The Characteristics of a Revolutionary

When we talk about a revolutionary, we mean the scientific socialist and communist revolutionary, those who are guided by theory and fight for progress. Not counter-revolutionaries or bourgeoisie revolutionaries, who are focused on taking the establishment toward a reactionary and/or regressive government.

The character of a revolutionary can be defined in a few ways. It must, at first, start with the revolutionization of oneself that creates the will to act. What this means is to understand the current power structure and how it maintains its monopoly of violence in the interests of a specific class, but also, of course, to purge from their own upbringing all reactionary behavior that such an oppressive structure has forced upon them. Then, and only then can a revolutionary be dedicated to the advance of society and advance the new revolutionary culture, to crush the reactionary culture, and build a vanguard to fight the oppressive capitalist state currently in place.

Molding of Oneself as a Revolutionary:

Why is it important for a revolutionary to purge reactionary behavior from themselves, in a process of revolutionization within their own personalities, to become a revolutionary? The answer is relatively simple to understand. For only those who can change themselves from years of reactionary influence dumped upon them by the oppressors, can fight for the new society they envision. They will not side with their enemies in reactionary influence or let it slow down their ability to proceed forward towards progress.

As Marx said:

“Both for the production on a mass scale of this communist consciousness, and for the success of the cause itself, the alteration of men on a mass scale is, necessary, an alteration which can only take place in a practical movement, a revolution; this revolution is necessary, therefore, not only because the ruling class cannot be overthrown in any other way, but also because the class overthrowing it can only in a revolution succeed in ridding itself of all the muck of ages and become fitted to found society anew.”

                    -Karl Marx, German Ideology

Marx detailing in clear English shown the need for a change of consciousness for a new society to arise. It is clear to see the importance of this change of consciousness

for a revolutionary, who leads the masses, to go through this revolutionization of oneself to make themselves a properly prepared fighter for this new society. But not only should the revolutionary purge reactionary muck from his own thinking and personality, but he must build the movement to do the same. And this is where the rise of a new culture comes to wage a war against the reactionary culture.

Waging a Revolutionary Cultural War:

Culture is war, a battle of ideas where revolutionary culture and reactionary culture each fight to dominate the other. A struggle to change the thought process of the masses. To lead them to progress or hold them back. The end goal is to win this war for the revolutionary culture, led by the revolutionaries. The revolutionary, who truly has devoted themselves to the progress of society, must take charge in helping this revolutionary culture develop and advance to victory.

What is this revolutionary culture and how can the revolutionary push it forward?

This culture is one that challenges everything reactionary and toxic of the already established culture, and promotes a culture of people's power, equality of all workers, justice by the demands of the people, respect of all oppressed people's, and so on. The revolutionary can only push this culture forward by understanding it, first and foremost, and then find the effective ways to push this way of thinking, along with rally the rest of society to support it. But how, in the most effective way, can this culture advance forward? The answer is simple; with the leadership of the communist vanguard pushing it forward.

The Will to Act:

What makes the revolutionary act? What drives them? As Che Guevara said:

“The true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love”

What does he mean by this? This love that guided the revolutionary is a love for humanity, a love for those who are oppressed and exploited. This will to act is the burning fire inside all those who refuse to sit by as their capitalist oppressors continue to abuse and kill us with ease. A burning rage of acknowledging the crimes of the oppressors, a burning rage turned in to revolutionary anger, which extends in to real life action.

In short, the revolutionary's will to act, is a love of the oppressed, and burning anger against the oppressors.

Difference Between the Revolutionary and the Martyr:

What makes a revolutionary different from a martyr? And vice versa? While they share similarities, the two are opposites when it comes to the motivation for each.

The martyr, guided by the same passion as a revolutionary, will die for their cause like a revolutionary. The revolutionary, knowing violence is the final means to end oppression, is a principled fighter for his movements during times of peace and violence, when the time calls for one or the other. A revolutionary has the wisdom to know this important distinction. A martyr sees violence as the only means to their end, and they act upon this fatalistic world view at times that call for peace and legal activity.

The martyr unlike the revolutionary, is not guided by scientific study of revolutionary strategy and tactics. Of course, there are exceptions to this general description of martyrdom. Assassination is one such case. Comrade Chris Hani, the great South African revolutionary, was assassinated at a very early age by a racist, pro-Apartheid sympathizer. This means that he is both a revolutionary and a martyr throughout the entire world. It is not the job of Communists to glorify and romanticize violence and death. Unfortunately, given the nature of our class enemies who are fueled by hatred and capitalist barbarity, there are times when we must defend ourselves and the working class we represent.

With that said, it is unavoidable to acknowledge that the conditions of capitalism, and the conditions of revolution, breeds both martyrs and revolutionaries. However, it is the revolutionaries who brought the people to revolution, while the traditional martyr takes the chance of revolution to fulfill their wants of fighting, to be remembered for fighting, not for organizing the people and bringing them to the fight. Martyrdom is not the end to strive for. The communist revolutionary ideal is.

The Endless Goal of a Revolutionary:

The goal of the true revolutionary is to continue fighting till either they meet their death, or the oppression of our class has come to its end. That’s why, to be a revolutionary, you must acknowledge that you are hated, and that as an individual you are the target of our oppressors. The revolutionary must let this knowledge not breed defeatism, but instead be fuel for the burning fire inside themselves that makes them act for the people. Let the awareness of the hate that the capitalist oppressors have for you fuel the revolutionary fire inside of you.