by Mphutlane wa Bofelo
It’s true that every revolution needs a theory
But, comrades, to sell theory you need resources
It’s true again, comrades, every revolution needs art
But art itself needs funding
It’s also a truism, comrades, that making revolution
Is in itself an art
But then again
Every art has patrons and financiers
To cut a long story short, comrades
Every revolution needs funders
And to be frank, comrades
Every funder is an investor &
Every investor needs
A return on that investment
So in clear terms, comrades
Funding a revolution is often
The art of doing business with government
And why is that?
Because, comrades, doing business with government
Means running the country
Without the inconvenience of elections
Or the prying of the public eye
Into private space
As much as official politics
Is the art of accumulating capital
Without the inconvenience of having start-up capital
Or being asked for collateral
But to do work (and any business), comrades
You need to dirty your hands
Some things require the special skill
Of rolling up your sleeves
Now everybody knows this –
To clean up the debris
You usually have to slide into the mud
But in special cases
When rough hands and much thicker skins
Are in high demand
It’s not unusual to outsource
After all, in every war
There’s a use for hired guns
It’s called special projects, comrades
Only useless journalists
Hell-bent on besmirching
The good names of public officials
And our ‘Good Samaritan’ corporate citizens
Use ugly names such as ‘Mafioso’
Everyone with some soft matter
Inside their head will surely know
‘Corporate mafia’ is an oxymoron
Invented by ridiculous scandal mongers in the tabloids
Government and business don’t do dirty work
They just outsource some cleaning jobs
To appropriate companies
That’s part of Growth and Redistribution
If you disagree you have
A right to air your views
That’s the terrific thing about our democracy
Every Jill and Jack has a say
Even a poor little brat
Can have the loudest babble
But at the end of the day, comrades
It’s cold cash that provides
The strategic network cable that connects to power
Once you understand this
You will not advocate strange theories and practices
After all, even the scriptures bear testimony
Power and wealth is shared
Between Caesar and God
The people’s duty is very simple
Just give to each what is due
Most importantly
Be prepared to kill and die for both
Just to make the distinction
Between nobility and ordinariness
When the chips are down
The responsible corporate citizen
Will choose his or her own cross
And select the executioners
The point being simply to ensure
He or she does not get the raw deal
Of a mundane death brought about
By the knife of a common criminal
Who will not be able to afford bail
Strike a deal with the police
Or get early parole on account of a terminal disease
That will allow him the comfort
Of playing golf or wrestling cows
As soon as he is ‘conditionally’ released