by Robert 12X Holbrook
In Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, the former guerrilla leader of the Sandinista Movement and one-time president in the 1980’s has been swept back into the presidency; not at the head of a guerrilla column but through elections and popular support. In Bolivia, Evo Morales, a former cocoa farmer from the Indian highlands of Bolivia is elected president and with large popular support nationalized the Bolivian oil industry and returns more of the proceeds to the poor. They join Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez in checking Amerikkkan imperialism and interference in Latin America. Brazil and Ecuador also have popularly elected leftist governments that have checked Amerikkkan plans to turn all of Latin America into a free trade zone, rejecting Amerikkkan neoliberal policies in the region. Even Chile, historically a staunch Amerikkkan ally, is ruled by a socialist government lukewarm to Amerikkkan plans.
In the Middle East Amerikkka’s goal of importing its "democratic ambitions" has been inverted with elections in Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt empowering governments and movements opposed to Amerikkkan interference. In Lebanon Hezbollah defeated an Israeli invasion and is now the power broker in Lebanon with massive support throughout Lebanon’s religious communities. Amerikkkan and Israeli allies in Lebanon have been forced to distance themselves from Amerikkkan goals and ambitions. In Egypt, despite government repression by Amerikkkan-backed dictator Husni Mubarak, the banned Muslim Brotherhood won over 80 seats in parliament and would be voted into power if free elections were held. Their success and popular support resulted in Mubarak suspending further elections for two years.
In occupied Palestine the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas shocked the world and won the latest Palestinian elections, stunning the Amerikkkans and Israelis who are now forced to support the corrupt movement they previously labeled "irrelevant." In addition they cut all foreign aid to Occupied Palestine as retribution towards the Palestinian people for exercising their right to choose their own government. In Jordan the pro-Amerikkkan punk King Abdullah refuses to hold elections because, in his own words, it would bring the Muslim Brotherhood to power, and would damage Jordanian-Amerikkkan relations. Actually, it would remove an Amerikkkan puppet and give power to a movement opposed to Amerikkka. In Iraq a popular resistance has stifled the once invincible Amerikkkan military. Amerikkkans can do nothing but die in Iraq.
In Nepal a Maoist guerrilla movement has been swept up in a popular uprising that forced the corrupt monarchy to resign. The guerrillas have moved into a popularly supported transitional government, ending their 10-year insurgency.
From the Horn of Africa to South America popular uprisings and movements are gaining ground and removing Amerikkkan-backed regimes from power. All these movements have some form of populism in common.
It is often assumed that revolutions are led by professional revolutionaries whose duty would be to manufacture revolution. The end of the Cold War has changed that thinking, rending "vanguard" revolutionary movements obsolete. The future of revolutionary struggle will be popular and decentralized rebellions.
Two revolutionary movements on opposite sides of the world have inspired the oppressed, showing that struggle and resistance is possible in the post-Cold War world. Opposition to capitalism and imposed "democracy" no longer seem impossible. In 1994 the Zapatistas stormed out of the mountains and seized a portion of Chiapas, introducing the world to de-centralized revolutionary committees that actually placed power in the hands of the people and communities, rather than bureaucrats and ideologues. Here was a whole community, from bottom to top committed to revolution, a true popular movement. The Mexican government could not crush it through force of arms and reluctantly came to a peace agreement. While all the Zapatista’s goals have not been achieved their future is still in their control.
In the Gaza strip, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas initiated an armed struggle against Israeli settlers that culminated in the 1999-2003 2nd Intifada. The de-centralized structure of Hamas political and military wings prevented Israel from destroying the movement despite a lethal asassination campaign, culminating in the 2004 assassination of Hamas’s founder and spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. The assassinations only strengthened Hamas and increased its popular support. This explains Hamas’s overwhelming electoral victory in 2006 and their refusal to renounce armed struggle or recognize Israel as long as the occupation continues. These two movements, one secular, one religious, have redefined revolutionary struggle in the 21st century.
"Populism" appears to be the only way to challenge Amerikkkan oppression. Populism swings both ways and has produced its share of dictators and tyrants, but so has many a revolution been undermined by a dictator or tyrant coming to power in the name of the people. Like all movements populism will and can be used by both revolutionary and reactionary forces contending for power. In all contests it will be up to the people to ensure that the principles and demands of the people are upheld and power is de-centralized. There are many who want to cling to their centralized concept of revolutionary parties and ideologies in the name of the people, obsolete relics from a bygone era.
