The systemic breakdown that our socioeconomic system is creating has the potential to do more than worsen the suffering of the people. Capitalism has survived so long because it’s been able to exploit the crises it creates, to profit off of wars, depressions, pandemics, and environmental catastrophes. Yet in certain instances, these crises have instead produced victories for the working class. World War I made the Russian revolution possible, World War II made the Chinese revolution possible, the living standards crisis that the IMF engineered across the Global South made the formation of many anti-imperialist governments possible. When the capitalists disrupt society, they do so with the risk that the outcome will be not greater profits but an end to their rule.
It’s certainly up for debate. I mean, I’m not sold on my own position, but what I’m mostly against right now is comrades getting themselves killed, thrown in jail, or denied jobs or travel because they tried to organize explicitly against the government.
I guess my main point is that it will happen “when the conditions are right”, and these conditions cannot be accelerated by us. They are dependent on the global south and America’s own ruling class. I think the best we can do right now is to build meaningful relationships with people we can trust, so that when the real fascist “crunch” comes (almost in tandem with climate change) in the form of knocking on doors, homelessness, hunger, stripping workers rights etc., those relationships allow people to lend a hand and relieve suffering. Things like organizing for food handouts and shelter are very crucial here.
I agree that it will happen at some point, and spreading the gospel of Marx is something that should be done at all times. And the community organizing/relationship strengthening/educating people about socialism all play into the formation of an environment that makes it easier for a vanguard party to establish itself. These are the things that are within our control. In other words, I think by navigating the challenges of a declining America in a socialist manner you already start to lay the foundation for whatever happens in the future.
It’s true we don’t need a majority, but there are other major events that may need to pass before a vanguard party can be established. Things that are outside of our control. And part of that is a weakening of the ruling class (if it’s by a split, well who knows when they’ll split, which would weaken them tremendously). Whether this happens through gradual decline or suddenly through war with China I don’t know. And the other part is a (severe) decrease in the living conditions of white America/“middle income”/intelligentsia/whatever part of the proletariat is bought off/etc.
I think most Americans need to prepare for living conditions that can (and almost surely will) get much worse.