eco-social-political realities
White workers inherently racist
○
Proletariat includes all, but unfinished in reality
○
•
Employed working class = right wing of proletariat
Unemployed Lumpen = left wing
○
•
Working class began antagonist towards bourgeoisie but moved
towards capitalism
They’ve been castrated and only look for wealth and security
○
Don't represent interests of proletariat, just working class
○
The communist party of America proclaims itself the vanguard
of the working class – but the working class itself looks to the
democratic party to help achieve its aims
○
Contemporary working class like trade guilds
○
Skill - qualifications - productivity
○
•
Labour-productivity connection different now:
Production not just a result of labour (mechanisation)
○
Most labour no longer unskilled
○
•
Working class no longer as revolutionary but can still gain from
revolution - "class hypocrisy"
•
Contradiction between right (working class) and left (Lumpen) wings
of the proletariat
Right has organisations, so left should too
○
Should represent interests of Lumpen against all hostile
classes
○
•
But how and where?
Institutions and means of production
○
•
Black lumpen doesn't have the same relationship to means of
production as the working class
Free breakfast programmes and alternative tactics
○
Legitimate action isn't an option for them
○
But alternative options are therefore legitimate
○
•
When open means of resistance are utilised, the working class
deems them unorganised, chaotic, undirected
Parallel with Fanon - only violent action available, looked
down upon
○
•
No immediate oppressor for Lumpen•
Goal is to change the system as a whole
Labour unions integrated in the system, can't lead resistance
○
Just like colonised intellectuals
○
•
Lecture 6
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
6:59 PM
Race and Resistance
Effect of race on methods of resistance
Connection between race and economic/class status
○
•
Newton: The Correct Handling of a Revolution
Watts riots•
LA had segregated neighbourhoods still
Watts was a black ghetto
○
•
Black man drunk driving, physical altercation
Allegations of police brutality = 5 days or rioting
○
•
Rioting ineffectual (Newton)
Guerilla warfare = strategic and methodological
○
•
But the person who starts a riot is respected
Need to respect the BPP to imitate it
○
Use this to motivate organised guerilla warfare
○
•
BPP should use Lenin-style vanguard strategy
Most class conscious
○
Do anything to raise the consciousness of the proletariat
○
"True representative of the proletariat"
Goes against Marx
§
○
•
Engaged in violent resistance and social programmes
Mounted armed patrols and followed police in ghettos
Many incarcerated/killed
§
○
Free Breakfast for Children program
Propaganda spreading
§
○
•
Vanguard comprised of activists
Tested revolutionaries
○
Lead by example
○
Engage in educational initiatives
○
Must be visible until necessary to hide
○
•
Mass media
Needs its own communications organ + revolutionary art
○
•
Destruction and appropriation of oppressor's property•
Cleaver: On the Ideology of the Black Panther Party
Relationship between BPP's race concerns and Marxism-Leninism•
Lumpenproletariat = sector of proletariat that is unable to achieve
"class consciousness"
They are not part of production and cannot be part of
revolutionary struggle
○
Receive welfare or state aid
○
•
Original ideology needed
Newton gave them this
○
But his teachings aren't known
○
Incarcerated for shooting a police officer
○
Watered down opinions passed on
○
Confusion between mass line (what party does) and party line
(what its goals are, institute non-racist socialist state)
○
•
Marxism-Leninism is a white movement concerned with the
European proletariat
European solutions to European problems
○
Evidence of racism
○
•
BPP wants (1) genuine application of Marxism-Leninism to the US
and (2) a genuine application of Marxism-Leninism to the Black
Urban population
Learnt from China/Korea to apply what is beneficial and
discard what is specific to Europe
1.
Fanon linking Marxist-Leninist ideas to non-white people
Only indirectly applicable to urban US
§
2.
•
Claims POCs in the US are also colonised so Fanon's ideas are
relevant
Internal colonisation = a colonial power structure between
groups within a single state
○
Structural similarity, not genetic origin
○
Applied Fanon's analysis of colonisation to US
○
White = colonisers, black = colonised
○
With class distinctions among white
○
All black people are Lumpenproletariat
○
•
White & black workers inhabit different eco-social-political realities
White workers inherently racist
○
Proletariat includes all, but unfinished in reality
○
•
Employed working class = right wing of proletariat
Unemployed Lumpen = left wing
○
•
Working class began antagonist towards bourgeoisie but moved
towards capitalism
They’ve been castrated and only look for wealth and security
○
Don't represent interests of proletariat, just working class
○
The communist party of America proclaims itself the vanguard
of the working class – but the working class itself looks to the
democratic party to help achieve its aims
○
Contemporary working class like trade guilds
○
Skill - qualifications - productivity
○
•
Labour-productivity connection different now:
Production not just a result of labour (mechanisation)
○
Most labour no longer unskilled
○
•
Working class no longer as revolutionary but can still gain from
revolution - "class hypocrisy"
•
Contradiction between right (working class) and left (Lumpen) wings
of the proletariat
Right has organisations, so left should too
○
Should represent interests of Lumpen against all hostile
classes
○
•
But how and where?
Institutions and means of production
○
•
Black lumpen doesn't have the same relationship to means of
production as the working class
Free breakfast programmes and alternative tactics
○
Legitimate action isn't an option for them
○
But alternative options are therefore legitimate
○
•
When open means of resistance are utilised, the working class
deems them unorganised, chaotic, undirected
Parallel with Fanon - only violent action available, looked
down upon
○
•
No immediate oppressor for Lumpen•
Goal is to change the system as a whole
Labour unions integrated in the system, can't lead resistance
○
Just like colonised intellectuals
○
•
Lecture 6
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
6:59 PM
Race and Resistance
Effect of race on methods of resistance
Connection between race and economic/class status
○
•
Newton: The Correct Handling of a Revolution
Watts riots•
LA had segregated neighbourhoods still
Watts was a black ghetto
○
•
Black man drunk driving, physical altercation
Allegations of police brutality = 5 days or rioting
○
•
Rioting ineffectual (Newton)
Guerilla warfare = strategic and methodological
○
•
But the person who starts a riot is respected
Need to respect the BPP to imitate it
○
Use this to motivate organised guerilla warfare
○
•
BPP should use Lenin-style vanguard strategy
Most class conscious
○
Do anything to raise the consciousness of the proletariat
○
"True representative of the proletariat"
Goes against Marx
§
○
•
Engaged in violent resistance and social programmes
Mounted armed patrols and followed police in ghettos
Many incarcerated/killed
§
○
Free Breakfast for Children program
Propaganda spreading
§
○
•
Vanguard comprised of activists
Tested revolutionaries
○
Lead by example
○
Engage in educational initiatives
○
Must be visible until necessary to hide
○
•
Mass media
Needs its own communications organ + revolutionary art
○
•
Destruction and appropriation of oppressor's property
•
Cleaver: On the Ideology of the Black Panther Party
Relationship between BPP's race concerns and Marxism-Leninism
•
Lumpenproletariat = sector of proletariat that is unable to achieve
"class consciousness"
They are not part of production and cannot be part of
revolutionary struggle
○
Receive welfare or state aid
○
•
Original ideology needed
Newton gave them this
○
But his teachings aren't known
○
Incarcerated for shooting a police officer
○
Watered down opinions passed on
○
Confusion between mass line (what party does) and party line
(what its goals are, institute non-racist socialist state)
○
•
Marxism-Leninism is a white movement concerned with the
European proletariat
European solutions to European problems
○
Evidence of racism
○
•
BPP wants (1) genuine application of Marxism-Leninism to the US
and (2) a genuine application of Marxism-Leninism to the Black
Urban population
Learnt from China/Korea to apply what is beneficial and
discard what is specific to Europe
1.
Fanon linking Marxist-Leninist ideas to non-white people
Only indirectly applicable to urban US
§
2.
•
Claims POCs in the US are also colonised so Fanon's ideas are
relevant
Internal colonisation = a colonial power structure between
groups within a single state
○
Structural similarity, not genetic origin
○
Applied Fanon's analysis of colonisation to US
○
White = colonisers, black = colonised
○
With class distinctions among white
○
All black people are Lumpenproletariat
○
•
White & black workers inhabit different eco-social-political realities
White workers inherently racist
○
Proletariat includes all, but unfinished in reality
○
•
Employed working class = right wing of proletariat
Unemployed Lumpen = left wing
○
•
Working class began antagonist towards bourgeoisie but moved
towards capitalism
They’ve been castrated and only look for wealth and security
○
Don't represent interests of proletariat, just working class
○
The communist party of America proclaims itself the vanguard
of the working class – but the working class itself looks to the
democratic party to help achieve its aims
○
Contemporary working class like trade guilds
○
Skill - qualifications - productivity
○
•
Labour-productivity connection different now:
Production not just a result of labour (mechanisation)
○
Most labour no longer unskilled
○
•
Working class no longer as revolutionary but can still gain from
revolution - "class hypocrisy"
•
Contradiction between right (working class) and left (Lumpen) wings
of the proletariat
Right has organisations, so left should too
○
Should represent interests of Lumpen against all hostile
classes
○
•
But how and where?
Institutions and means of production
○
•
Black lumpen doesn't have the same relationship to means of
production as the working class
Free breakfast programmes and alternative tactics
○
Legitimate action isn't an option for them
○
But alternative options are therefore legitimate
○
•
When open means of resistance are utilised, the working class
deems them unorganised, chaotic, undirected
Parallel with Fanon - only violent action available, looked
down upon
○
•
No immediate oppressor for Lumpen•
Goal is to change the system as a whole
Labour unions integrated in the system, can't lead resistance
○
Just like colonised intellectuals
○
•
Lecture 6
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 6:59 PM
Document Summary
Allegations of police brutality = 5 days or rioting. But the person who starts a riot is respected. Need to respect the bpp to imitate it. Do anything to raise the consciousness of the proletariat. Mounted armed patrols and followed police in ghettos. Needs its own communications organ + revolutionary art. Cleaver: on the ideology of the black panther party. Lumpenproletariat = sector of proletariat that is unable to achieve. They are not part of production and cannot be part of revolutionary struggle. Confusion between mass line (what party does) and party line (what its goals are, institute non-racist socialist state) Marxism-leninism is a white movement concerned with the. Bpp wants (1) genuine application of marxism-leninism to the us and (2) a genuine application of marxism-leninism to the black. Learnt from china/korea to apply what is beneficial and discard what is specific to europe. Claims pocs in the us are also colonised so fanon"s ideas are relevant.
