Lessons of Wisconsin: Only the class struggle works

Lessons of Wisconsin: Only the class struggle works

The cutting-edge struggle in Wisconsin against the capitalist anti-labor, pro-austerity offensive suffered a severe legal setback on June 14. The state Supreme Court overturned a permanent injunction against the union-busting bill signed into law March 11 by the reactionary, racist governor, Scott Walker.

The Dane County court, after mass pressure, had issued an injunction against the bill on May 26. But Walker, architect of the so-called “budget repair” bill, had the capitalist class behind him and prevailed in the higher court.

The problem is not just the legal ruling. The basic question to be asked by rank-and-file unionists, leaders in the oppressed communities and militant students and youth, all of whom pushed this great struggle forward, is the following:

How could the organized labor movement and its allies allow a decision by a tiny group of judges in a capitalist court to override the actions and demands of hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin workers — organized and unorganized, employed and unemployed, immigrants, farmers, youth and students, community organizations — who have been in a high state of mobilization since the Feb. 14 occupation of the Capitol?

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http://www.workers.org/2011/us/lessons_of_wisconsin_0630/

"The workers were not defeated in some great class battle with the capitalist state. The setback came about because the labor leaders would not use the strength, energy and determination exhibited by the workers to overcome false claims of capitalist “legality” handed down by the legislature and the courts. Instead, the leaders bowed to capitalist rulings." IS OF MAXIMUM IMPORTANCE.

In ANY class struggle situation it is IMPERATIVE for the rank and file membership to keep a wary eye on the leadership. The leadership of most trade unions is part of the labor "aristocracy" and, as such, is HEAVILY vested in the status quo. THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO BE CONTINUOUSLY PUSHED TO MILITANT ACTION. Or we lose.

Another thing. In the class war the "legalities", i.e., courts, legislatures (even Democratic controlled ones), and laws, are going to ALWAYS be on the side of the capitalists. That's why these unjust laws MUST BE IGNORED! After all, segregation was the "law" in the South before the Civil Rights Act and the civil rights protesters IGNORED THESE LAWS IN THE PURSUIT OF THE HIGHER LAW OF JUSTICE.

Finally, the paragraph on "elections" was also of EXTREME importance. In the bourgeoisie dictatorship of capital that we're under now, elections ARE important, but so is extra electoral action. WE CANNOT PUT ALL OF OUR EGGS IN THE "ELECTORAL" BASKET. Every time we do, we lose.

And so far in Wisconsin, WE ARE LOSING. Even if they recall ALL of the Republican state senators (and with the massive electoral fraud perpetrated in the state SC election, this is NOT a sure thing) everything that's been passed is still in place. All they have to do is stonewall and the revolutionary fervor of the masses will wind down. And what's more, they KNOW it. Yes go for the recalls to your hearts content, but it WILL take more than elections to change what's already in place.

Thanks for the post pig.

Yep, at this point electoral politics are useless. Ya gotta have strength and solidarity before ya go to the list.

Greece's KKE is a fine example for us, they put the masses in the street and lead from the front. Now their electoral strength is 13.5%, a huge number for commies, that's a big vanguard and likely to get bigger if the bankers don't lay off. They are playing with fire.

Well it woke people up a bit, but parades with tractors are not the kind of thing that is going to scare the capitalists. If we circle around their mansions, maybe, but other than that a strike is in order.

Shut down the paper plants, used to be some strong unions there. There has got to be commerce on Lake Michigan - mess with that. Kohler, Mercury Marine - walk out. That's how to get their attention in that state ...

If you start fucking with their profit, they take notice.

but I haven't lived there for a long time so I can't remember all the names :)

There is definitely still industry there with Lake Michigan providing the ports, and Walker is pissing off current small businesses by offering enticing deals to get new companies.

Too bad this OP didn't get more attention.

The fundamental lesson appears to be lost to many.

to lose faith in institutions that they've believed in all their lives. So they'll live in denial as long as they can. When they do lose that faith though, they usually go all in to the other side.

I think what's happened in Wisconsin is teaching a LOT of people about how bourgeoisie "democracy" works. Just wait until they steal the recall elections.

(IBLU? IBLW?) That would be a good place to start. Stike on the ports for a couple of days and it could spread.

Going to have to be the spark. Most of the private sector unions have cracked at the worst possible time. Harley-Davidson, Mercury Marine are the most recent to bow to corporate masters. Two-tier wages, and constant concessions under threats of relocation. UAW had a strong presence in SE WI, with large assembly plants in Janesville and Kenosha. Both are now recently shuttered and the jobs moved to Mexico. Sigh.

But with a hot spark, anything can happen.

membership is more militant than the leadership. And more willing to take action. That's why the longshoremen might be good. They handle a lot of goods.

This thread needs to be kicked anyway.

I doubt the little factory he worked in is still there, he retired in the mid-80s so the strike action I remember was from the 70s. Now that's history ...

Too late to rec

Good read

I can never give up on a good and important thread.

Good thread.