Peaceful Protest

The greatest trick ever pulled was convincing the workers that peaceful protest is effective. Throughout history, no great change has ever occurred through peaceful protest. Only through direct action, either economical or violent, has change been enacted. A general strike can freeze the economy and force the government to make concessions or reforms, but it can never change the mode of production, the fundamentals of the nation. If the ruling class has to choose between losing money for a few months, or being completely destroyed, it will simply wait out the strike. The working class cannot strike forever. And if all else fails, the government will force the people back to work. Then, the only option is violence.

But people lining up with signs and leaflets and slogans, when has this affected change? Will the state see the people with signs and think "Oh wow, I better change my ways!" Obviously not! The only way to enact change is through exerting leverage, force, against the ruling institutions and classes.

If the people want to line up and march, the state will just let them. Look at the No Kings protest. What was that trying to accomplish? To get Trump out of office? To stop ICE deportations? Have either of those happened? What about the Trump presidency has changed since these protests began? It is an excuse for well-to-do liberals and professionals to pretend like they're making a difference. It is performative and self-indulgent. Any peaceful protest can be ignored with zero consequence. The only reason a peaceful protest is acknowledged is if ignoring it risks a violent uprising. Again, violence is the key factor in enacting change.

And anyways, look at many of these protests. They are met with violence by the police. Tear gas, batons, rubber bullets, imprisonment. This is violence, justified or not. And what do the protestors say? Violence is unacceptable, we must remain peaceful. What! Do the people not have the right to defend themselves? Should they stand there and just get beaten senseless by the police? Way to go, you really showed the regime who's in charge!

Not to mention that many protests nowadays are merely spectacle. Vendors show up selling merchandise. I have been to protests that have a list of pre-approved slogans and chants. Protests under the protection of the police. Who are they protesting, if the police are aiding them? Protesting for the establishment? For many of these people, protesting is just another hobby, another thing to do, not an actual attempt at affecting change. Peaceful protests are just a way to prove to others how much you care about issues, not to resolve the issues. Peaceful protest is pointless, and that is the point.