A Revolutionary Library

Some Suggested Readings on Resistance

Yesterday I wrote about the lack of real choice or solutions in the 2024 Election in the United States, a situation mirrored all around the world.

Biden is A Big Mac, Fries and a Diet Coke

I stated that voting and other forms of passive resistance just won’t cut it if we want to have a livable planet in the future.

We need to embrace a vision of a world where ecosystems are protected, social justice is realized, and corporate power is dismantled.

How? We need strategic organized resistance. That’s the only way anything is going to change. Showing up to vote, making a few tweets or even showing up to a few protests won’t change anything. It never has, and it never will.

So then the next question is how do we make strategic organized resistance happen? It definitely isn’t as easy as showing up to the polls or ranting on Substack or X, or sharing a TikTok Video.

I’m going to provide a series of posts on this topic. But let me be upfront with you that there are great resources widely available already. I’ll try to provide some abridged summaries of this collection of information in future posts.

In the meantime, I thought I’d share some of the books I am aware of that would make up a library for a revolutionary. Keep in mind that by no means will all the information in these books be applicable. That said, much can be learned from how others have successfully or unsuccessfully resisted power.

I would love to hear from you if you have additional suggestions.

Table of Contents

1. Theoretical Foundations

2. Strategy and Tactics

3. Environmental and Indigenous Struggles

4. Historical Perspectives

5. Feminist and Intersectional Approaches

6. Additional Books on Strategy and Tactics for Revolutionaries

7. If you could choose just one book to read and share

8. Resistance Fiction/Sci-Fi

I. Essential Library for a Revolutionary

Theoretical Foundations

1. "The Communist Manifesto" by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

   • Foundational text for understanding class struggle, capitalism, and the revolutionary potential of the working class.

2. "Capital" by Karl Marx

   • Detailed analysis of the capitalist system, its mechanics, and its inherent contradictions.

3. "Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon

   • Examination of the psychological and political impacts of colonization, and the dynamics of revolutionary decolonization.

4. "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Freire

   • Explores education as a tool for liberation and the importance of consciousness-raising among the oppressed.

5. "The Society of the Spectacle" by Guy Debord

   • Critique of contemporary consumer culture and its role in maintaining capitalist domination.

6. “The Next Revolution: Popular Assemblies and the Promise of Direct Democracy” by Murray Bookchin

   • A collection of essays that elaborates on the principles and practices of direct democracy and social ecology.

7. "Democratic Confederalism" by Abdullah Öcalan

   • Written by Öcalan while in prison, this work systematically develops his political project. It critiques the nation-state and proposes a transnational, grassroots democracy as an alternative.

II. Strategy and Tactics

1. "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky

   • Practical guide for community organizing and activism.

2. "Revolutionary Suicide" by Huey P. Newton

   • Insights from the co-founder of the Black Panther Party on the principles and tactics of revolutionary struggle.

3. "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu

   • Classic treatise on military strategy and tactics, applicable to various forms of conflict and resistance.

4. "On Guerrilla Warfare" by Mao Zedong

   • Examination of guerrilla tactics and the conditions necessary for a successful revolutionary movement.

III. Environmental and Indigenous Struggles

1. "Endgame" Volumes 1 and 2 by Derrick Jensen

   • Deep critique of industrial civilization and arguments for its dismantling.

2. "Deep Green Resistance" by Aric McBay, Lierre Keith, and Derrick Jensen

   • Strategy and tactics for environmental resistance and dismantling industrial civilization.

3. "Full Spectrum Resistance" by Aric McBay

   • More on strategy and tactics.

4. "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer

   • Intersection of indigenous knowledge, botany, and environmental stewardship.

5. "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History" by Elizabeth Kolbert

   • Examination of the ongoing mass extinction caused by human activity and its implications.

6. "Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene" by Donna Haraway

   • Published in 2016, this book addresses the current environmental crisis by advocating for new ways of living and thinking. Haraway proposes the concept of the "Chthulucene" as an epoch where humans must learn to live responsibly within a web of interdependent life forms. She emphasizes the importance of making "kin" and fostering multispecies connections as a way to navigate and survive the ecological challenges of our time​.

IV. Historical Perspectives

1. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X and Alex Haley

   • The life story of Malcolm X, detailing his journey from criminal to revolutionary leader.

2. "Homage to Catalonia" by George Orwell

   • Personal account of the Spanish Civil War and the complexities of revolutionary politics.

3. "The Conquest of Bread" by Peter Kropotkin

   • Vision of a society based on mutual aid and the principles of anarcho-communism.

4. "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond

   • Exploration of the factors that have shaped human societies and the development of civilizations.

V. Feminist and Intersectional Approaches

1. "Women, Race, & Class" by Angela Davis

   • Analysis of the intersection of gender, race, and class in the history of social struggles.

2. "Sister Outsider" by Audre Lorde

   • Collection of essays and speeches on the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and class.

3. "Caliban and the Witch" by Silvia Federici

   • Examination of the witch hunts in Europe and their connection to the rise of capitalism and the oppression of women.

4. "Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza" by Gloria Anzaldúa

   • Exploration of identity, borders, and the experiences of Chicana women.

VI. Additional Books on Strategy and Tactics for Revolutionaries

1. "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

   • A classic work on political power, strategy, and leadership that offers insights into realpolitik and the use of cunning and pragmatic approaches in achieving and maintaining power.

2. "Guerrilla Warfare" by Che Guevara

   • Practical manual on guerrilla warfare tactics, based on Guevara's experiences in the Cuban Revolution and other Latin American insurgencies.

3. "From Dictatorship to Democracy" by Gene Sharp

   • Guide to nonviolent resistance strategies, detailing methods for dismantling authoritarian regimes and promoting democratic movements.

4. "Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice" by David Galula

   • Study of counterinsurgency principles and tactics, valuable for understanding both revolutionary and counter-revolutionary strategies.

5. "Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media" by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman

   • Analysis of how media serves as a tool for propaganda and social control, with strategies for countering media manipulation and promoting alternative narratives.

6. "The Strategy of Conflict" by Thomas Schelling

   • Examination of game theory and strategic behavior in conflict situations, applicable to both military and non-military forms of struggle.

7. "Organizing for Social Change" by Kimberley A. Bobo, Steve Max, and Jackie Kendall

   • Comprehensive guide to grassroots organizing, including tactics for community mobilization, coalition building, and campaign planning.

8. "The Coming Insurrection" by The Invisible Committee

   • Radical critique of contemporary society and a call for insurrectionary action, with practical advice on organizing autonomous resistance.

9. "Days of War, Nights of Love" by CrimethInc. Ex-Workers' Collective

   • Collection of essays and narratives promoting anarchist and anti-capitalist principles, with a focus on direct action and living outside the constraints of mainstream society.

10. "Revolution in the Air: Sixties Radicals Turn to Lenin, Mao and Che" by Max Elbaum

• History of radical left movements in the 1960s and 70s, offering lessons on revolutionary strategy, ideological debates, and the challenges of building a sustained movement.

11. "How Nonviolence Protects the State" by Peter Gelderloos

• Critique of pacifist strategies, arguing for a diversity of tactics, including the use of force, in resistance movements.

12. "The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution" by C.L.R. James

• Detailed history of the Haitian Revolution, highlighting the strategies and tactics that led to the overthrow of colonial rule and the establishment of the first black republic.

13. "Direct Action: An Ethnography" by David Graeber

• Exploration of direct action tactics and anarchist organizing, based on ethnographic research and Graeber's own experiences in activist movements.

14. "The Rebel's Dilemma" by Mark Irving Lichbach

• Analysis of collective action problems in revolutionary movements, offering insights into the dynamics of rebellion and the challenges of sustaining resistance.

15. "How We Won the War" by Vo Nguyen Giap

• This book provides an in-depth look at the strategies and tactics used by the North Vietnamese to defeat French and American forces. Giap emphasizes the importance of guerrilla warfare, political resilience, and the protracted nature of revolutionary war.

16. "People's War, People's Army" by Vo Nguyen Giap

• This classic text outlines the principles of guerrilla warfare and the organizational strategies necessary for a successful revolution. It highlights the integration of military tactics with political work to build support among the masses and sustain long-term resistance.

17. "Zapatista Encuentro" by Zapatistas

• This book contains documents and communiqués from Subcomandante Marcos and other Zapatista leaders, compiled from the 1996 Encounter for Humanity and Against Neoliberalism. It highlights the Zapatistas' strategies for mobilizing civil society and their opposition to neoliberal policies​.

18. "Revolution in Rojava: Democratic Autonomy and Women's Liberation in Syrian Kurdistan"

• This book provides an in-depth look at the revolutionary practices in Rojava, including the establishment and tactics of the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ). It details the political and military strategies employed to create a new kind of society based on radical democracy and gender equality

VII. If there was just one book to share with receptive friends about how to get started with resistance and why, what would it be?

"Endgame" by Derrick Jensen

Why This Book?

1. Comprehensive Critique of Civilization:

   • Jensen provides a thorough analysis of the fundamental flaws of industrial civilization, making a compelling case for why radical change is necessary.

2. Emphasis on Urgency:

   • The book underscores the urgent need to address environmental destruction, social injustice, and the inherent violence of industrial society.

3. Clear Framework and Premises:

   • "Endgame" is structured around a series of premises that build a strong logical foundation for understanding the necessity of resistance. These premises cover the unsustainability of civilization, the violence required to maintain it, and the need for its dismantling​​.

4. Practical Guidance:

   • While the book is deeply philosophical and analytical, it also offers practical suggestions and strategies for resistance, encouraging readers to take action.

5. Inspirational and Motivational:

   • Jensen’s passionate and direct writing style inspires and motivates readers to not only understand the problems but also to become active participants in the resistance movement.

Key Themes

• Sustainability: Explains why industrial civilization is inherently unsustainable and why more sustainable ways of living are essential.

• Violence of Civilization: Discusses the pervasive violence of current systems and the need to confront and dismantle these systems.

• Action and Resistance: Provides a call to action, urging readers to become involved in resistance efforts and offering guidance on how to start.

How to Use This Book

• Reading Groups: Start a reading group with friends to discuss the book chapter by chapter, fostering a deeper understanding and sense of community.

• Discussion Topics: Use the premises as discussion topics to explore the key arguments and their implications for personal and collective action.

• Action Plans: Develop concrete action plans based on the strategies and suggestions provided in the book, tailored to your local context and capabilities.

"Endgame" by Derrick Jensen is a powerful, comprehensive, and motivational text that not only explains why resistance is necessary but also provides a framework for getting started. It is an ideal starting point for anyone looking to understand and engage in effective resistance against destructive societal and industrial structures.

VIII. Resistance Fiction and Sci/Fi

1. "V for Vendetta" by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

• Graphic novel that explores themes of anarchism, resistance, and the power of symbolism in revolutionary movements.