For the average working-class person, classical music and the works of Shakespeare possess no relevance- as they make no sense. The workers are not conditioned to understand or appreciate these middle-class entities. Shakespeare and middle-class music have evolved out of the socio-economic privilege that is the cultural accumulation of the Bourgeoisie. In reality, this Bourgeois culture should not possess any meaning or relevance for the Proletariat. This is a body of pointless words and sounds imbued with a 'speciality' that only its creators can understand. The irony is that part of the profit generated by the labour of the Proletariat - and stolen by the Bourgeoisie - has provided the detached foundation of these exclusive cultural expression. Who cares 'What light through yonder window breaks?' Where is the food, clothing, medical care and housing in Mozart of Beethoven? The Bourgeoisie, of course, already possess these things and do not need to campaign to achieve these things again. The Bourgeoisie has accumulated the cream of Proletariat profit - kept the toilers completely impoverished - and built its opulent lifestyles upon the bones of the workers. Nice words and melodious notes do not free the mind of the workers from the oppression of the predatory capitalist system. The Bourgeoisie is free in the sense that it is dominant in the exploitative System it invented. The workers are subordinate. Being subordinate - the workers are forced to exist in a manner that sees the mind and body continuously oppressed. This encourages both inner and outer conflict and ensure emotional, psychological and physical violence rules the roost - not nice words or pleasant sounding musical notes. There are two ways forward. One is to reject the working-class and fully align with Bourgeois culture (and give-up any notion of Revolution). The second direction is to overthrow the Bourgeois System - and for the workers to sieze control of the means of production.
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Oliver Cromwell abolished the absolute monarchy that ruled Britain for centuries (in one form or another) in 1649 - and it was NEVER reinstated! What was established in its place was a 'Constitutional' monarchy allowed by Act of Parliament - and institution that is more 'theatre' than institute of governance - and which possesses NO real power (as it is legally and lawfully 'subordinate' to the Will of Parliament). This makes perfect sense - as this marks how the Bourgeoisie (or the 'middle-class') usurped political power from the Aristocracy - even though King Charles I made the valid point that as all the power of the British State resided in his personage (and his personage alone) - Parliament did NOT possess the legal right to a) try him, or b) inflict any sentence upon him. King Charles I, from the perspective of the aristocracy - retained ALL the power of the State in his personage which was represented only by his Will! In other words, his word was law. This arrangement was formulated centuries before by aggressive groups that simply assumed political dominance over the populace - and then enforced this dominance with arbitrary 'violence' termed 'justice'. Added to this dominance was the equally false assumption that this situation was 'Willed' by a God concept - and was therefore beyond dispute or alteration! Any attempt at altering this situation was viewed as contradicting the divine Will of God! This explains why Cromwell, although a very devout Christian, nevertheless, believed that the State enforcement of a religion (any religion) was wrong because it was 'evil'! He changed the definition of 'God', 'State' and 'Religion' - and he did this by fundamentally changing the relationship between these three distinct entities. As this was the case, Parliament pulled the legal rug from beneath the King Charles I feet, leaving him no legal or lawful defence following his complete military defeat. What is interesting is that NOTHING changed with the so-called 'Restoration'! Cromwell's basic re-definition of these relations stayed in place (empowering and justifying the Bourgeois seizure of political power) and still form the dominant legal framework today - despite a superficial legal fiction that gives the false impression that a 'Constitutional' monarch is the same as an 'Absolute' monarch - an assumption that is an obvious absurdity! If the British Crown today attempted to exercise any type of political power - Parliament would immediately 'abolish' it. If this is the case, what is the point of the British Crown? As an institution it signals which class the Bourgeoisie politically favours (that is, the 'Aristocracy' it overthrew) and which class it does not favour (the Proletariat - or that class which comprised the soldiers in the Parliamentarian 'New Model Army')! Although Cromwell's political orientation was the exact opposite - when his influence was overthrown in 1660 - the emerging Bourgeoisie abandoned its support (and promises made) to the ordinary masses that had fought and died for its cause - and instead switched its allegiance to the class it had fought against! By continuously supporting the aristocracy over the workers - the workers (although numerically superior) are politically the least powerful and are unable to influence society in their own favour.
DPRK: Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends Congratulatory Message to the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic! (29.3.2023)
Sangha Kommune (SSR) Blog: DPRK-Lao Relations - Flower Basket (112-2023) Vientiane General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party President of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos Tonglun Seesoul Comrade On the occasion of the 68th Anniversary of the Founding of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party - I send warm congratulations and Comradely greetings to the General Secretary and all members of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party! For the past 68 years since its Founding - the Lao People's Revolutionary Party has successfully organized and led the struggle of the Lao people to achieve independent development and prosperity of the country - while resolutely overcoming all kinds of challenges and difficulties at home and abroad! Today, under the precise leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party headed by Comrade General Secretary, the Lao people are making new strides in the struggle to implement the decisions of the Party's 11th Congress. I wish for greater achievements in the responsible work of Comrade General Secretary for the strengthening and development of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the welfare of the Lao people. In this aspiration I expresses a firm conviction. General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Kim Jong Un March 22, Juche 112 (2023) Pyongyang (End) www.kcna.kp (subject 112.3.22.) North Korean Language Article: http://www.kcna.kp/kp/article/q/35104d969cc6fb7cd36765b8ef06b3f8.kcmsf 경애하는 김정은동지께서 라오스인민혁명당 중앙위원회 총비서,라오스인민민주주의공화국 주석에게 축전을 보내시였다 비엔티안 라오스인민혁명당 중앙위원회 총비서 라오스인민민주주의공화국 주석 통룬 씨쑤릿동지 나는 라오스인민혁명당창건 68돐에 즈음하여 총비서동지와 라오스인민혁명당의 전체 당원들에게 열렬한 축하와 동지적인사를 보냅니다. 라오스인민혁명당은 창건후 지난 68년간 내외의 온갖 도전과 난관들을 과감히 극복하면서 나라의 자주적발전과 번영을 이룩하기 위한 라오스인민의 투쟁을 승리적으로 조직령도하여왔습니다. 오늘 라오스인민은 총비서동지를 수반으로 하는 라오스인민혁명당의 정확한 령도밑에 당 제11차대회 결정관철을 위한 투쟁에서 새로운 전진을 이룩하고있습니다. 나는 라오스인민혁명당의 강화발전과 라오스인민의 복리를 위한 총비서동지의 책임적인 사업에서 보다 큰 성과가 있기를 축원하면서 우리 두 당,두 나라사이의 전통적이며 동지적인 친선협조관계가 앞으로도 끊임없이 강화발전되리라는 굳은 확신을 표명합니다. 조선로동당 총비서 조선민주주의인민공화국 국무위원장 김정은 주체112(2023)년 3월 22일 평 양(끝) www.kcna.kp (주체112.3.22.) As the world slowly emerges from 'lock-down' and the threat of Covid-19 reduces (despite being far from over), people start to get back to the normal patterns of everyday life! Last year, during 2021, the Communist Party of China celebrated one-hundred Years of existence! The CPC has existed for one-hundred years and has held power since 1949! As Buddhism fundamentally 'rejects' greed, hatred and delusion, and given that predatory capitalism is premised upon greed, hatred and delusion, it logically follows that genuine Buddhist philosophy - when not subject to distorting human ignorance - is obviously and inherently 'anti-capitalist'. Indeed, to adjust Buddhist thinking so that it 'supports' predatory capitalism, entire sections of the Dharma in ALL traditions would have to be removed so as to 'purge' all the teachings that describe in detail how to uproot greed, hatred and delusion! Of course, there has been the odd distortion away from the Buddhis Suttas (or 'Sutras') which emphasis 'greed' and 'material' accumulation instead of deepening penetrative insight and seeking to 'uproot' taints from the mind - but these are obvious aberrations often linked to everything that is bad within human nature and human endeavour! In other words, such perversions of the Dharma are easy to spot because they surround most of us much of the time! The primary distortion lies in the books shops all around us in the West - where smiling Buddhist monks attempt to 'sell' you peace of mind, or attribute all kinds of miraculous cures to 'mindfulness' - providing you can afford the fee! Bourgeois Buddhism is essentially Proletariat Buddhism kidnapped by the middle-classes and distorted to suit its own ogre-like image! May Day reminds us that we are all workers and that we are not only important - but through are collective labour - we build and sustain the modern world! London held the first May Day march in three-years yesterday - after the Covid-19 emergency! We must physically march holding the Red Flag of Freedom aloft - but we must also 'march' whilst 'looking within' so that we free ourselves from the greed, hatred and delusion that inspires and sustains the middle-classes! Onward - we have a world to win!
In and of itself, Marxist ideology is very difficult to understand without committed study, experience and dialectical debate. This is absolutely fine if an individual is lucky enough to be born into a Socialist State which possesses a progressive education system. If an individual lives in a Socialist State – then all the components exist within their educational environment that are required to facilitate this process. As no bourgeois ‘inversion’ exists, and given that there is no longer any capitalist corruption or exploitation, a young person is educated within an a priori ‘Marxist’ milieu where there is no contradiction or deliberate policy of ‘undermining’ this reality! So far, so good. However, if a person is born into a predatory capitalist society, then any attempt at securing a sound Marxist education is very much an experience of swimming against the current. As persecution is rife, it is very difficult to establish and secure a Marxist educational foothold within a capitalist society outside of relatively small and isolated ‘special interest’ groups (such as in the ‘free’ education classes offered by the various branches of the now disparate Communist Party). As we live in a predatory capitalist society, and given that we cannot readily access a Communist Party branch, what can be done to assist a Marxist education? Obviously, in this sense all Marxist education is ‘self-education’ due to the fact that mainstream education is dominated by the ideology of the ruling bourgeois class. Everything is pre-set to present Marxism in a thoroughly disjointed and despised ideology that is opposed to the well-being and aspirations of the working-class. The bourgeoisie is of the opinion that the only reality that benefits the working-class is that of continued oppression and subjugation to the bourgeoisie. Anyone honest worker who lives in this nightmare knows full well that this is a ‘lie’ from top to bottom – and that when they read the work of Marx and Engels – their minds and bodies feel ‘empowered’ and ‘strengthened’ regardless of personal circumstance – and this is just the effect of the written word presented within a non-inverted format. Therefore, a worker must read and study all things ‘Marxist’ (excluding Trotsky whose work represents the ‘inverted’ mind-set of the bourgeoisie). This process will probably ‘empower’ and ‘confuse’ in equal measure at the beginning of the process. Das Kapital, for instance, is often described as being so clever that it is difficult to grasp its full scope and impact – even after two or three readings! Of course, not all of the work of Marx is this specialist in presentation – and he wrote ‘The Manifesto of the Communist Party’ as a substantial and excellent foundation to his anti-capitalist thinking. My experience of Buddhis meditation has assisted me in preparing my mind for the work of Marx and Engels to ‘make sense’. As a child I had a terrible first-part to my education in the UK – barely being able to read and write until I was ten-years-old. The second part of my education was much better and I had to rush to catch-up once my ability to read and write was on a par with the other children. As I experienced a terrible start to my education, this made me realise just how important the ability to read and write actually is for the working-class! Without being ‘literate’ Marxism will remain an opaque subject. I have found that if I read a section of a Marxist text and then meditated for 30 minutes – any confusion or misunderstanding I originally had quite literally ‘falls away’ and the original meaning of what Marx intended shines through! I repeated this training policy for many years, particularly during my late teens and early twenties. Focusing my mind upon my breath, and putting into practice the various methods of the Chinese Ch’an School. By focusing the mind in upon itself – the obscuring ‘ignorance’ (which is like a bourgeois-derived self-limiting mechanism – a form of inner oppression) is ‘dissolved’ through precise and exact concentration. This allows the non-inverted basis of my true-mind to ‘unite’ with the non-inverted true-mind that Marx is writing from. Where I needed to break the inner obscuration within my mind through Buddhist meditation (imported from my capitalist environment) - whereas Marx and Engels already possessed this frequency of mind through natural evolution. As for myself, I had to use Buddhist meditation to reach the same frequency of reality. Once my surface mind was cleared of its habitual obscuration, my understanding capacity increased dramatically, as did my intellectual ability to engage with new texts and comprehend the meaning correctly and exactly on the first reading. My view is that Buddhist meditation, as it uproots greed, hatred and delusion, is quite naturally ‘anti-capitalist’ in nature, is nothing other than an early version of ‘Marxism’ suitable for the historical epoch within which it manifested.
Dear M
The problem is a lack of genuine Buddhist material in the West. However, the book 'What the Buddha Taught' by Walpola Rahula is a sound Theravada text that explains that the Buddha rejected the notion of a spirit as opposed to matter. Indeed, the Buddha even described 'thought' as a material phenomenon. The Buddha, like Marx, stated that human suffering is premised upon an inverted mindset that perceives things the wrong way around. The answer to eradicate this inversation and develop a true consciousness. The Buddha defines reality through the Four Noble Truths. This contains the Five Aggregates explanation of reality. The Buddha places the world of matter as being primary, from which emerges sensation, perception, thought formation and consciousness. Consciousness only exists as long as the human sense organs are in regular contact with the physical world. No contact (such as in death) no consciousness. The Buddha also says that when greed, hated and delusion are fully uprooted, then a practitioner realises that there is no rebirth and no divine realms, etc. Trevor Ling has written a number of books about the similarity of Buddhist ideas and Marxist thinking. Marx learned his Buddhism from his friend Karl Koppen (a renowned Early European expert upon the subject) - but his excellent books have yet to be translated from their native German into English. Marx even writes to a friend saying that he had tried Buddhist meditation to help relax his mind: https://buddhistsocialism.weebly.com/when-karl-marx-practised-buddhism.html The Soviets appear to have known about this association as Joseph Stalin opened a Buddhist Academic Centre in 1928 as a means to gather and focus good quality work about Buddhist thought. You might be interested in this: https://thesanghakommune.org/2017/02/21/ussr-fi-shcherbatskoy-1866-1942-expert-in-buddhism/ Best Wishes Adrian Dear M
The BMA (UK) caters as a focal point for many different people of various backgrounds. As such, there is no rigid membership - just fluid ideas all heading away from capitalism and towards Socialism (as Marx and Engels explained). We all bring our own requirements, so to speak, and collectively work it all out! My job is that of key researcher for the BMA (UK) which involves stripping away all the bourgeois layers of misrepresentation and appropriation that is used to mislead the masses in the West! Basically, Buddha becomes Christ and enlightenment becomes God. The next step is to brainwash the practitioners into believing that there is no difference between the theism of Christianity and the non-theism of Buddhism! This prepares the psychological and physical ground for conversion to bourgeois Christianity, and on it goes! Genuine Buddhism is nothing like this and very close to the Dialectical approach of Marx and Engels! Indeed, these last ten years of my research has been to 'prove' this hypothesis and the evidence is clear. It is an association which is common place in China and I have made good contacts with professors over there - all of whom agree with this observation. In this regard, meditation becomes a means through which working class people can take control of their own minds and purge them of ALL bourgeois conditioning! This method can be used even before any type of formal education as anyone can sit and meditate and reorientate their minds toward a thoroughly proletariat world view. The Buddha dialectically discovered a form of Scientific Socialism 2,500 years ago and expressed it in a Revolutionary manner using concepts familiar to his culture and his Epoch - but like Marx and Engels, he also used the current situation, terms and common understandings to generate a new view of the world that only really makes sense to humanity today, and only then to individuals who have already studied Marx and Engels! When the mind is thoroughly emptied of its contexts, then the only remaining reality is that of Scientific Socialism! Of course, this turns out to be the only real reality when everything else is understood to be bourgeois, delusive nonsense! We can either live in our imaginations or clear our minds and occupy the dominant position of dialectical prominence and advanced understanding and behaviour! Best Wishes Adrian Many authors from the US and Western Europe perpetuate the disturbing habit of justifying and normalising the contemporary modal of predatory capitalism, by severely criticising any attempt to move away from it. Authors such as Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, for example, attempt to ‘normalise’ the capitalist system by demonising and stigmatising any alternative visions of humanity as being ‘dystopic.’ Of course, the deck is stacked in the favour of their objective as they ensure that truly disturbing, unsavoury or nightmarish realities are ‘invented’ and ‘inserted’ in their narratives to give flesh to the bones of their contentions. Anyone can invent a nightmare and use fear to prevent the easily-led from exploring a certain avenue of exploration. Parents have done this to children since time immemorial, but the intended audience of these dystopic fictions are generally not children – but adults! The authors who employ this scare tactic make a living out of their labours, but more than this, they seek to preserve the idyllic (bourgeois) enclave within which they live, and within which most other people do not live. To achieve this objective, the capitalist system must be presented as the only viable alternative for humanity when all other variants have been considered (the latter of which NEVER happens beyond the sensational). Every word they write buzzes with a ‘narrow’ pro-capitalist rhetoric disguised as ‘universal’ concern for the welfare of humanity! Changing any aspect of contemporary capitalism is automatically associated with the agency of ‘horror’. There is a certain ‘technophobe’ element to this style of writing which the capitalist system extols – with a warning that ordinary people do not possess the intellectual ability or physical prowess to take control of society and guide its development in a different direction to the one it has been going in. This style of science fiction is therefore anti-working-class and anti-Socialist – as the true-horror for the likes of Huxley and Orwell is the proletariat taking-over the control of society and eradicating the unjust and unfair privileges currently enjoyed by the bourgeoisie. A question never asked is ‘where does the true horror lie?’ Predatory capitalism, when viewed honestly and across its broad spectrum of manifestation, presents an image of absolute and true horror a thousand times more terrible, frightening and deadly than anything that has emanated from the pens of Huxley or Orwell! Why is the brutal and oppressive (existential) reality of capitalism never assessed by these bourgeois science fiction writers? The answer is simple – it is because that if they admit the genuinely ‘horrific’ nature of capitalism, they will be betraying the interests of their own class. The pointing-out of the ‘horror’ of everyday capitalist existence is to simultaneously point-out the ‘how’ and ‘why’ the bourgeoisie live in an oasis of capitalist excess built on the bones of the millions of workers who have died earning it for them! Starvation, homelessness, illness, injury, high mortality, deformity, illiteracy, criminality, rape, murder and mayhem! The true horror of the heart of capitalism is the physical and psychological impoverishment of the majority of the people who waste their bodies performing soul-destroying labour which keeps the privileged few sat in their studies sipping tea and making-up nightmarish stories as to why it is that things cannot be changed!
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AuthorAdrian Chan-Wyles PhD - Political Commissar and BMA (UK) Historian & Researcher. Archives
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