One per cent or 99 per cent?

Review

By Ray Jones

Revolutionary Democracy: Vol XVIII, No 1&2, April-September 2012. £4 including postage from NCP Lit, PO Box 73, London SW11 2PQ

AGAIN Revolutionary Democracy spans the world in its coverage but this issue does concentrate on the complex and fascinating situation in India.

There is a large slab of theory from Rafael Martinez who looks at the economic roots of modern revisionism in Bogdanov and Bukharin. But it starts in the United States with a discussion on the Occupy movement. George Gruenthal raises the issue of the "One per cent verses the 99 percent" slogan and the refusal of some in the movement to use class terms, thus causing possible political confusion.

George takes the case where some demonstrators took up the chant "the cops are the 99 per cent" and others replied (including himself) with "the cops protect the one per cent".

Both chants can be said to be true in various times and places and the issue certainly point out the problems when working with chants and slogans. We do have to explain the situation in class and scientific terms but it would be unrealistic to expect new and diverse movements not to attempt to tread new ground and experiment.

This issue ends on cultural notes with Music and the Epoch of Socialism by LF Boross (1936) and poetry from Gerald Peel (1939) with a piece simply called Stalin –

"All over the world

they are reviling one man, the enemies of the people..."

And they are still at it today!

This Indian communist magazine has once again brought together a number of thoughtful as well as controversial articles on problems facing the working class movement today.

 Can I say by way of a postscript: it would be good if Rev Dem reinstated the page numbers on the contents page.