POLITICAL DEFINITIONS EVERY UP-AND-COMING
REVOLUTIONARY SHOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND

Compiled and Edited by
Uhuru Baraka Rowe

Email: uhururowe76@yahoo.com
Blog: https://consciousprisoner.wordpress.con

October 22, 2019
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you
need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
If you know yourself but not your ememy, for
every victory gained you will also suffer a
defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor your-
self, you will succumb in every battle."

== Sun Tzu

"An education isn't how much you have commit-
ted to memory, or even how much you know. It's
being able to differentiate between what you
know and what you don't."

-- Anatole France

trary to'the natural ordetr~ef things; to over-
come the foolish By intelligepce-ts~1@ accor-

"To overcome ;hé»’%tell gent by folly is con-
dance with the g%}n ordgr..To overcome the 1

intelligent by encey hawever, is a
matter of oppor ty "

Thae gfi;ige Liang

"He #ho gains victyfy over others i stromg,
but he vho gains_victory over himself is all
powerfal." '

== Lao Tzu

"If you are deaf, dumb, and blind to what's
happening in the world, you're under no obli
gation to do anything. But if you know what's
happening and 1);ou don't do anything but sit

on your ass, then you're nothing but a punk."

-- Assata Shakur
)

1. Agent Provateur: One who joins a group or
organization to disrupt unity and emcourage its
members to commit criminal/illegal acts in which
they can be arrested for. He/she pretends to

be sympathetic towards the aims and goals of
the group or ogranization that he/she infil-
trates.

2. Amerikkka/Amerika: The white settler nation
which has occupied/colonized North America
since the 1600s.

3. Axiom: A statement that is thought of to be
established, accepted, or self-evidently true.

4. Automdtion: The process of using mechanical
or electronic machines to do routine repetitive
work automatically instead of employing human
hands and minds.

5. Anarchism: Thé philosophy of total freedom
without any governmental structure or state. It
negates the necessity of the dictatorship of
the proletariat to re-educate and organize the
masses and protect the gains of the revolution
as a transitory stage in the development towards
true communism where the state will eventually
wither away.

6. Bourgeoisie: The exploiter class most char-
acteristic of the capitalist system. The rich
and the super-rich. The ruling elite who owns
and manages the means of production, They are
the real rulers in a capitalist society who dic-
tates policy and has everyone else either work-
ing for them to maintain the status-quo, or
those who must work/slave for them in order to
survive. This class only works it if wants to.
Also included in this class are people with
very powerful positions in production and the
government.
7. Black: A political designation to refer not
only to African Americans but to people. of
color who are engaged in revolutionary struggle
in Amerikkka and all over the world. It should
not be taken to mean the.domination of African
Americans.or the exclusion of other people of
color from black revolutionary organizations.

8. Black Revolutionary Power: The taking of
state power by Blacks in order to revolutionize
the entire country on the basis of their en-
riched concept of New Man/New Woman.

9. Black Power: The mobilization of the politi-
cal and economic power of Blacks to compel/force
the racist power structure to respect their
rights and improve their conditions.

10. Buffer: Something or someone who is used to
separate potentially antagonistic forces; e.g.
middle-class, well-to-do Blacks are often used
as a buffer between poor Blacks and the white
supremacist power structure.

11. Capitalism: A mode of production, or eco-
nomic system, where the bourgeoisie or capitalist
class owns the means of production and exploits
the labor of the proletariat. Because the pro-
letariat owns nothing, they are forced to sell
their labor power on the market in exchange. for
what they need to survive. When they work for

the capitalist, the capitalist owns the value
that they create and only pays them a portion

of this value to sustain themselves. The rest

is called surplus value, or the profit exploited
from the worker, which is the basic law of capi-
talist economic relations.

12, Communism: A social systen based on the
collective ownership of the means of production
as well as the absence of any state, classes,
borders, government control, etc. @

13. Collective: A cooperative unit or organi-
zation that utilizes its strength in unity to
struggle for common goals and objectives.

14. Cliqueism: The tendency to form into little
groups based upon emotional or opportunistic
alliances which negates overall organizational
unity.

15. Counterrevolutionary: Someone or something
that goes against revolutionary principles and
practices.

16. Capitalist accumulation: The major part of
the profits derived from the exploitation of
labor that is reinvested in new and more ad-
vanced means of production.

17. Class society: A tier society where the
people are separated into different categories
based upon their financial relationships to the
means of production.

18. Clandestine: Kept or done in secret, often
to conceal an illicit, improper, or revolution-
ary cause.

19. Colonialism: Foreign domination of a country
or people where the economic, political, and
military structure is controlled and run by the
occupying force.

20. Constructive criticism: The positive correc-
ting and pointing out of mistaken ideas and in-
correct practices, and the offering of concrete

gractical solutions that builds instead of tears
own.

21. Democracy: A system where the people enjoy
the freedon and will to pursue their own desti-
22. Dogmatic: The rigid, unbending, and inflex-
ible; failing to take into account the chang-
ing conditions or the differences between one
situation and another.

23. Dollar Imperialism: Sham independence whereby
one country is independent in name only and
often rely on countries like the united states
for economic aid which turn the country accept-
ing the aid into a puppet state.

24. Democratic centralism: The unity between
freedom and discipline. The democratic part

of the term defines the equal participation and
voice expected from all members of an organi-
zation. The centralism refers to the mandate
that all members uphold all decisions made by
the democratic process of the organization.

25. Dialectics: The study of contradictions
within the very essence of things. The scien-
tific analytical approach to studying contra-
dictions within nature by taking into account
the historical development and the interaction
of related things. Dialectics hold that nothing
exists independent, isolated, or unconnected
from each other, but that all phemomena are
connected and part of the whole. They are de-
pendent upon and determined by each other. Di
alectics also hold that all things are in con-
stant motion. They move from a qualitative
level with constanst small changes to a qual-
itative level with their very essence or char-
acter making a giant leap to a new existence.
These changes follow a definite pattern deter-
mined by the external and internal contradic-
tions within themselves. This being that all
phenonena are made up of opposite forces, i.e.
internal contradictions which are the bases
for change; i.e. external contradictions which
interact and become the conditions to change.

26. Eiotionalism: : The practice of acting out of
one's passions, feelings, and the spirit of the
atmosphere. 5

27. Empire: Empire in_ these modern times repre-
sents the highest developed. stage of a capital-
fst nation that is characterized by expanding
its spheres of influence throughout the world
by using military power to gain control over
peoples and lands.

28. Empiricism: The practice of analyzing sit-
uations in a subjective mannmer based only upon
individual or personal knowledge and experi-
ence, neglecting external investigation, his-
tory, and knowledge.

29. Economics: The study of social laws gov-
erning the production and distribution of the
material means of satisfying human needs.

30. Equalitarianism: Concepts advocating or
characterized by the belief that all men, wom-
en, and gender-nonconforming people should
have equal political, social, and ecomomic
rights.

31. Exploitation: The unjust method of using
people for profit and advantage. Also, when
one group coerces another group to grant them
& ‘greater value, created by their labor, than
they are given in exchange. The main exploited
classes in the world today are the peasantry,
proletariat, and lumpen-proletariat which are
almost wholly-found in the Third World.

32. Fascism: A repressive form of government
that takes on police state characterists, in
that, all forms of political, economical, and
social opposition are forcibly suppressed to
maintain the status quo.
33. Feudalism: A repressive system of govern-
ment where the common masses of the. pesple --
vassals -- renders services to the oppressor --
lords -- and in return receives protection and
use of land.

34. First Vorld Lumpen: The class of people in
the First World who are excluded from the pro-
ductive process. By virtue of living in. the
First World, .this class, on average, receives
more material benefits from imperialism tham
the global proletariat. As such, their interests
are not the same as the exploited classes and
are not included in the lumpen-proletariat. But
their conditions in many ways parallel those of
the lumpen-proletariat standing in stark con-
trast to the majority of the First World popu-
lation. This class includes prisoners in the
united states.

35. Generalized contradiction of capitalism: so-
cialized (or group). labor but private ownership
and profit.

36. Growth and split: A method used for expan-
sion when a particular unit had developed to
sufficient stremgth, an individual or group of
individuals was detached: to form the nucleus of
another unit. B .

37. Hegemony: Worldwide: occupation, control,
and manipulation by animperialist power over un-
derdeveloped countries through economic, mili-
tary, and political domination.

38. Imperialism: An economic system' that V.I.
Lenin defined as the "highest state of capi-
talism" which is marked by exploitation, rape,
and subsequent oppression practiced by onme
nation over another for greed and profit; the
globalization of capital, the dominance of fi-
nance capital, and the division of the world
into imperialist and exploited nationms.

39. Individualism: A narrow and selfish approach
or outlook based upon putting oneself (or ones
interest) before the interest of the people,

comrades, or organization. @

40. Irresponsible criticism: Frivolous and ir-
relevant correcting. or pointing out of minor and
needless points, which, instead of building,
tears down and obstructs progressive growth
and development; nitpicking; ungrounded and
unfounded criticism; crticizing without in-
vestigation and thinking first.

41. Initiative: The self-reliant exercising of
one's imagination, creativity and the will to

tackle all problems, and fervently develop new
strategies and programs. Being in the forefront
and taking the lead, i.e. to "Seize the time."

42. Insurrection: A concentrated attack upon
existing authority by members of an oppressed
group, usually with the intention of taking
pover, if only temporarily during the course of
revolltionary struggles.

43. Liberation: The state of freedom from a re-
pressive or exploitative existence, where the
people have gained control of their own Lives
and the right to self-determination.

44. Lackey: A flunky. To wait upon or serve
slavishly.

45. Leninist cadre organization: Lenin was a
leader of the Soviet Uniom, the first socialist
country in history. A cadre organization is a
tight-knit group of people who work together on
a common goal.
46. Liberalism: Toleral i
Taie political principias. °F Chinee that vie-

47. Lumpen-proletariat: Those who a

to sell'their labor due to the limi::tggl‘;sag%e
capitalisn at providing full employnt and, as a
result, often live as parasites on other prole-
tarians; The under-class, unemployed, marginally
employed, and those who live outside of the law
i.e. criminal element. The elderly, infirmed,
and disabled are also part of this class because
they are marginally employed and, therefore, are
not a secure part of the reproductive process.
Those on welfare and social security are also
members of this class.

48. Labor Aristoeracy: Refers to the working
class that benefits. from the imperialist world's
super-exploitation of the people in the Third
World. For.example, white workers in the U.S.
benefit from the super-exploitation of the Third
World so greatly that, as a class, they are no
longer exploited at all apd in fact benefit from
imperialism. These white "workers" are not workers
anymore, but constitute the petty-bourgeoisie.

49. Mass organization: A group of people without
a specifically worked out universal ideology
(such as Maoism) .leading it. Membership require-
ments.are less strict than for a cadre organi-

Zation because the aim of a mass organization is
Yo unite as many people -as possible often around

a single issue.

50. Managerial class: The managers of the capi-
talist enterprises and institutions who are .in-

volved in the day to day running of affairs,
Yve. government officials, politicians, judges,
corporate executives,- etc. <

51. Mass Line: The political guiding principle
of a revolutionary organization that must pro-

vide concrete prograns for the|systematic trans-
formation stage of the oppressed masses through
collective struggles.

52. Means of production: The me
talism needs to undertake prodj
including factories and industy
which to produce machinery and|tools with which
to fashion raw materials, and {the new materials
themselves, such as fuel and oil.
53. Morale: The moral or mental condition of
the individual or group with respect to courage,
discipline, confidence, enthusjasm,- and willing-
ness to endure hardship and sagrifice.

ans which capi-
ction; normally
ial plants in

54. "Man behind the gun": (Vi
means that propaganda must prec
tion of the oppressed masses if
or units of armed struggle. (O
have been imbued with'a mew Vi
in a new political role can_ti
their fullest, their speciall
of will and- courage, of initi
of intelligence and skill, of §
unity.) |

i
55. Neo-colonialism: Foreign domination of a
country or people by imperialist power where
the ‘economic, political, and military structure
is manned and run by the native bourgeoisie.
The imperialist maintain contzbl of the economy
because they continue to own the means of pro-
duction, and the client state[is totally de-
pendent militarily and politically for their
survival, e.g. the Philippinegl.

namese) This

e the organiza-
to physical bases
1y when a people
ion of themselves
y exercise, to
humane qualities
ive and ingenuity,
reativity and

56. New Man/Woman: One who isJ olitically con-
scious, creative and socially fresponsible. One
who puts politics in command gf economics and
will always work together .for{the best interest
of their communities. )
57. Objectivismil The method of analysis whi
takes into accolnt the entirety of et ton.

Approaching a situation open-mindedly, without
prejudice. i

i
58. Oppression: |Ufjust and cruel exercise of
authority to deny people their human rights,. as
well as their right to a decent healthy life.
Intolerable livifig conditions such as inadequate
health, education, medial care, housing, etc.

59. Profits: Theé money that the capitalists
ain by underpafing others for their labor.

60. Pure democricy: A democracy in which power
is exercised didectly by the people rather than
through politicdl representatives.

61. Power: The gbility to act or produce an
effect. Possession of control, authority, or
influence over gthers or over one's own life.

62. Petit-bourgdoisie: The middle class or pri-
vilege worker wHo enjoys a relatively comforta-
ble level of exjstence. The small businessmen,
entrepreneurs afd self-employed. Artists, emter-
tainers, doctotz\, lawyers, and athletes also
belong to this ¢lass. They do not own or control
the major means|of production, but their: main
aspiration is t¢ obtain the status, wealth,

and power of thé bourgeoisie.

63, Pacifisn: The belief that disputes between
nations should Be settled peacefully. Refusal

to participate in military action or violence
as a means of résolving disputes.

64. Politics: Ajprocess by which the political
and social decisions involving the organization
of society are made. The method of solving con-
tradictions. |

|
|
65. Production: The human act

ity which adapts
natual resources to human needs. K

process of
ies of life, i.e.
il, etc.

66. Progressive: That person, grganization,
action, movement, phenomena, of train of events
in moving/raising the human, sdcial, economic,
political, and scientific level of Society. That
which moves man/woman forward finto the future,
away from the past. i

67. Proletariat: The largest class which com-
prises the majority of the working masses. They
must sell their labor power injorder to survive.
They represent the lowest level of the employed,
lowest wages, less benefits and rights, and
usually have little or no power or control over
their working conditions, management, and
planning. It is the class thatjhas the most to
lose due to the advent of incréased technology,
automation, and cybernation bedause they are
being driven out of their jobsiinto the ranks
of the unemployed. Marx classiffied them as the
most revolutionary class (potentially) because
of their sheer numbers as well(las their social
consciousness and needs which is directly tied
to the whole process of producHion.

i
68. Propaganda: The publicized'activity by which
a political/revolutionary organjization politi-
cizes the masses. i

69. Pig: A police officer or other representative
ofthe government's repressive japparatus-

70. Racism: The philosophy and practices which

to be inferior.

71. Revolution:|A complete and radical change
from one sociallsystem into another. The complete
struggle waged by the people to rid themselves
of an oppressivg system of government into a
more progressive and humane society. This in-
cludes not only|the political structure, but
also the philosbphy and ideology, mode of pro-
duction, relatipns of production, as well as

the spiritual afid social mentality and outlook
of society.

72. Reactionaryp Those forces or people who
oppose revolutignary change and actively work
to prevent or ddstroy any progressive/revolution-

ary movement. [
i

73. Revisionism} Deviation from and the manipu-
lation of the correct revolutiomary line (or
of a particular|belief or practice) to suit
one's own perso‘al vested interest.

74. Revolutionafy Army: An armed group of acti-
vists that arisks from within and on the side
of an oppressedfgroup for the expressed pur-
pose of waging fhe armed struggle against the

oppressor.

75. Rebellion: #m attack upon existing authority
by members of an oppressed group, usually with
the intention oh the part of the rebels to take
state power. It|is usually spontaneous.

76. Reformism: fhe amending and making of in-
ternal changes Within an existing system, such
as by changing laws, iutraducin% and funding
poverty programs j|to the people without changing
the whole systefi.

77. Relations of production: These are relations
in'which peoplein a given society must arrange
and enter into py mecessity to perpetuate human
the birth of class societies
to exercise a relationship of domination, ex-
ploitation, and wealth over thd property-less.
Other forms of these relationsiare between

master and slave, feudal lord and serf, land-
lord and peasant, capitalist and worker, etc.

and these relations, the propez:y holders came
oi

“78. State capitalism: Under stdte capitalism,
the state nominally owns the mdans of - production
but production is organized ardund profit, not
the needs of the people. The Sgviet Union be-
came state capitalist under Khgushchev, and
China became state capitalist {nder Deng Xia-
oping. In both cases, a new bojrgeoisie de-
veloped within the state appardtus and the

Communist Party itself. 1

from workers being paid less tHan what is nec-
essary for their subsistence -y workers that
are super-exploited. i

i
79. Super-profits: These are tfie profits derived

80. Socialism: The transition Stage between
the capitalist mode of production and com-
munism; where the means of production are owned
collectively by the people thrdugh the states
and where the basis For producfien is for the
people's welfare, not profit. Beople work and
contribute to society according to their ability
and receive according to their|needs and con-
ditions.

81. Surplus value: The value which the workers
produce over and above the valile or his/her
labor; capitalist profit. The difference. be-
tween the value of the work dore and the Wages
paid for that work. This is thé original source
of all profits. 7

82. Status quo: The present exisung state of
affairs; keeping things just ag they are.

SR -5
|
A stoppage of activity by a body
of pecple, usually for the purpose of expres-
sing a grievanck or for forcing management or
authority to cofiply with their demands.

f
84. Skinnerbox:[A laboratory apparatus in which
an animal is cafed for experiments in operant
conditioning anfi which typically contains a
lever that mustfibe pressed by :Ke animal to
gain a reward of avoid punishment.

lethod: Principles and procedures
¢ pursuit of knowledge involv-
ing the recognifion and formulation of a problem,
the collection 9f data through observation and
experiment, and|the formulation and testing of
hypothesis. |

85. Scientific
for the system

86 Slecping gl int: An-individual or group of
people that has|great but unrealized or newly
emerging power and potential,

87. Self-determination: The ability of oppressed
people and natipns to choose the course of their
own destiny fre]é from reactionary, outside in-
terference.

88. Semi-colony: An oppressed nation that is
colonized by the oppressor nation but does not
exhibit all of the characteristics of a tra-
ditional colonyl For example, in the U.S., New
Afrika, Chican@j and First Nations are considered
internal semi-cplonies. As imperialism has ad-
vanced into thejiglobal arena, the U.S. no longer
depend on thesejinternal semi-colonies as its
main source of new wealth but instead extract
super-profits ffom Third World nations that are
called colonies|land neo-colonies.

89. Sabotage: Déstruction of an employer's
perty (i.e. facfory, machinery, tools, etc.
a group of discontented workers for the purpose
of hindering the production of goods.

90, Scab: A worker who refuses|to join a lobor
union, refuses to strike or refurns to work be-
fore a strike has ended, or wotks for less than

union wages or on mon-union terms.

91. Serf: A member of a servilg feudal class
bound to the land and sunject fo the will of
its owner.

by overcharging tenents for sustandard and di-

92. Slumlord: A landlord who m':kes huge profits
lapidated properties. 1

g intended to
from an un-
sue. A red

93. Smoke-and-mirrors: Someth:
disguise or draw attention awi
popular or unpleasant social
herring.

i
|

94, Solidarity: Unity of a class, group, or
nations that is based on commop interests, ob-
jectives, and standards. 1

95. Spin doctor: A person who fis skilled at
ensuring that the masses of the people will
view or interpret an event or lissue from a par-
ticular point of view. j

96: Subterfuge: To deceive by jartifice and
strate%em in order to escape or evade or to
conceal and illicit purpose oxintent.

i

97. Subversion: A systematic dttempt to over-
throw or undermine a government or political
system by persons working seczetly from within.

98. Sweatshop: A shop or factky in which em-
ployees work for long hours at] low wages and

under poor conditions. i

which workers sieze control off the means of -
production by direct action, il.e. general strike.

99. Syndicalism: A :evolu:iona“ y doctrine by
i
100. Token: A lnember of a minority group that
is accepted wilthin a majority group solely to
give the appedrance of diversity and inclusion.

101, Terrorisu: The deliverate, systematic
murder, maiming, and menacing Of the innocent
to inspire fear in order to gain political ends.
102. Totalitarianism: A government based on
centralized coptrol by an autocratic authority.
The political foncept that a person should be
totally subordinated to the state and where
strict ccntrol;‘of all aspects of life is enforced.
103. Uncle Tomi A character in Harriet Beecher
Stowe's Uncle [fom Cabin that is depicted as a
pious and faithful black slave. Today, the term
is used to describe a black person who is overly
subservient tolj or overeager to win the acceptance
and approval of, white authority figures.

| .
104. Underprivileged: A person or group of people
who, because of racism, are deprived of much of
the fundamental rights of all members in a
civilized socibty.

105. United Front: Longtern alliances or the
working together of different groups on a clear
cut political program to oppose oppression.

106. Unity-Cri
bers of a grouj
set of principi
internally beh
observing and

icism-Unity: The process of mem-
} or organization united on a

les and objectives to struggle

nd closed doors among themselves,
nalyzing each other's errors,
and offering cfnstructive criticism to each
other to correét those errors, in order to over-
come any shortdomings, to strengthen each other,
and thus advange the group, unit, or organization
towards its stdted goals.

107. Vacillate: To shuck and e. To waiver

from one side to the other.

108. Variable capital: Capitad finvested in
labor. Only the capital i-uvqst‘d in labor can
produce varying quantities of..Surplus values,
depending on how long and how l’#ard you work
the workers. T |

109: Vanguard Party: A group o people or a
political organization at the forefront of

or leading a struggle or revolytionary move-
ment. The instrument by means gf which the
militancy and rebelliousness off the people can
be transformed from purely reflexive, trial
and error reactions into purpogeful, planned,
and pragmatic struggles for power.

110. Womanism: A form of feminjsm focused espe-
cially on the conditions, concdrns, and issues
of black women. j

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