In an essay titled "Black Like Mao: Red China and Black Revolution" written by Robin D.G. Kelley
and Betsy Esche for the critical academic journal Souls, the authors chronicle the socialist movements of the 1960s and 70s, giving
particular emphasis to the role of black citizens around the globe and people
of color in general. They first
highlight the intellectual fascination of black Americans with Mao Tse-Tung and
the Chinese revolution. Moa and many
other socialist revolutionaries pay tribute in acknowledgement to the
international black freedom struggle, citing the African slave trade as the
genesis of colonialist / imperialist oppression. During this time in the 60s and 70s countries
of the Third World began forming, seeking liberation by overthrowing imperial
powers. This liberation movement became
a source of inspiration for revolutionaries around the globe. Influential black American figures such as
Malcolm X, Bobby Seale, Huey Newton, WEB Du Bois, and Vicki Garvin, all tapped into the energies
of this global movement, as a source of domestic revolutionary fuel. State sponsored violence thwarted many
revolutionary schemes, through programs like COINTELPRO, or CIA sponsored assassinations
of political figures. Maoism also
influence the women’s liberation movement, which Kelley and Esche touch
on.
Those
in power will always find ways to maintain that power, and maintain the status
quo. Reading this essay was inspiring and depressing at the same time. There was so much energy among young folks
around the world at this time. I envy
that. At the same time, their stories,
their experiences have been all but erased.
Their ideals and imagined futures have yet to (if ever) materialize, and
in many ways, we have not “progressed” from the place of globalized
exploitation which these radicals were fighting against. Where is that energy today? Will it return, and manifest in intersectional international revolutions? Has the internet age aided a resurgence of
this radical energy or pacified it? I
have so many questions and concerns about the ideas these people fought for,
and I see imperfections in their convictions, but I admire these radicals
actually doing something!
They say something beautiful is much easier destroyed
than created, but when the world has been so ugly, how could you have any other
option but to change it by any means necessary?
The only way things could get worse is by a giving up the struggle for
something better. I love this quote from
the text and it speaks to much of what I am feeling and take away from the
reading, “Ideas alone do not change the world, however. People Do. And having the willingness and energy to
change the world requires more than the correct analysis and direct engagement
with the masses: It takes faith and will.”
Questions
·
How important is “getting it right?” Are we wasting time/energy/intellect arguing
over perfecting Marxism rather than acting to change what we know is not working
for everyone?
·
Where do we see these revolutionary energies
playing out in the world today? Are they
in mediums in which we can participate?
I'd like to take on that first question. So I recently read "Poor People's Movements" which is FANTASTIC and I HIGHLY recommend it. In the introduction, it addressed this question, a question in which I have found myself struggling with for way too long. Essentially, it argues that progressive movements have always struggled with this question and that it inherently prevents progress and slows movements down. There comes a point (and it will never be identified until later on) in which action is the only way to help a cause. Because it can only be identified in retrospect, better to act instead of react. Don't wait for an example of an injustice to attack it, create a space of justice before injustice can get there because chances are, you missed out on seeing the injustice when it's already there.
ReplyDeleteThe union of the the revolutionist ideals found in Mao's revolt and the black freedom struggle showcase the connectivity of global events and that such connectivity is not unique to the period of social media, but began much earlier. very interesting.
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