The Religion of Revolution

It is often necessary to step back into the past in order to shed light on current trends.  My main point of interest is to help others to see where certain ideologies, if followed will lead.  I have spent years of study in lectures and readings and I want to share what I have learned.  But the topic is broad, complex and many faceted.  Consequently, I will at times concentrate on thinkers, ideologies or occurrences from the past for a definition and magnifying glass to enlarge our understanding.  Additionally, I will concentrate on daily occurrences that I feel are of significance to the broader topic of TWO KINDS OF DEMOCRACY.  I will present facts and you can draw your own conclusions.  I am a firm believer in the importance of thinking for one's self.  I will not tell you how to believe or think.  My goal is to help you to see for yourself.  Thus, it will be your knowledge.

For today I want to discuss the idea of REVOLUTION as a religion, a belief that people believe, follow and participate in.  Revolution here is defined as a pre-ordained TOTAL change of the social order, a complete transformation, with a total reconstruction.  As you look back in history, and take a closer look at the present, you will see this ideology or religion of Revolution everywhere.  The doctrine of this religion is a shared expectation of some pre-ordained, all embracing and exclusive scheme, which is presumed to help us to be better people, over coming our natures, by allowing for true freedom of everyone as defined by the will of the people or more specifically the GENERAL WILL.   If this sounds somewhat Utopian, it is!  Although, the word may not be used to describe the goals but the idea of it is always there in small print and writ large if you know what to look for.

The belief underscoring the various revolutions is always a better tomorrow with more freedoms for all and of course social harmony through greater democracy (equality).  This religion of progress (history) has been embraced by "an enormous variety of interests, hopes, tendencies and expectations from nationalism to communism, from evangelical poverty to industrial technocracy" (Talmon).  Thus, there are many roads, twists and turns, different ways of approaching and executing the same ideology that humanity is on a pre-ordained road called history which will inevitably leads us to peace, prosperity, and freedom.  Listen for words such as "you don't want to end up on the wrong side of history!"  From that saying you can see what I am talking about.  History is going to get there with or without you, as it is pre-ordained.  And no matter which means of revolution you take it all will lead to the same perfect solution.

The religion of revolution is a permanent movement.  It brings the masses together in uprisings, revolts, persecutions, murders, and overthrows of everything in its path.  This was the language of the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, both have played key roles in the Russian and German Revolutions.  Marx had the doctrine of revolution as he called for the "uprising against evil itself, and it would not come to an end till the evil of evils had been uprooted and harmonious justice established in its place."  Karl Marx was not the father of this philosophy but he was its priest.  As a trustee of posterity, he spoke for the will of the people or the GENERAL WILL (Rousseau language, one of the main prophets of this doctrine).

The Religion of Revolution will turn the traditional on its head by denouncing all religion.  Nevertheless, religion is defined as "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe.  This Revolution is universal and has been universal.  It is a direction and a destination.  Just pay close attention when you hear politicians and others discuss the cause of history.