
I posted this to my DSA chapter:
I’ve read some of Lenin, but I haven’t gotten far into What Is To Be Done. This podcast by RevLeft Radio does a nice overview of the text. It seems very applicable right now.
The gist is that without a Vanguard party, these spontaneous movements (Hands Off, 50501) will eventually and inevitably sputter out and die, or be co-opted by the bourgeoisie. This has happened many times throughout history (Occupy, etc). Furthermore, without an organized Vanguard party to lead these movements, the movement will just default to capitalist status quo.
I/we are under no illusion that those are just liberal status quo movements.