Toyi Toyi Artz Kollektive

On Elections

Elections are about the Poor and Working People handing over the running of their lives to 300 or so people who are not bound to be accountable between elections and can basically do whatever they like; to 300 or so people who will enjoy and be corrupted by, all the benefits of luxurious parliamentary lifestyles, the gravy train. These politicians will be part of the ruling-class because they will live off the workers, and also because they will defend and manage capitalism and the state.

In the Zimbabwe 2008 Harmonised Elections, people were being seen only as voters, not as people who can actually get involved in politics and bring Rugare/Uhuru about. We were reduced to a mass of mere spectators. We were led to believe that the state is an instrument that can be run in our interests. Some "revolutionaries" forsook their revolutionary tasks and nose-dived into electioneering. They have been going for whatever is popular and will ensure that they get elected. Popularity and revolutionary consciousness are not necessarily synonmous because the dominant ideas in our society are the ideas of the ruling class who control the ideological state apparutus.

The truth is, parliamentary democracy is about putting numbers on a piece of paper every five years. We are given a choice all right, but between parties who all agree with the system of a tiny minority ruling the country. This is not to say that there is no difference between life under a dictatorship and life under a capitalist parliament. At least under the parliament people have a few political rights, whilst they have none under a dictatorship or a one-party state. Rights under a capitalist parliament will include freedom of speech and association, limited rights to protests and some protection from racist and sexist practices. We, therefore, support the struggle for increased political freedom. We recognise that a victory that leads to a democratic constitution is a massive advance for the struggle because it is better to live under a constitutional parliament than a dictatorship. (Having said this, however, we still recognise that parliament is undemocratic and dominated by the ruling-class; the generals, rich men and bosses, state managers and professional politicians).

Of importance here is our argument that these political rights will not come through the "kind" hand of the ruling-class. Instead they are forced on the state through mass struggle by the oppressed classes, and must be defended and advanced in the same way. It is mass action that drives all progressive change in society. It was struggle that led to the replacement of the racist Rhodesian dictatorship by the black nationalist dictatorship. Winning small gains through struggle is important because it can bring economic and political improvements for the working and poor masses, because it gives the masses confidence in their ability to fight back and win, and because it helps lay the basis for the revolution. It prepares people for the revolution by organising them on the ground in opposition to the system, and by opening them up to revolutionary ideas. It is thus important that we get involved in the pro-democracy struggles whilst linking these demands to the ultimate goal of a worker-peasant revolution.

At present, what is particularly worrisome is the opposition's naive expectations of a simple victory delivered to them by the dictatorship's beaurocracy. The only language the dictatorship understands is the language of mass struggle from below. This is the only way to win in the here and now, and definitely the only way to smash the system in the long run. The dictatorship will not fall until its pillars of support crumble. They remain in control of state newspapers, television and radio. They also have the state (army, police, government departments) and the forces of repression that go with it. Whilst it is probably true that some members of the forces are disaffected, it is folly to think that these members of the forces will disobey orders without the encouragement from the people through mass action. What further compounds these worries is that there appears to have been no preparation whatsoever for the eventuality of mass action, even if the MDC were to call for it. This raises the possibility of an early and easy quelling of any protests, and the Working Class movement might further plunge into despair and fear. Clearly, the failure by the pro-democracy movement to press on with action after March 11 has not helped. The people have lost courage and faith in themselves. But can the frustration of a rigged election result ignite spontaneous rioting? Will the pro-democracy movement be able to spark people power? These are the urgent questions of the now and all hope hinges on the answers.

Let us remember that Rugare/Uhuru cannot be given, it has to be taken. It is us the ordinary people who must make the revolution.
Uhuru Sasa!