BAYAN 005 ARAK Rnd01 v09 Booklet

7/28/2019 BAYAN 005 ARAK Rnd01 v09 Booklet

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ARAK / LESSON 6

discussed and to make sure that they attend. Make an agenda

or list of topics for discussion and send these to the members.

See to it that members prepare for meetings. Let them know

what reports, investigations, or readings have to be done as a

preparation. Before the meeting the group can have a prelimi-

nary discussion of the agenda. Part of the preparations for the

meeting is to make arrangements for the place, security, food,

and other things needed.

In running a meeting, make sure that important points are

immediately taken up. Avoid wandering into other extraneous

matters too much or sidestepping into unnecessary discus-

sions. In taking up important points immediately we make

sure that the meeting is finished at once and the discussions

are fruitful. Try to see that there is a balanced participation

in the discussions by the members and avoid letting a few

monopolize the discussion. From time to time summarize the

discussion so that all can see what has been reached.

AREVOLUTIONARYACTIVIST

KOURSE

QUALITIES OF A REVOLUTIONARY

REVOLUTIONARY STUDY

THE CORRECT METHOD OF ANALYSIS

THE MASS LINE

DEMOCRATIC CENTRALISM

THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM

Six Lessons

ARAK


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QUALITIEA REVOLU

Lesson One

THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM / 38

4.

HOW CAN WE

CONTINUE IMPROV-

ING THE COLLECTIVE

OPERATIONS OF THE

COMMITTEE?

5.

WHAT SHOULD WE

PAY ATTENTION TO SO

THAT WE CAN

IMPROVE OUR

MEETINGS?

among members. This common understanding and percep-

tion of different topics and events can be developed thru joint

discussions and studies and on-going exchanges of informa-

tion. This will hasten mutual understanding and unity among

members.

We should cultivate openness towards one another. Problems

and other things that the comrades should attend to should be

placed on the table, not kept secret. When it concerns impor-

tant matters, we should not wait for meetings before bringing

up opinions, problems, or recommendations. It is destructive

of unity when a comrade is silent during meetings or in the

presence of those concerned and then afterwards backbites or

throws criticisms outside of the meeting.

We must learn to build unity with members of our collective,

learn to work together with them even though we may not feel

personally at ease with some of our companions. Building a

clique or a small group of friends within the collective weakens

and erodes the unity of the group. We should be concerned for

and support on another. We should be on the watch for what-

ever destroys the unity and collective work of the committee.

Meetings are an important part of the work of a committee. The

group works ideas collectively here and decides what things

are needed to advance the objectives of the organization. In

the meetings the committee collectively investigates the situ-

ation in order to come out with a decision, plan and program

of action. In the meetings collective leadership is given living

expression and the unity of the committee is built. It is the task

of the committee to set and follow a system of meetings.

The unit should have a regularly schedule of meetings. Too

frequent or too many meetings should be avoided. The higher

organ and the committee itself decides on the frequency of

assessments of work, the preparation or reports, the planning

and programming of work and other things that need to be dis-

cussed in a meeting. We should also avoid meetings that are

too long. This happens when meetings are few, when prepara-

tions are not done well or the meeting is not managed well.

Make sure that notices of meetings reach the members. This

is necessary so that members can prepare for things to be


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ARAK / LESSON 6

cannot do his/her tasks. This is to make sure that the work

of the committee is not crippled or dislocated if the secretary

is gone.

If the organization is still new and small, one deputy secretary

is enough. When the organization expands, the committee will

get bigger and its tasks will be heavier. At this stage we usually

assign a member to take charge of every important aspect of

work. Depending on the needs, we assign an officer for organi-

zation, education, finance, etc.

THE SECRETARIAT

Thru the secretariat, the secretary is able to do the work col-

lectively of day to day administration of the organization.

Usually it is composed of the secretary, the deputy secretary,

the secretary for organization or propaganda-education. The

secretariat is not a separate leadership and above the commit-

tee. It is guided by the policies and program of the committee.

The secretariat calls and prepares for the committee meetings.

It may give recommendations to be discussed and decided

upon by the whole unit.

FINANCE OFFICER

He/She oversees the finance work of the unit. He/She sees

to it that the finance plans of the unit are implemented. The

finance officer collects membership dues, pledges and other

material support. He/She gives finance reports and develops

members for finance work.

SECURITY OFFICER

He/She looks after the security of the organization. It is his/

her responsibility to make sure that security policies of the

unit are implemented.

To strengthen the collective operations of the committee it is

important to develop unity, mutual concern and the spirit of

helping one another among the members. In this way each

one will feel at ease with one another and it will be easy to

follow the principle of collective leadership in their work.

We should give importance to building a common language

OFIONARY

1. Why is it important to remoldourselves as revolutionaries?

2. How does a revolutionary view his/her work and responsibilities for therevolution?

3. What is the correct attitude towardshardships, sacrifices and death?

4. What is the correct attitude towardsthe masses?

5. How should we treat our comradesin the struggle?

6. What is the correct attitude towardscriticism and self-criticism?


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THE COMSYSTEM

Lesson Six

QUALITIES OF A REVOLUTIONARY / 6

misunderstandings because we value our unity. In dealing

with our comrades, the important thing is to understand their

situation, recognize their efforts, and help them to improve in

the struggle.

We should be thoughtful and caring for one another and

imbued with a sense of responsibility for the well being of

each comrade. It is our duty to help one another not only

with problems related to our work, but also with the personal

problems. The joys and hardships of our comrades are also

our own. We should help one another remold ourselves in

the struggle.

In the course of the struggle it is natural that we sometimes

commit mistakes or fall into wrong tendencies. These are

commonly caused by our lack of experience or the product of

wrong ideas and bad habits carried over into the movement.

But we are always ready to overcome these mistakes because

we are committed to the highest interests of the people.

As revolutionaries we are always ready to criticize our own

mistakes and weaknesses, and we welcome criticisms from

others, because we desire only what is good for the people. If

the criticisms are valid, we will not deny them or hesitate to

correct them because it is not our personal interest but the

interest of the people that are at stake. We are not afraid of

criticism because truth is on our side, and the masses are on

our side.

Criticism and self-criticism is a powerful weapon for cor-

recting our mistakes and overcoming our weaknesses. It is

essential for ensuring unity within our ranks, maintaining

a healthy and democratic style in our organizations, andincreasing our fighting capacity. Thru criticism and self-

criticism, we learn from our past mistakes and are able to

avoid them in the future.

We should undertake criticism and self-criticism on a

regular basis. In this way we are able to constantly examine

our actions, improve our work, strengthen our unity and

maintain our close ties to the masses. Without the constant

practice of criticism and self-criticism, all kinds of political

dust and germs can gather in our organization, and we will

become like a field full of weeds and pests, while the crops are

thin and bare of fruits.

6.

WHAT IS THE

CORRECT

ATTITUDE

TOWARDS

CRITICISM AND

SELF-CRITICISM?


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REVOLUTISTUDY

Lesson Two

DEMOCRATIC CENTRALISM / 32

The membership of a revolutionary organization are com-

posed of responsible individuals actively committed to the

goals of the organization. It differs from the bourgeois or feu-

dal organizations where unity is loose and the tendency is to

simply follow orders or be completely reliant on the initiatives

of the leadership. The members of a revolutionary organiza-

tion do not work for their own interests only, but for the bigger

goals of the organization. Each individual strives to build a

strong and stable organization to fight against the ruling class.

It is the duty of each member and part of the organization to

follow all decision; carry out the tasks, plans and programs

efficiently; safeguard the interests and security of the organi-

zation. It should immediately bring to the attention of the

leading units all questions or problems as well as the results in

carrying out its tasks.

It is the duty of each member and lower unit of the organiza-

tion to submit reports regularly and promptly, together with

their suggestions, observations and criticisms on matters vital

to that interest of the organization. It is the responsibility of

each one to be truthful and make sure that the information

submitted is accurate. This is vital in formulating correct deci-

sions and plans.

It is the right of each member to participate in meetings to help

foment agreement and formulate decisions. This is done by

sharing his/her experiences and knowledge of the conditions,

and expressing his/her opinions, observations, suggestions

and criticisms. It is also the right of the lower units to raise

suggestions or criticisms to the leading units and to make deci-

sions on matters within the scope of its responsibilities.

It is the right of each member to be informed of the situationand happenings in other parts of the unit. Likewise, the lower

units have a right to inquire from the leading units on the situ-

ation of the work in the latters area.

It is the duty of each member to attend and actively participate

in meetings. It is his/her responsibility to promote agreement

during meetings and contribute in the making of decisions.

In meetings all member should participate in sharing their

experiences and knowledge and expressing their opinions,

observations, suggestions and criticisms.

5.

WHAT ARE THE

DUTIES OF THE

MEMBERSHIP AND

THE LOWER UNITS?


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ARAK / LESSON 2

changing conditions and development of our own work. By

doing analysis we are able to formulate a correct and effective

way of solving problems, develop our capability to improve our

work and successfully accomplish our tasks.

Be analytical. Whatever the issue is, be interested not only

in what, but more importantly the why and how, in order to

understand the essence of the phenomenon. We should guard

against a subjective, superficial, or one sided way of looking at

things. By doing analysis, we avoid being deceived by external

appearances and thereby place ourselves in an active position

to effectively carry out our tasks.

Assessment is a form of investigation, and an important

part of revolutionary study. We usually conduct two kinds of

assessment: assessment of our work and assessment of the

situation. We assess our work to measure the status or level

reached in the implementation of our plans and program.

Assessment of the situation considers the character and level

of struggle between the classes of society.

One example of assessment of our work is the commonly

conducted monthly assessment, in conjunction with the

preparation of reports. We also conduct assessments after

every mass action. In it we identify the successes and failures

of a particular action, and what has or has not been achieved

in the plan. Assessment also clarifies the mistakes to be cor-

rected, problems to be resolved, and tasks to be done.

An example of an assessment of the situation is the study

of the balance of forces in an area: the level of strength of

revolutionary forces versus that of the enemys, our capability

to advance and the enemys ability to retaliate. It clarifies theneeds and tasks that need to be done to advance the revolution.

It further clarifies the strength, disposition and movement of

the enemy, and how we can crush it piece by piece.

We must conduct frequent assessments. This enables us to

maintain a firm grasp of the situation, be alert to the needs

and opportunities of the moment, and be quick in setting up

the tasks to be done. Frequent assessment gives us correct,

timely and specific guidance on how to plan our tasks and

implement them.

5.

WHAT IS

ASSESSMENT?

ICM

1. What is organization?

2. What is democratic centralism?

3. What are the Four Rules ofDiscipline of the Organization?

4. What are the responsibilities of theleading unit?

5. What are the duties of the member-ship and thelower units?


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DEMOCRACENTRALI

Lesson Five

REVOLUTIONARY STUDY / 12

Summing up is the analysis of our positive and negative expe-

riences in order to draw useful lessons and guides to action.

The conclusions derived from summing up are general les-

sons that will serve to guide our work in the long term.

There are many kinds of summing up, depending on our

purpose and the nature and scope of the experience being

summed-up. Usually we sum up our experiences in work-

ing with the masses, the way we exercise leadership, and the

manner we have ran the mass organizations. Here we draw

lessons on the correct and effective ways of launching and

managing the mass movement. We may also sum up experi-

ences of the mass work in a locality to draw lessons on correct

and effective methods of work.

After laying down the data and the results of our work, within

a given time frame and area of work being summed up, we

focus our attention on:

A / the progress of our work, the causes and conditions that

contribute to its present status, and the lessons to be drawn

from them.

B / Our specific strengths and weaknesses, our mistakes and

our effective moves; the conditions and attitudes that brought

them about, and the lessons to be drawn from them.

C / The requisites for effective execution of tasks or for suc-

cessful measures, and the lessons to be drawn from them.

Summing up is an important aspect of study which enables

us to learn directly from our experience. We actively use ourexperience, be it positive or negative, in order to sharpen our

knowledge and improve our abilities in accomplishing the

tasks at hand. In summing up we gain a deeper grasp of the

principles of the revolution based on our very own experience.

6.

WHAT IS

SUMMING UP?


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THE CORRMETHOD O

ANALYSIS

Lesson Three

THE MASS LINE / 26

The revolutionary class line is the principle that shows us the

correct way to relate with the various social classes in accord-

ance with the mass line and the principles of the peoples

democratic revolution. It clarifies who are the real friends

and real enemies of the revolution. It also clarifies the correct

class basis for leading the revolution: to depend principally on

the most reliable classes, to win over the middle forces and to

isolate the most rabid of our enemies.

Overall, the revolutionary class line teaches us to give empha-

sis on mobilizing the ranks of the toiling masses: the peasants,

workers and semi-proletariat. In the countryside we give first

attention to the most reliable classes and strata: the farm work-

ers or agricultural proletariat and the poor and lower-middle

peasant or the rural semi-proletariat. We strive to win over

the middle and upper-middle peasants and neutralize the

rich peasants in order to isolate the despotic and oppressive

landlords.

By using the revolutionary class line, we have a scientific class

basis for dealing with the people in locality. We will avoid

being carried away by external appearances or acting only on

the basis of the personal likes and dislikes for individuals we

meet. This is why it is important to recognize the classes that

compose the population in the area, and the class origins of

the people we are dealing with.

5.

WHAT IS

REVOLUTIONARY

CLASS LINE?


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ARAK / LESSON 4

THE MASS

Lesson Four

THE CORRECT METHOD OF ANALYSIS / 18

In another example, our committees do not operate independ-

ent of the current thrust of the movement. Our local plans are

always in accordance with the broader plans established at the

section or district level. Conversely, we always consider in our

assessment the effect and influence of the guidance from the

higher organs, and the relationship between the overall devel-

opment of the movement and the development at the town

and section level.

In studying an object, we should pay attention to studying

the smaller parts that make up the whole. This enables us to

acquire a more complete, substantive and profound under-

standing of the object; confirm our initial conclusions and

avoid haphazard, careless generalizations.

When making an assessment, it is not enough to say that in the

whole the work was good. We should examine the conduct of

the different aspects of work like education, organization and

mass mobilization. In this way our analysis of the program

implementation is clearer, more substantive and more realistic.

Initially, one aspect of a contradiction is strong and predomi-

nates over the opposite aspect which is weaker. This dominant

aspect determines the basic characteristic or essence of a

phenomenon. For example, Philippine society is semi-colonial

and semi-feudal because it is dominated by U.S. Imperialism,

local feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism.

But this situation is not static. The two aspects are in continu-

ous struggle, each aspect undergoing changes in its form and

its strength, and the struggle between the two aspects continu-

ally changing in its intensity. Initially the changes are small,

and except for small changes in form and external appearance,it seems that the object is not changing at all. This is the stage

of QUANTITATIVE change.

In the Philippines for example, the class struggle is manifested

in many different changes in form like the rise in joblessness,

the increase in labor strikes and other forms of mass struggle,

the expansion of the peoples army, etc. However there is no

change in the basic relations between classes and the essential

semi-colonial semi-feudal character of the Philippine society

remains.

5.

HOW DO THINGS

CHANGE?


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Documents

BAYAN 005 ARAK Rnd01 v09 Booklet