Simple questions by the numbers.. the majority in the United Snakes: revolutionary or not?
by Prairie Fire
(monkeysmashesheaven.wordpress.com)
The median annual household income for 2006 was $48,201 (USD) according to the United States Census Bureau. (1) Per household member (including all working and non-working members above the age of 14) it was $26,036 (USD). (2)
What is a median? A median is found by arranging all incomes from poorest to wealthiest and, then, picking the income in the middle, the income that separates the poorest half from the wealthiest half. Half of all households in the United States make more than $48,201 (USD). Per household member, half make more than $26,036 (USD).
Okay. Let’s convert these numbers using current exchange rates as of February 28, 2008. Let’s ask some questions:
Is a Filipino that makes 1,054,000 Philippine pesos (PHP) per year part of the proletariat? Is a person in the United States that has access to 1,054,000 Philippine pesos (PHP) in income or capital a year part of the proletariat?
Is an Indian that makes 1,038,000 Indian Rupees (INR) per year part of the proletariat? Is a person in the United States that has access to 1,038,000 Indian Rupees (INR) in income or capital a year part of the proletariat?
Is a Nepalese that makes 1,690,000 Nepalese Rupee (NPR) per year part of the proletariat? Is a person in the United States that has access to 1,690,000 Nepalese Rupee (NPR) in income or capital a year part of the proletariat?
Is a Mexican that makes 278,000 Mexican Pesos (MXN) per year part of the proletariat? Is a person in the United States that has access to 278,000 Mexican Pesos (MXN) in income or capital a year part of the proletariat?
Is a Sri Lankan that makes 2,812,000 Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) per year part of the proletariat? Is a person in the United States that has access to 2,812,000 Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) in income or capital a year part of the proletariat?
Is a Peruvian that makes 76,065 Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN) per year part of the proletariat? Is a person in the United States that has access to 76,065 Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN) in income or capital a year part of the proletariat?
If you answered “yes” to the above questions, then you are brain dead. You ought to go join some hippy cult, WWP, RIM or some other Fourth International. According to the RIM, as articulated in the RCP’s Draft Programme, 90% of all people in the United States are part of the revolutionary forces. This means that people with household incomes of $100,000 (USD), 4,049,000 Philippine Pesos (PHP), 3,985,000 Indian Rupees (INP), 6,493,000 Nepalese Rupees (NPR), 1,070,000 Mexican Pesos (MXN), 10,800,000 Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR), 292,000 Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN), are part of the revolutionary forces in the United States, according to the RIM. (3)
If you answered “no” to the above questions, then you are more scientifically inclined or, maybe, you just have a knack for seeing the obvious fact that there is no broad social base for revolution in the United States. You ought take up Maoism-Third Worldism.
If you refuse to answer these questions publicly, even though you know that the correct answers are “no,” then you should consider yourself a coward and a fence-sitter. You should not consider yourself a Marxist or Maoist. Revolutionary scientists are not afraid to speak the truth.
Who are our friends? Who are our enemies? This is a question of first importance. These are the opening words of Mao’s Selected Works. Those who cannot distinguish friends from enemies globally are not scientific communists. Without revolutionary science, carrying out communist revolution is impossible in the long term. The main dynamic that shapes our world is that the First World as a whole oppresses and exploits the Third World as a whole. Those who can’t see this obvious fact are not communists.
Notes.
1. http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032007/hhinc/new04_001.htm
2. http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032007/hhinc/new02_001.htm
3. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/h01ar.html (using a rough estimate slightly over the bottom of the fourth quintile)
Also see: Amerikkkans Rich, Indians Poor, High cost of living in the Third World, Shubel Morgan: Hate Amerikkka triple feature
Simple words lots of truth my grandmother used to say to me.However some “super lefts” who spell revolution for every 2 words they speak might say:”But life is much more expensive in america(or the first world in general)”.Well “expensive life” is relative.How many hours of work does a first world worker need to feed?And how many hours an African worker?Your article “High cost of living in the 3rd world” puts light in the matter.To say that these people are revolutionary forces is to completely misunderstand the nature of imperialism.
It amazes me how the fakes can sit around endlessly wrangling over their two-line struggle over whether Bob Avakian is awesome or, as their new synthesis claims, he is super-fucking awesome. How many pages have the fakes spent discussing the greatness of their goober leader, yet, they don’t do any concrete or original analysis of political economy or history?
That these groups end up as cults and pyramid schemes only proves what Monkey has been saying all along. There is more of a social basis for new-age cults and pyramid schemes than for real revolutionary groups in the First World.
Many years ago when firstly i visited the cult’s site you speak about it made me very suspicius the way they were reffering to him.”Our leader is Bob Avakian!”(So what??).Like he was similar to Stalin or Mao or something.And they reminded me the trotskites that endlessly speak about revolution as it is going to happen anytime soon.Trotskites:”Revolution is going to happen any time now and you are just sitting in your couch??Come on organize!!(Dont laugh its exactly as i say i swear).So it made me great impression that a party that claims to be maoist to use such identical language with Trotsky worshippers.Well reading some articles here and elsewhere i understand that they are purely Trotskites since their position in most matters is identical with them.
I read that Engels was saying that English workers where transforming into to bought off labor aristocracy since 1858 when they were starting to be net beneficiaries of colonialism.So what is to say today about amerikkkans and other First World populations that a huge financial gap divides them with Third World masses?
Sry for spamming.By the way so i can understand deeply what kind of people live in such houses?I mean are they doctors?Are they lawyers?Or are they “workers”?
I’d say “workers.” It looks like an average “middle-class” suburban neighborhood to me. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong.
It is crazy to think people with such wealth are proletarian. The first world has excess wealth. Why would they want to end imperialism when they have so much wealth? It makes no sense. At the core of Marxism is the idea that revolution is tied to misery and poverty. It is foolish to forget this.
amerikans simply don’t fit inside the *PROLETARIAN* box. all “commies” who see amerikans as exploited-are nothing but a bunch of pseudos.
From Forbes magazine: “As the economy has switched from manufacturing to services, some 28% of U.S. workers–or 43 million people–now belong to a licensed profession, according to a Princeton University/Gallup survey last year. That’s up from 4.5% 50 years ago. Over the same period union membership has fallen from 35% to 12%.”
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/0225/100.html
Couldn’t find the survey referenced, but here’s something close:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/18499/Workers-Describe-Jobs-Pay-Hours.aspx
There are hardly any Amerikans that can even broadly fit into the definition of “workers.” And why not. They are more likely to be professionals, administrators, executives, in sales and service, and other positions that don’t actually produce anything. They have to have migrants come in to do actual work that needs to be done here. Same in the rest of the First World. A real global proletarian revolution would freak out most Amerikans and First Worlders, and it should damn well do.
The Philippine middle petty-bourgeoisie can hardly afford about 1/4 of the entire lot area of those 1st world amerikan “working class” houses in the picture. Austerity is the number one rule when living in such a third world country.
this document has already been translated into tagalog. http://amihanmalaya.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/simpleng-katanungang-idadaan-sa-numero-ang-nakakarami-sa-united-snakes-rebolusyonaryo-o-hindi/