MODULE 3:
how revolutions are made
CLASS 1learning from defeats on the road to revolution
Instructor: Scott will
Every revolution in history has come on the backs of hundreds of defeats. How does this help us define and recognize victories that go beyond winning immediate gains? Temporary defeats function as a school—they produce lessons, develop leaders and movements, and sharpen political consciousness. From the Paris Commune to the St. Louis Commune, we will examine how these setbacks teach us to define and recognize victories that extend beyond immediate concessions, building the collective capacity and endurance for the struggles ahead.
CLASS 2how empires fall
instructor: Layan fuleihan
How does major change happen in history? In this class we will place this moment in a longer historical timeline, while examining two crucial truths, that 1) empires do fall, even ones that humans never thought could and 2) the objective conditions generated by cascading crises contribute to that fall, but are not the sole reason. We will explore the why and how of empire’s decline, and determine what comes next.
CLASS 3tools of class struggle
instructor: nathalie hrizi
How have the U.S. working class historically fought, and won? What tools have we used and what political, economic and social conditions determined the chosen tools? What forms does the working class use to organize itself? A central theme is that socialism is not foreign to us; we will explore the seeds and threads of socialism in our own history, demonstrating that these traditions are deeply embedded in the American story.
CLASS 4marx, lenin, and the science of revolution
instructor: brian becker
What is the science, and theory of revolution? How have revolutionary forces turned to this theory time and time again to evaluate their conditions and determine the strategy and tactics for the next stage of struggle? We will explore the methods of Marxism and Leninism, extracting key concepts and definitions that remain vital tools for revolutionaries today. What can we bring forward from this theoretical framework to inform our actions?
CLASS 4the rising tide of socialism
instructor: amari butler
Building on the lessons of the last three classes, how do we understand recent U.S. history over the past two decades? The 21st century has brought waves of movements that have raised consciousness and brought people into the streets. These include the anti‑Iraq War mobilizations, Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter from 2014 to 2020, the movement for Palestine, the Minneapolis General Strike, and many others. Each of these movements has awakened millions to the issues facing the working class in the U.S. at the hands of the billionaire class. They have awakened millions to the struggle for liberation in Palestine, and millions more to the ideas of socialism. They have also provided concrete evidence that mass movements have restrained the actions of the ruling class. What can we learn from these most recent waves of struggle as we face the current moment and what’s ahead.