Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line

Revolutionary Review Press

The History and Present State of the Contemporary Revolutionary Movement in the U.S.


EROL Note: This is Part II of a longer article entitled “The Nature and Character of the American Revolution’s Present Stage” which appeared in the journal People’s Democracy.

INTRODUCTION

Along with an analysis of the concrete conditions both internationally and in the country in question, a proposed line concerning the future direction of the revolutionary movement in a particular country must be preceded by a summary of the movement’s history and present state. Thus, Part II of this work summarizes the history and present state of the contemporary revolutionary movement in the U.S.

Part II’s first chapter focuses on certain spontaneous mass movements that occurred in the U.S. between 1954 and 1974–namely, the movements that eventually issued forth many of the principal groups comprising the U.S. Anti-Re^visionist Movement, the contemporary movement attempting to build a genuine vanguard party in the U.S. Because of its admittedly narrow purpose, Part II’s first chapter thus does not deal with a number of other spontaneous mass movements that occurred in the U.S. during the above-mentioned twenty year period. Among the omitted spontaneous mass movements are those involving Native Americans, Prisioners, GIs, Women, the Elderly and Workers. However, though not giving rise to the development of Anti-Revisionist formations, these other movements contributed significant numbers of advanced elements to the U.S. Anti-Revisionist Movement’s various organizations.

The U.S. Anti-Revisionist Movement is described and analyzed in detail in Part II’s second chapter.