(Note: see socialism.nl/post/002/107-... about army organization proposal.) Summary: organize 3rd class brigades based on suggested army doctrine, who are entirely 'truth-company' (involved with propaganda and the truth about economics), who specialize in quick revolutionary political activities, to save the day. Because of the potential for temporary great power, these should be populated by the more trustworthy people, who have a strong mind and won't give in to lies at the last moment. Who are willing to take power merely to set things right, and then step down to let the People rule. Purple Brigades --------------- When there is great revolutionary turmoil in society, a conventional DAVID (scheme-3) political party as such may be too slow to react and save the day or bring the revolution to a good end. What you'd want is a fast, dedicated, well trained, well organized, flexible 'strategic political' force that takes hold of what there may be to take hold off, or indeed to formulate a platform in an open field, coordinate their activities with like-minded initiatives that may occur in the wider area, nation, and even beyond. The Constitutional Democracy described in Chapter 3 of the proposal is rather meant to be precise and slow, it even has build in delays. Though such a system is great for Democracy, you can't very well wait weeks upon weeks for basic order to be restored, or for revolutionary plans to be debated out. Usual Governance is about fine tuning an already fine tuned system. Revolution is about declaring the currency defunct and have the trucks with food stamps already rolling in, meanwhile computing the water supply for all cities and so on. A hard won revolution, at the end of a struggle potentially with arms and associated with extensive chaos, is really a military operation, isn't it. By its nature I mean. One of the things that the suggested armed uprising (socialism.nl/post/002/107-... ) has is an organization form that is designed for military speed and clarity, and secondly they already are suggested to both have a foundational internal democracy (Chapter 3), and have dedicated propaganda companies (to attack hostile people with the truth, win them over and end the battle without a drop of blood spilling on either side.) This fits the bill more or less in terms of speed and power. Amusingly, coincidentally, mentioned army has a 3rd class rank which is red, a rank that is a non-armed-combat rank. It makes sense that a person could qualify for a 'truth-propaganda unit,' even highly, without needing to have combat training of any kind (dual is also possible obviously). It hence makes sense that these units could have a higher amount of 3rd class ranks (which are red in color), up to entirely 3rd class ranks. This fits the bill more or less in terms of being a specialized political unit. The only difference is that the truth-units attack enemy soldiers with the truth to win them over, while what is required here is to actually run a political revolution, probably either in the highest quarters of Government (in case a brutal repression is overthrown), or by skirting the capitalist/old centers of power and declaring sovereignty in the open fields. For this competence Purple Brigades can be formed which are entirely dedicated to the political question, particularly trained well in how to deal with emergency leadership in the nation. Purple Brigades --------------- The armed forces have been proposed to have an land, sea and air force. The truth-forces do not track to that distinction. I suggest their epaulette is a white field: white for peace, and white + red for the colors of the revolution "is on or possible" which is part of the scheme 3 political DAVIDWE party, and the colors of the Constitutional flag. These purple brigades would comprise separate Armies, who can have their own command all the way up to a campaign General (if need be, if desired). This differentiates them from the 'truth-units' that are part of regular armies. Each army would have their own names and designations, even if they are much smaller then an army. I believe personally that these Purple Brigades will be an essential part to bring a chaotic revolutionary situation to a good end, because it is almost iconic how disorganized and chaotic the people's resistance usually is. Infighting at the point of power is therefore likely, even if it is conducted with the best intentions and for the most honorable goals. Simply having one Division-Supervisor or Lieutenant-General outrank a Captain can earn days of honorable but time consuming debates. Get the rank structure in order, get hopefully competent people on the strategic ranks, and get on with it. When it goes wrong, you can always change strategies, by that you also maintain the momentum and therefore the power. It keeps the enemy off balance when you have initiative. That buys time. If the (likely) disagreements have already been fixed previously, and reflected in the rank structure, action can be more swift. The house command can always make changes on the go in the high ranking appointments, who can then in turn restructure the lower ranking structure (which is their responsibility). There is, obviously, an elevated risk of infiltration in these purple brigades because of their potential power at the cusp of change during chaos. (Maybe a better name is Revolutionary armies ?). These Purple Brigades are essentially armies who choose to have all or nearly all or most or elevated numbers of 'truth-units' (and specialize in swift political and economic revolution). As such they can likewise integrate into other armies or under a Mutual Strategic Command, and they can dominate a Mutual Strategic Command with their own high 3rd class ranks (Major General and so on) while incorporating combat armies into that MSC as well (if such an army wants to that is). On the other hand, this Purple Brigade task is quite specialist and short lived. The Purple Brigades step away from power to achieve ultimate victory ----------------------------------------------------------------- It is an essential element of the revolution that if it involves struggle, then those that attain power will give it up to the peace time Government. As soon as possible the Purple Brigades give up power, which is an entirely natural process because the essence of the Revolution is to set up a DAVID-239 system, which implies a national Government. The Armies (of all kinds) would then (potentially) plead loyalty to that Government, implying any Purple Brigade activities become subordinate, this is a task of the house command (see army organization, 107-...). See also: post/002/088-revolution-government for more and historical precedent of this system (the red Government gains sovereignty, hands power to the white peace Government, and that's just that then.) This dual-punch system ensures that even the few infiltrator would be tyrants will be out flanked: soon enough the properly defended DAVID-239 Government is in action, and if not that means another revolution on the corrupted Purple Brigade or whatever has happened (unless adequately based on the will of the People.) People who do not want this system: you can do 2 things during chaotic revolution: a) If you are a real majority in the nation, all you have to do is sit it out, usurp power through the DAVID-239 system, and change it to whatever you want. You could probably go through article 1 if you are there immediately, because shortly after big changes it isn't really ratified. b) Ball together in a part of the nation with a view of declaring it a sovereign nation, a right that you probably will be granted one way or the other. c) If you try a) but fail, you can still do b) and use the Referendum to start a fresh sovereign nation. For 'us' the same applies really: if we can not gain a majority, we may want to ball together to find sovereignty for ourselves (see: scheme 6). Caution ------- Competence is more important then zeal, the higher ranks (in a nation) should really establish a network with the other at least larger purple brigades (purple brigades ??), to form a common action. Beware of enemy spies attempting to assassinate the ranking purple brigade officers, in an attempt to destabilize a revolution at its most difficult moment. Fighting between different purple brigades at the cusp of power is possible, because no matter how much detail a plan has, there are always the details on the ground (for example differences over borders). Having a well integrated national network both makes enemy infiltration in our ranks easier, and would prevent greater disagreements on the worst moment. To prevent enemy infiltration, the integration may only need to occur up to a certain high rank, so that the lower ranks could be shielded (compartmentalized) from each other (if the threat seems serious.) The agreement only has to be on the plans, the details of what great disagreements may be, it isn't necessary to train all the purple brigades with each other (which would expose many more to one enemy infiltrator.) Don't underestimate the value of 'muscle memory:' you can peer over books for years, actual action in the field can teach you things you can read a 100 times but never learn. An actual revolution is not reading a book, but doing it, making estimates in 'the fog of revolution,' taking risks at times, minimizing damages, and so on. To be honest it would be really a good idea if the purple brigade ranking officers are at least older then 40, better even older, and that they have no doubt about the potential brutality of ruling classes over the course of human history. Naive people who believe everyone is a nice child inside may get thousands killed. Beware that after a defeat from a tyrant the entire truth brigades may be put to the wall first ... where are we going to get a second batch of purple brigades when we need them then ? In terms of coverage of power in a nation to effectively run a revolution with mass support quickly & decisively: a competent emergency directions unit per city is probably enough. It is likely that after several month a true Government can have been erected to assume responsibility. Certainly the purple brigade could stay close as an advisory body the true Government so asking/appointing, because having run a Government for some time there is probably something to talk about between the revolutionary (red) and proper (peacetime, white) Governments. How many people are needed to direct most places of consequence in a nation ? It probably takes maybe at least 1 soldier for villages up to several tens of thousands, a section (6 persons) for places from low tens of thousands to high tens of thousands, a group (13) or platoon (40 persons) for places around 100.000, a couple of platoons (81-121 persons) for a city of 200.000, or a company (161 persons) for a city of 300.000, a battalion (806 persons) for a city of 500.000, a regiment (2419 persons) for a city of one million, and a brigade (7258 persons) for 2 million, and for even larger cities: everyone you can get ? These are merely some estimates, but the good thing about that is not their accuracy, but that people can agree whether it is too much or little and that would lead to better answers quicker. Each place would have a ranking officer, and it would all integrate into one network. Needles to say their main and essential job is to keep the people alive: emergency relief, food, water, shelter, medical, etc. If the people are in distress they aren't in a good position to build a DAVID-239 Government with. I realize there is always the danger that the temporary building will remain forever. But these truth-brigades, if they are 3rd class, don't even have real combat training. The combat armies are still there, and the whole theory of people's democracy could be flooding the streets one way or the other. The people would do well in any case to respond during the entire situations with a scheme-4 ( http://www.socialism.nl/sheet4.txt ), and since that is so little work they could go on and do scheme-3 (political parties) while they are at it, and engage in scheme 5 (armed uprising) if they feel things go wrong. The people could also engage in setting up secondary purple brigades, either to assist, or to challenge. Protecting freedom of speech and assembly ----------------------------------------- Note that the essential goal of the scheme-5 armed uprising, of which purple brigades are a specialization, is to secure freedom of speech and assembly: the political rights. A debate between different purple brigades that do not recognize each other is therefore a political process protected by a scheme-5 uprising to run its course on argument, and ultimately on voting. Meanwhile there is the civil police, and what they choose to enforce in terms of law and executive decisions (law allowing?) will potentially go a long way in determining what will be the actual Government of the day. To make it more complicated: there can emerge several competing systems of police as well, who may be symmetrical in their standing and power, or maybe there are spurious attempts to set up a new police without proper training and mandate. I suggest that all can be settled in good order through the DAVID-239 Government system. Once that it set up and supported, its voting mechanisms would yield singular decisions in which each can have their say and power equally. Purple brigade standby ---------------------- If a scheme-3 (political party formation, participating in the vote) reaches the cusp of revolution through reform in the halls of parliament, then a purple brigades network could provide a shock-resistance to a counter-coupe, and dash any hopes of reactionaries to still win through mass chaos. A purple brigade standing ready and waiting if the situation demands it is likely to cause the revolution to be sped through much quicker and at potential greater cost to the rich and capitalists, then slowly grinding reforms through parliaments. Revolutionary purple brigade Government, is it a democracy ? ------------------------------------------------------------ Doubtful, probably not. It is a system of internal democracy for itself, but not necessarily directly with the people. As such it should be countered by a scheme-4 mass constituting revolution, which is anyway the main goal of these purple brigades anyway. It would however be a case of corruption if these purple brigades do not listen and basically do what the majority of the people want; but that is easier said then known. A few loudmouth may give the appearance of what the general public wants, but to find out all people would need to be asked. The purple brigades aren't a democracy by themselves, but they are to set one up immediately and further the revolution and save lives on the go where such situations arise. The setting up of DAVID-239 democracy by the purple brigades integrates seamlessly with a scheme-4 self organization of the people (it really does). In my mind at least the properly organized (vetted?) councils of a DAVID-239 are immediately superior to any purple brigade power. The purple brigade agents should inspect a given DAVID-239, for example spot check it and use probability, and give power to it once it assembles, say, at least 10% of the population ? For clarity sake say that 0% to 10% coverage of the DAVID-council system within the first 3 month of 'the revolutionary troubles,' have an advice status to the purple brigades influence (if any), and either if they go above 10% coverage, or if 3 month are over, then the councils have the power one way or the other. This gives the purple brigades 3 month the time to get things together. This way they probably don't get too used to having power, and the People have a warning that it is ultimately up to them. They don't deliver after 3 month with a real Government, then it is back to the unknown. If this occurs, then maybe we, the Armies and purple brigades, should retreat to safety to build our own lives and be sovereign. The people have had their chance under our wing but chose whatever they chose. Maybe they don't want this system. Better get out of the way before this revolution degenerates and heaps scorn on itself from history. If we join together and ball up with power, maybe we can still make it together ... The people better think real hard whether they want to contribute to general chaos, or work for the betterment, because if a true Government can not be had and we retreat, many may end up dead from street violence, or other ideologies/armies taking over to fill the void. In case we are to leave and join together, it may help to do this internationally to increase number. We could still form a great nation (see scheme 6). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: First called them 'red brigades,' for their 3rd class rank and the history of that name, but changed it to purple to prevent name confusion. By not being 'red brigades' but 'purple brigades,' different people could be attracted that would mistake this system with a marxist uprising (for some reason that tends to draw in the young and loud, rather then the old and balanced that we need). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Links: http://www.socialism.nl/post/003/2010-05-07_Da---_Rw_en (Computing needed numbers, example.) http://www.socialism.nl/post/003/2010-05-13_Da---_R-_en (A little bit more about purple responce to chaos.)