what is a revolution?

Well put Roger.

Carl Jarvis

 

From Roger Loran Bailey

Revolution is self defense! Let me explain again where revolutionary
violence comes from. In a class society there is a small ruling class
that rules. That is why they are called a ruling class. They force their
will on the majority and exploit that majority. There is no way around
the fact that the exploited masses are going to get to feel resentful of
this situation and take actions that will make the situation more fair.
They do not have to understand class dynamics. They do not have to have
a scientific plan of action. They do not necessarily even have to be
organized even though organizing is a natural outcome of this kind of
situation. They do know, though, that they are being treated unfairly
and they do resent it and so they start to do things that they at least
hope will make things more just. The more just the situation gets the
more the power and privilege of the ruling class erodes, so the ruling
class pushes back. This is called the class struggle. The class struggle
can be a long drawn out process and there are ebbs and flows both ways.
Some times one class gets an advantage and sometimes the other class
gains and concessions advances and retreats happen along the way, but
with every retreat or concession the exploited class makes the more the
unjustness of their position becomes and the more they resent it and the
more they push, so there is a tendency toward a sharpening of the class
struggle. The ruling class is now and then forced into concessions and
retreats too and when they make those concessions they do so because
they think it would be to their greater disadvantage to not do so. The
more of a disadvantage they find themselves in, though, the stronger
they push back. Then what do you suppose happens when they actually see
their power and privilege in real danger of being removed. That is the
ultimate danger for them and they will take the ultimate measures to
prevent it. That is, they will strike out with violence. In self defense
the people who have been struggling for justice have to meet the
violence with violence too. That is revolution. Violence is, of course,
undesirable. It just ends too many innocent lives and even if you do not
consider the waste of lives it kind of destroys a lot of property that
could have been put to good use. The violence may be unavoidable, but if
you have people available who have prepared for it and know what kind of
outcome to strive for then the violence can be shortened and the likely
chaotic outcomes can be avoided. So advocating for violent revolution is
not a really sane thing to do and if you hear someone actually
advocating for it then you should at the very least be suspicious. If
you hear someone saying that it must be prepared for and directed,
though, then pay attention