Unlike syndicalist general strike proponents, Luxemburg didn’t think the GS was always & everywhere THE revolutionary tactic—“a crafty method discovered by subtle reasoning for the purpose of making the proletarian struggle more effective”. (“Try This One Weird Trick to Start the Revolution”) - ThreadSky

jlfeldman.bsky.social • 15 days ago

Unlike syndicalist general strike proponents, Luxemburg didn’t think the GS was always & everywhere THE revolutionary tactic—“a crafty method discovered by subtle reasoning for the purpose of making the proletarian struggle more effective”. (“Try This One Weird Trick to Start the Revolution”)

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jlfeldman.bsky.social•15 days ago

It was under the circumstances of 1905 in Russia, after a decade of growing organization and strike activity—and repression—that workers produced a situation in which the GS was, in Luxemburg’s view, “the method of motion of the proletarian mass”. (She thought the same was true in Germany.)

jlfeldman.bsky.social•15 days ago

But imagine how the idea of a general strike will sound to someone who has never won something by taking risky actions with others (let alone with coworkers). Many are skeptical that such action could do anything but get them fired (or worse).

jlfeldman.bsky.social•15 days ago

Some are shouting into the cloud about how labor is failing America by not calling for a GS. May I recommend talking to coworkers about the changes you all would like to make at *your* workplace & making a plan to win them? You could use the amazing resources put out by @organizeworkers.bsky.social

jlfeldman.bsky.social•15 days ago

Or replace “coworkers” with “neighbors” and “workplace” with “town,” or whatever. In doing this myself, I learned how risk-averse many people are & how hard it is to get them to do the thing that—they do not yet know—will make their lives better. But over time, and with small wins, trust can develop

jlfeldman.bsky.social•15 days ago

As @ericblanc.bsky.social suggests here, this admin’s labor repression is meant to prevent us from building such worker/people power. Acting in solidarity with federal workers—and getting people in your network to do the same—would be a great way to build toward smth bigger https://bsky.app/profile/ericblanc.bsky.social/post/3lhw76xd4ec2n

jlfeldman.bsky.social•15 days ago

I’m not sure what the “method of motion” of the proletarian masses is today, but if there is such a method and it turns out to be revolutionary, it will not emerge ex nihilo. It will have a history—one that we can all contribute to.

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