It’s painfully obvious that the shituation we are experiencing in the US and much of the world is the last gasp of a desperate capitalism. While it may continue economically for a time, it is morally bankrupt. Gone are the lofty ideals of freedom and equality. Virulent racism rules the day, The collapse is most likely inevitable, but how long it takes is largely up to us. 

We need to start yesterday to organize the next phase of the evolution of society. Orthodox Marxism calls that phase socialism, but that’s one broad concept at this point. Clearly, we should be informed by Marx and the other giants of the international working-class movement. But more importantly, we need to study the present moment. We need to imagine the society that that is coming. 

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”     

– Arundhati Roy

In addition to the masters of ismism, we need to study visionaries like Buckminster Fuller, who described a society where most drudgery is automated and people could focus on the relations between their fellow humans. Humanity needs to rise the fuck up and take charge of itself. In the beginning our strategy needs to remain nonviolent as long as possible. But that may not be long. We’ll figure out that next step when we come to it on our VPNs.

While the 20^th Century was largely about technological progress, the 21^st century will need to be about the evolution of human relationships, While we can imagine it, we should recognize that a classless society is a ways away. There will be a lengthy period of healing from the ravages of capitalism. 

Though the means of production are being rapidly automated, the US working class is still large enough that it can seize the means of production and shut down much of the economy. To have the impact we need, it will be necessary to spend the next few years organizing our butts off, particularly in actual or potential unionized sectors of our class. Judicious sit-down strikes such as those in the auto industry in the 1930s can enable us to reclaim much of our former power. We’re not just talking industrial workers here. Despite automation, insurance, banking, warehouse, health, transportation, school workers can shut down their overlords as well. An early target might be May 1,2028 when the auto industry has already called for a general strike. We shouldn’t expect one strike to carry us to victory. The billionaire class still has the military and a shitload of weapons. They’ve shown us in Gaza that they will use them relentlessly, genocidally. 

A danger is that as automation proceeds, workers become increasingly expendable, fueling the likelihood of war. How the increasing number and intensity of the wars, already in progress, become remains to be scene, but I imagine it won’t be pretty. 

The escalating strike wave might begin demanding the 32 for 40 that Bernie has started calling for. (I remember petitioning to put 30 for 40 on the ballot in San Francisco in the 1970s). This will ease the pain of automation layoffs. When we get strong enough, we can start talking about worker ownership in the corporations. With China as a model, we can insist on 51%. 

While we should fight the rapacious billionaires on every front, it seems probable that union and community organizing trumps elections in the near term. The billionaires have the capacity to fully rig all future elections, and we can assume they will. But the contradiction of AI and automation will catch up with them. Soon there won’t be enough workers sufficiently paid to consume the products the robots produce. I think we can expect Universal Basic Income within the decade, partly because it was suggested by Milton Freedman, the guru of the current wave laissez-faire capitalism – until now his most ignored proposal. 

In order to minimize the death and mayhem of the collapse, all of us will need to envision ourselves as organizers for the new society. Let’s convince ourselves that the power is in our hands and organize our families, our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, our co-worshipers, everyone we come into contact with. 

For what they will ask? Keep it simple. Let’s organize our society so that it is based on love. Love is the way people naturally feel toward each other if no bullshit gets in the way. And yes, we have to dig through a ton of bullshit. If “love” is too gushy for you, call it human connection or solidardity It’s messy as all hell, but we really don’t have a choice.