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C. L. R. James

C. L. R. James Quotes

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“This independent Negro movement is able to intervene with terrific force upon the general social and political life of the nation, despite the fact that it is waged under the banner of democratic rights ... [and] is able to exercise a powerful influence upon the revolutionary proletariat, that it has got a great contribution to make to the development of the proletariat in the United States, and that it is in itself a constituent part of the struggle for socialism.”

StatesFactsAblePoliticalForceNationsSocialUnitedPowerfulUnited StatesStruggleRightsInfluenceMovementDevelopmentExerciseIndependentDemocraticSocialismDespiteRevolutionaryContributionTerrificBannerConstituentsProletariatPolitical LifeDemocratic Rights
Author:C. L. R. James
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“It is Toussaint's supreme merit that while he saw European civilisation as a valuable and necessary thing, and strove to lay its foundations among his people, he never had the illusion that it conferred any moral superiority. He knew French, British, and Spanish imperialists for the insatiable gangsters that they were, that there is no oath too sacred for them to break, no crime, deception, treachery, cruelty, destruction of human life and property which they would not commit against those who could not defend themselves.”

PeopleHumansMoralBreakSawsCrimeIllusionDestructionFoundationSacredLaysPropertyValuableBritishSupremeCommitCrueltyDeceptionHuman LifeMeritSuperiorityOathCivilisationGangstersInsatiableTreacheryNecessary ThingsMoral Superiority
Author:C. L. R. James
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“The struggle for socialism is the struggle for proletarian (working class) democracy. Proletarian democracy is not the crown of socialism. Socialism is the result of proletarian democracy. To the degree that the proletariat mobilizes itself and the great masses of the people, the socialist revolution is advanced. The proletariat mobilizes itself as a self-acting force through its own committees, unions, parties, and other organizations.”

PeopleSelfForceResultsPartyActingClassStruggleDemocracyRevolutionDegreesMassOrganizationUnionsSocialismCrownsSocialistCommitteesWorking ClassProletariat
Author:C. L. R. James
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“The race question is subsidiary to the class question in politics, and to think of imperialism in terms of race is disastrous. But to neglect the racial factor as merely incidental is an error only less grave than to make it fundamental.”

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Book:The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution
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“Why are you chasing your tail so?" Said the kitten, "I have learned that the best thing for a cat is happiness, and that happiness is my tail. Therefore, I am chasing it: and when I catch it. I shall have happiness." Said the cat, "My son, I, too, have paid attention to the problems of the universe. I, too, have judged that happiness is in my tail. But, I have noticed that whenever I chase it, it keeps running away from me, and when I go about my business, it just seems to come after me wherever I go.”

ArtSaidProblemSeemsRunningUniverseAttentionSonCatPaidBest ThingsMartial ArtsMy SonJudgedRunning AwayI Have LearnedTailsChasingKittenKeep Running
Author:C. L. R. James
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