March Towards the Sound of Guns
As there remains no tangible access to material power among the working class, and no clear movement in which one can invest themselves, the question of what is to be done remains the overarching one for all contemporary leftist political discourse. The answer has been provided to us by Napoleon: march towards the sound of guns.
The titular order was one given to all of Napoleon’s field marshals to ensure that, even absent a clear directive, they would always seek out the nearest conflict to support their comrades. The leftist version of this is to seek out the battlegrounds, be there real or rhetorical, where the fighting is happening. These may include the rights and dignity of the global transgender community, the safety and independence of the people of Gaza, or unfettered access to abortion in the United States. The real question is not “should the left engage on these headline issues” because the answer is a resounding: of course. By planting a flag firmly on these issues in a manner that demonstrates political integrity and a prioritization of solidarity and empathy for the most vulnerable, it creates a contrast between the left and those that would attempt to use populist economic messaging to push reactionary politics. The better question is: how does one tail the headlines without tailing lumpen proletarian’s opinions?
Tailing is the term often used in leftist rhetoric to refer to following behind some existing group. While often used pejoratively, it’s a neutral term out of context. One could describe the practice of trying to engage rhetorically on mainstream issues as tailing but failing to do so would be to cede that ground to populist reactionaries who would use these issues to sow divisions in the working class. However, trying to convince the lumpen proletarian to join the ranks by telling them what they want to hear in all contexts would also be tailing and would not be effective long term.
Consider Marx’ characterization of the lumpen proletarian, the uninformed working class, as a “sack of potatoes,” or the Matt Christman post-modern update of the phrase “Pringles in a tube.” The capitalist superstructure, especially in the imperial core, will create a gravitational like force that encourages working class individuals to disregard any instincts they might have towards empathy, compassion, or solidarity. Combine that with how alienated the working class is from itself, and its inevitable that, absent interruption from the left, many lumpen will default to accept or remain ambivalent towards reactionary rhetoric and policy. The lumpen may share living conditions, but they do not share any political consciousness.
This means that if the left wants to make meaningful penetration, and differentiate themselves from populist reactionaries, they need to aggressively pursue the issues to ensure they understand them, and can articulate them clearly and patiently. There must be some ideological grounding that issues are filtered through rather than just trying to react to everything in real time and form independent opinions. Practically, that means trying to read and grapple with theory, talking with those in various communities with whom these issues impact, and ensuring once an issue is understood that a clearly and concisely stated and actionable message is consistently delivered at all opportunities.