Hi folks,

Today we’ll be discussing:

Revolution in the Revolution - Régis Debray

Today’s discussion is:

  • 1/18 - Discussion 2 - “The Principle Lesson for the Present”, “Some Consequences for the Future”, summary discussion on the whole book.

I’m reading the Grove press edition translated by Bobbye Ortiz. These seem to be some digital copies, but please share if you find a better one!

https://archive.org/details/revolutioninrevo0000regi_p5g2/page/n5/mode/2up

http://libgen.is/book/index.php?md5=CA5F03D21F0EED6587F9663A5FDA5D8D

Discussion Prompts

These are some ideas to address while considering this work. None of them are essential, and any of your own thoughts are very much welcome! I’ll be adding my own thoughts later today.

  • What is Debray saying and how is he saying it?

  • What has he missed? Is he wrong about anything?

  • Did anything surprise you?

  • Is this work applicable outside of the conditions of Latin America in the '60s? What parts are universally applicable?

  • Is this really a “nonessential” or would it be good for any communist to read it?

Next Discussion

Next week will be:

  • 1/25 - “Make Way for Winged Eros” - Alexandra Kollontai

https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1923/winged-eros.htm

Next Title

If you would like to suggest the title for 2/1 , please put in a separate comment with the words “submission suggestion”. I think the highest voted title should win.

Books should be:

  • not suggested for beginners.
  • not overly technical or philosophical (I’m just not smart enough to lead those discussions).
  • relatively short (so as not to lose too much momentum).
  • regionally or subject specific (like Che’s Guerilla Warfare is topically specific, or Decolonization is Not a Metaphor is regionally specific?).
  • readily available.

Thanks for your time! :)

  • @redtea
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    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Thank you, too.

    I’ll try to have another read through tomorrow and see if I can work that out. His final message seems to be a little spread out, so I agree it’s hard to pin down his solution in a single sentence. I wonder if a couple of his main arguments is simply to reject dogmatism, promote independent and effective organisation, and to argue in favour of letting-things-develop-as-necessary-depending-on-the circumstances?

    Edit: another thought, reading back over that Castro quote. Is he saying that the vanguard need not be ML? Or is he only arguing that it need not be an ML party? Would that change the argument? (He still makes the other points about Marxist education….)

    • diegeticscream[all]🔻OP
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      41 year ago

      It sounded to me like he’s arguing against organizing around solely political lines (an ML party) and arguing for organizing towards specific material goals (i.e. freeing Cuba).

      I do think I’ll get more from re-reading this, though!