BLACKSHIRTS, REDS AND OTHERS 
Constructive criticism on Michael Parenti’s book ‘Blackshirts and Reds’ 

Gent - When I was listening to the lecture of the American political scientist Michael Parenti in the Rijksuniversiteit Gent on november 6th, I couldn’t help but notice that, while his summary on neoliberal policy was striking and direct, his underlying vision on a more positive alternative for the world was only stating a marxist one. While I respect his vision as one of a masterful visionary, I had the feeling that I was missing something vital in his search for answers to build a more just and free world. Namely the revolutionary ideas that exist next to marxism - AN OPINION 

For all who shudder at a prologue like this one, please note as a starting fact that I respect communism as a truthful ideology which can do much good for the world if it is democratic. But history proves that the marxist ideals were swiftly forgotten when - to use Parenti’s vocabulary as stated in the article Michael Parenti on Capitalism - a few column A communists, greedy of power, used it to enslave the workers they were to liberate. Looking for a manageable model that can truly guide us into a world we all want to live in, I see no alternative but to ask the reader to look beyond marxism as an answer on its own. Instead I beseech all who read this to think of means to combine and to evolve the existing ideologies into one we can all agree on. One that holds freedom for all and is truthfully democratic in all its visions. This is a plead to communicate and to listen. And to put an end to internal strife between different Democratic Globalist ideologies. 

I name four major ones: 
the marxist ideal, based on a strong government providing social security for all 
the anarchist ideal, based on individual responsabilities, internal strength and freedom for all 
the ideal of ngo’s and labour unions, based on a democratic and fair reform towards human rights and ecological conciousness 
the ideal of the less politically active man, based on the desire to live a happy life - with honest politicians 

Four seemingly different ideologies. But are they as such not combinable? As I hold them all in the same esteem, must they collide, as they do so often? I hope not, for a downfall of even one of them would come - in my opinion - to the downfall of the revolutionary growth of the Democratic Globalists themselves. None of the four can exist without the others, which makes the thought process into the brain and into the inspirations of the others all to more important. 

When I came back from Parenti’s lecture, I felt that just this had happened here. I was given a flyer depicting Ché Guevara with the underlying slogan ‘fight for communism’. But I was not fighting for communism, even while the flyer spoke about the same things I am fighting against. And even Parenti himself offered nothing but the marxist ideal on its own. 
Note that for an outsider looking at large Democratic Globalist rallies, which huge Marx, Lenin and Ché-banners, it may look like we are all fighting for communism. Which may lead the fourth great ideology, the greatest of them all actually, the common man, who wants nothing but a happy life, to feel strange about a giant banner of Lenin in his street, to say the least. Will he join us, if the only thing we seem to offer him, is something which had been desecrated all through history? Stalin was communist, but I would never have followed him. Why? Because he did not want freedom and justice for all. Denying this would need arguments I have not yet quite heard of. Why would the ordinary man understand these good intentions, if even I do not? But without his support, his votes, we have already lost. 

So why this article, just after I have justly praised Michael Parenti for his clear insights into neoliberal thinking? Simple: his book, ‘Blackshirts and Reds’, the book on which Parenti has based his lecture this Tuesday, makes two fatal errors undermining its integrity: 

1) The book praises the former Soviet Union as morally superior to our society, while history need not prove any further the fact that it came from a pure vision, which was very quickly dirtened and cast away in exchange for power-mongering. While the basic ideas of marxism may learn us much, the actual communist revolution failed to deliver its promise. Read Orwell’s Animal Farm or watch the movie masterpiece Doctor Zhjivago again, and you will understand. 

2) The book also claims that ‘left anti-communist’ and ‘pure socialist’ critics have no, and offer no, practical alternative to what Parenti calls the ‘siege socialism’ of the Soviet Union. This is no more than a gross injustice towards people who have a different idea on how a fairer world should be built. The article which I have placed below as a reference to this book, is written by an anarchist who felt that placing Parenti’s Soviet Union in a broader spectrum was in order. Not denying the role which the anarchists played in the Russian or the Spanish Revolution, fighting alongside the communists, to be betrayed by it quickly after, this right is his, to say the least. 

I do not write this article to undermine marxist ideas, I just want to broaden the overall picture to more than just fighting for communism. This is a battle against the abuse of power, for nothing other than the right to live our own lives in certainty that there will be a world suitable for our children to inherit! 

Ours is the enormous responsability to work together towards a complete stop of Column A’s monstrous practices. This goes beyond all former battles. It is not about weapons or about forcing others to see the world as we see it. It is unequalled in history, we fight against the survival of the fittest. It is a fight for evolution - arguably the first real evolution since walking on two legs, for there has never been a time in which we all could be equal and free. This requires enormous strength, knowledge, modesty and wisdom. And even more important: it requires the will to listen, since listening is the only way to come together, and since coming together is the only way to reshape the world into a better one. 

It is not naïeve - communication is the key towards coöperation. Another world IS possible. Good luck, to all. 

Maarten Van Hove, Indymedia Belgium 

First read Parenti’s book, then read the article. Reading the article will make you biased, and bias is not the basic for listening. You may miss out on what it is all about, and I do not want to be responable for that. 

Bibliography on the book: on www.michaelparenti.org/BlackShirts.html 
The book: Parenti (M), Blackshirts and Reds, Rational Fascism and the overthrow of Communism, City Lights Books, 1997 
The article: worker’s ice pick, an anarchist reply, on http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/freeearth/ice_pick.html 
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