“What was achieved under Nazi-fascism through bloody terror against the organized workers’ movement and the people is to be achieved again today in West Europe through the “information society”
The quote from the Red Army Faction draws a chilling parallel between historical totalitarian regimes and contemporary societal dynamics. It suggests that the oppression of the working class and dissenting voices is re-emerging, albeit under the guise of technological progress and the "information society."
The mention of "bloody terror" evokes the violent tactics employed by Nazi fascism to suppress organized labor and the general populace. This highlights the extreme measures that oppressive systems will resort to in order to maintain control. The use of the phrase "organized workers’ movement" underlines the importance of collective action and solidarity among workers, implying that such unity is viewed as a threat by those in power.
By contrasting the overt brutality of the past with modern methods of surveillance, manipulation, and control, the quote accuses contemporary society of employing subtler yet equally insidious forms of oppression. The “information society” is depicted as a tool that can be wielded to stifle dissent and reinforce systemic inequalities, drawing attention to issues such as data privacy, media manipulation, and the impact of technology on freedom of expression.
Ultimately, the statement serves as a warning about complacency in the face of evolving forms of oppression. It urges vigilance against the subtle encroachments on civil liberties that can undermine the achievements of the workers' movements, reflecting a deep concern for the trajectory of social justice in a digitized world.
“In its offensive against the state, the urban guerilla cannot resort to terrorism as a weapon.”
“The fact is that the system in the metropole reproduces itself through an ongoing offensive against the people’s psyche, not in an openly fascist way, but rather through the market.Therefore, to write off entire sections of the population as an impediment to anti-imperialist struggle, simply because they don’t fit into Marx’ analysis of capitalism, is as insane and sectarian as it is un-Marxist.”
“They see in the political apathy of the proletariat only the apathy, not the protest against a system that has nothing to offer them.”
“They see in the population’s hostility towards the left only the hostility towards the left, not the hatred against those who are socially privileged.”
“Following this logic, to bomb BASF in Ludwigshafen would be to mock the people who bombed BASF in Brazil. The Latin American comrades feel differently. BASF does as well.”
“The rejection of sabotage in the metropole, based on the argument that it would be better to take things over instead of destroying them, is based on the dictum: The people of the Third World should wait for their revolution until the masses in the metropole catch up.”