CATECHISM OF THE REVOLUTIONIST NIGHT AND DAY HE (THE REVOLUTIONARY) MUST HAVE BUT ONE THOUGHT, ONE AIM, MERCILESS DESTRUCTION. STRIVING COLD-BLOODEDLY AND INDEFATIGABLY TOWARD THIS END, HE MUST BE PREPARED TO DESTROY HIMSELF, AND TO DESTROY WITH HIS OWN HANDS EVERYTHING THAT STANDS IN THE PATH OF REVOLUTION. BY SERGEI G. NECHAYEVINTRODUCTION AS ELDRIDGE CLEAVER HAS POINTED OUT, "THE CATECHISM OF THE REVOLUTIONIST", THOUGH PENNED IN 1869 WILL NEVER LOSE ITS RELEVANCE, AT LEAST NOT IN ANY SOCIETY WHERE THE STATE, THE MOST FEROCIOUS CRIMINAL KNOWN TO MAN EXISTS. FOR WHERE THE STATE IS, THERE ALSO IS VIOLENT OPPRESSION AND EXPLOITATION AGAINST RACES AND CLASSES. CLEAVER STATES: "I FELL IN LOVE WITH BAKUNIN AND NECHAYEV OF THE REVOLUTIONIST' . THE PRINCIPLES WHICH, ALONG WITH SOME OF MACHIAVELLI'S ADVICE, I SOUGHT TO INCORPORATE INTO MY OWN BEHAVIOR. I TOOK THE CATECHISM FOR MY BIBLE AND STANDING ON A ONE-MAN PLATFORM THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECONSTRUCTION OF A SOCIETY, I BEGAN CONSCIOUSLY INCORPORATING THESE PRINCIPLES INTO MY DAILY LIFE, TO EMPLOY TACTICS OF RUTHLESSNESS IN MY DEALINGS WITH EVERYONE WHOM I CAME INTO CONTACT. AND I BEGAN TO LOOK AT WHITE AMERICA THROUGH THESE NEW EYES. “BUT YOU SEE, WE ALL BELIEVE IN WHAT BAKUNIN AND NECHAYEV SAID IN THE VERY FIRST STATEMENT OF THE "CATECHISM A REVOLUTIONIST"....THAT A REVOLUTIONARY3 IS A DOOMED MAN. THAT IS, IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE PROSPECTS OF DEATH, THEN YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS AT ALL IN DEFYING OR CONFRONTING, OR EVEN ARGUING WITH THE POWER STRUCTURE." IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE PANTHERS ARE ONE OF THE VERY FEW RADICAL GROUPS IN THIS COUNTRY WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED THE "THE CATECHISM". MEALY-MOUTHED LIBERALS HAVE ALWAYS RECOILED IN HORROR TO THE NIHILISM AND VIOLENCE EXPRESSED IN THE "CATECHISM", JUST AS TODAY THE LITERARY LACKEYS OF THE BOURGEOISE PICTURE THE PANTHERS AS RUTHLESS CRIMINALS. THEY TURN THEIR BACK ON THE VIOLENCE PERPETUATED BY THE STATE, WHICH HAS ALWAYS MURDERED PEOPLE AND ATTEMPTED GENOCIDE AGAINST RACIAL MINORITIES. JUST AS THEY "FORGET" THAT WERE IT NOT FOR THE VIOLENCE OF THE OPPRESSORS, THE VIOLENCE OF THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE WOULD BE UNNECESSARY. WHEN THE REVOLUTIONARY ACTS ACCORDING TO THE “CATECHISM", HE IS BEING A GREAT HUMANITARIAN AND FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE. THE "CATECHISM" IS TO BE READ AGAIN AND AGAIN, REFLECTED ON, DIGESTED, AND. PUT INTO PRACTICE.