The Harder They Come

Strategy and Tactics of the Class Struggle

Morning Comrades.

So what now, right? I have spent a good part of my writing day going through the archive on here to see where I have made mistakes to try and figure out ways and means to approach this bewildering reality we are finding ourselves and throughout that I came across a piece that I had bookmarked 6-7 years ago as part of my thesis that I had not really touched on, here, and that is what we are going to get into today. No matter what, Gramsci’s premise of Optimism of the Will is forever ingrained into my being, or in other words, the harder they come the harder they fall.

The piece I am referring to is called: Strategy and Tactics of the Class Struggle by Marx. It is part of a written conversation in 1879, a private circulation letter from Marx and Engels, (First drafted by Engels) to Germany's Social-Democratic leadership — Bebel, Liebknecht, Fritzsche, Geiser, Hasenclever and Bracke.

This was in response to an August 1879 article written by Karl Hochberg, Eduard Bernstein, and Carl August Schramm, entitled "Retrospects on the Socialist Movement in Germany". The magazine piece advocated transforming the German Social-Democratic party from a revolutionary to a reformist platform.

I know, no one has time to dig through the annals of past discussion, on what to do in times of struggle, let alone analyse them and draw conclusions relevant to the landscape we are finding ourselves in, but that is what you have me for. There is a whole dispatch waiting to be written about the inherent dangers of anti-historicism let alone anti-intellectualism but not today. To contextualise the referenced piece for us, today, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote this address to confront the pressing need for clarity and discipline within the Socialist-Democratic Party of Germany during a pivotal moment in its history. The text focuses on the risks posed by opportunism and deviations from revolutionary principles, emphasising that political compromise with reactionary or reformist tendencies risks undermining the revolutionary objectives of socialism. They caution against collaboration with bourgeois liberals, who, while appearing sympathetic, ultimately defend the capitalist status quo.

Central to the address is the insistence on maintaining the independence and revolutionary character of the workers’ movement. Marx and Engels argue that blending socialist aims with reformist or parliamentary opportunism leads to ideological dilution and betrays the proletariat’s long-term interests. They reaffirm that the ultimate objective—overthrowing the capitalist system—must not be subordinated to short-term gains or alliances that compromise core principles.

By now, the comparative nature to our world today should be clear. The Fascists won and the bourgeoisie is pouring out crocodile tears of bullshit to force us workers into pouring our energy, money and abilities into their horseshit structures of reform and working across aisles. If there ever has been a moment in my lifetime where all ties have to be cut, it is now.

Let’s get into what the above text teaches us for a genuine, working class based anti-fascist and anti-capitalist struggle in the heart of their Empire.