Class consciousness is defined as an expression of a particular class concept of reality. Classes exhibit different viewpoints of reality based on their economic standing. A bourgeoisie, for example, thinks of reality as something as stable as eating more than three times a day and doing it in the luxury of his mansion, while a proletariat views reality on the opposite. The forms of social life develop in different directions for differing classes, and this stems from their differing experiences related to the means of production.
History, for example, is interpreted differently by different classes. EDSA revolts are viewed by the bourgeoisie as legitimate democratic exercises while the proletariat sees it as nothing more than a musical chair play, with members of the bourgeois classes exchanging their lots for governance. Fact is, even the concept of democracy is differently viewed by classes. Socialism, for example is the highest form of democracy for proletariats while elitist or capitalist democracy is the one subscribed to by the bourgeois.
Class consciousness plays a big part in staging a revolution. The ascendant consciousness of the revolting members of a particular class determines the direction of the revolution.
Marx wrote in the Holy Family that...
" the question is not what goal is envisaged for the time being by this or that member of the proletariat, or even by the proletariat as a whole. The question is what is the proletariat and what course of action will it be forced historically to take in conformity with its own nature"
In a proletariat-led revolt, the aim is transform the state from the ground up, and supplant it with a worker-led system of governance. This revolution is based on the purest concept of justice---equalization in owning the means of production. To achieve the goal, the mode of production would have to be systematically changed. And the only route for change is revolution.
Now, is it possible to concretize a collective class consciousness or what others term as "national will"? Yes, it is entirely possible if the levers of power reside in the hands of the ascendant force in society, which, in this case, is the proletariat.
The clash of classes must happen first, so that the more developed consciousness evolves from it. Revolution is inevitable, it is a necessary consequence of class struggle. Without a revolution, there is no change.
Former president Fidel V Ramos explains that EDSA is our people's legacy to the world. Look at Libya, he says, they are now fighting among themselves, and for what? EDSA was a bloodless revolt.
Ramos is right. EDSA did paved the way for a peaceful transition of power---from a one-man dictatorship to a dictatorship of the elite.
However, we can only say that EDSA was a true legacy as a new model of change if it, indeed, led to substantial changes shortly after.
Yes, we prevented a bloodbath among soldiers and civilians during the transition but, in truth, peace was never regained after EDSA. Fact is, violence within our society continues and it remains a fixture in our lives.
We see violence in the continued oppressive relations between workers and capitalists. The post-EDSA landscape shows a country again ruled by petty warlords. The traditional elites who destroyed the moral fibre of this country prior to Martial rule, were back, with a vengeance. Farmers are still enslaved by their landlords in the provinces.
EDSA did not really solve even the most fundamental problems of this country. Fact is, EDSA only allowed the dictatorship to assume a form enjoyed by traditional elite families prior to the declaration of a strong-man rule.
If, during Martial law, we answer to just one man, post-EDSA, we answer to hundreds now who think highly of themselves as Marcos mini-mes. If there was one strong man during those dark ages, we face a thousand now. If there was just one family of thieves before, we face a mafia of thieves now, all wearing the same starched barong.
Worse, violence has now seeped within the very basic unit of our society---the family. Because of the unresolved violence stemming from the unsolved economic crisis, our families are now being threatened by violence never before seen in our history. More than 27 million Filipino families now face the twin evils of poverty and inhumanity.
We are hungrier and more desperate now than before. Worse, we are now facing an apocalypse because we don't have as many resources now as before. Most of the assets of government have been sold or transformed into private enclaves by the elite. The treasury remains dry.
And why do we say this? This is the simple truth. What was the only thing EDSA gave us? EDSA gave us back our right to criticize government. In exchange for this, those who succeeded Marcos continued the plunder in a different, more "conotic", "Civilized" and "cacique" way---using the law to steal monies from the People.
The EDSA People Power revolt will remain in our memory as an event where everyone went out of their comfort zones to express their thirst for change. After twenty years living under a dictatorship, the people went out in the streets to topple a dictatorship. Most of them who went there really wanted change.
Twenty five years past and the quest for change remains. There is no single time in the life of this nation where no one actually desires in his heart for real change to happen. Every single one who does not belong to the elite, always want change to really happen in this country.
Twenty five years and things remain the same. The stark reality can be seen at EDSA. Look at those roads. They show you the real EDSA, the real condition of this country.
The only ones harping that this EDSA was a success were those who benefited from the political succession.
EDSA started as a pure people's revolt. After the fall of Marcos, the deterioration of this country began.
The lesson of EDSA is simple---do not let the elites hijack the whole damn thing.
Instead of one, we are now fighting thousands of savage, hungry, and egotistic demons in barong all waiting to devour our precious taxes. These hungry sonafabitches prey on our weakness. They steal our monies big-time. They don't settle for millions. They are now gunning for billions of pesos worth of loot.
The real EDSA lies in every Pinoy's heart. Yet, look at this year's celebration. You don't see ordinary Filipinos really smiling and really happy about this.
Filipinos just want a holiday. We are sick and tired of the elites celebrating something as EDSA. Why are they celebrating and we, the People, are not? Because they are celebrating the time when they were able to bring themselves back to power.
Another lesson of EDSA----don't be misled by the ruse of the elite. Traditional elite families rule this country with impunity. Marcos tried to cast them out. EDSA brought them all back again. Example--the Lopezes, and all the rest of Congress and the Senate. These underachievers now rule this country, and look what is happening.
What really prompted us to troop to Highway 54 and demand for the resignation of former president Ferdinand Marcos? Was it a call for change? What kind of change?
I was still a teenager when EDSA uno broke out. I was born like a poppy flower stuffed inside the barrel of an M-16 rifle. Like most of us, my family belongs to the lower middle class. I had aunts who graduated with a PHd in UP and an MA abroad. I had uncles who also finished their college degrees despite the relative poverty of our family.
For us, there was nothing irregular with what Marcos did for the country. Fact is, our family benefitted from the previous regime. We were the first ones given a home. My aunt, who was once a principal in a public school, won a government raffle which gave her two houses--one in a tenement and the other, a row house in Antipolo.
Later I realised that my family in my father's side belongs to the Rivera which is a family directly linked with the Marcos family. However, unlike other so-called relatives, we never used this connexion to gain concessions from the regime.
Anyway, living under a dictatorship was, for me, nothing irregular or fearsome. No one among my relatives was arrested. My uncle, who died in a car accident, was a founder of SDK. He, however, probably made peace with the authorities since I never got any info that he was arrested or jailed. Yet, a few years before his death, I saw him during one or two rallies which I attended.
Like most of us, there was peace during Macoy's time. Yes, we saw some excesses in several television clips but these were justified as something which the official family did to at least make Filipinos proud of themselves. Imelda's shoes for example, they were plenty, but hey, the former MMDA and first lady had to travel, yes? And travelling requires a lot of shoes.
What I saw when I was growing up were Marcos' orations. The former president spoke with authority and with wit. It was a joy seeing him speak. Fact is, his face is still etched inside my brain. I was wired to listen to him and even emulate him, whenever possible. He made us proud of his speeches.
Yet, those speeches hide the real truth---the deaths of thousands, the poverty of many, the erosion of social values, war, inhumanity and the deprivation of several civil rights. While we eat barely two times a day, several of the dictator's cronies lavish themselves with riches beyond measure and feast themselves to death with imported goods, most of which, caviar.
We, however, were made to believe that every single thing was fine. Rumors circulated that Imelda allowed hundreds to die while the Cultural Center was being built. There was news of a senator killed due to his principles, and several others, dead, when they revolted against the regime.
I was a living witness of several thousands of us, shouting ourselves hoarse when a group of nationalists visited us. I later learned that that one was an election rally. Shouts of "laban" reverberated throughout the dark alleys of our condominium building.
I was then a high school student when reports of a "revolt" broke out. Several soldiers were reported to have holed themselves inside Camp Crame. The action was reportedly led by Defense secretary Juan Ponce-Enrile, a close Marcos crony and General Fidel V. Ramos, a Ramos relative. They defected to the Cory Aquino side shortly after the 1986 elections, which, according to Enrile, Cory won by a landslide.
It was my first time to hear of the name "Cory Aquino". Cory was the widow of the late Senator Benigno Noynoy Aquino. I shed a tear when the body of the slain senator was shown on television, slumped at the tarmac, murdered by an assassin. The alleged assassin, Galman, was also shown side by side with the slain nationalist, once accused of being a Communist, but, in truth and in fact, a genuine lover of God and Country.
Cory was convinced by several anti-Marcos forces to fight the ageing dictator in an elections. The ageing dictator agreed. Marcos was seen campaigning and throwing strong speeches against his detractors. Afterwards, he was seen being carried by several bodyguards.
Rumours of Marcos' illness swept the country. There were rumors that the country was being run not by Ferdie, but by Meldy and a Hollywood actor. Most of the people think that it was time for Macoy to retire or die, but the dictator probably thought he was still "strong" and "needed by the people".
The elections were a sham. And most of the people knew it.
That's why several soldiers, wearing the People's flag in their uniforms, chose to side with the Truth. Three years ago, these soldiers made their views known when they unfurled a streamer during a PMA rites event. That "We Belong" streamer never meant anything to several people, but it was as serious as life to those who founded the RAM, especially young First Lieutenant Diosdado Valeroso. Several thought that the group was just fans of Benatar's famous pop song, but unknown to all, these soldiers were dead serious in their struggle to regain the democracy and freedom for the people.
That "We Belong" transformed itself into "Our Dream shall never die." It was a classic call for change, change that we can dream of. But, what is that change? What is really, the dream of the people?
