Too often, revolutionary movements become as oppressive as regimes they struggle to replace. A rare and unusual book warns revolutionaries about the ways they can betray their own revolution and offers ideas to guide them through the pitfalls of both struggle and victory.

"What a book for our time. The manuscript has a dark power, while carrying a sense of profound wisdom relevant to all revolutionaries, including those of us who reject violent means."

David Korten Author When Corporations Rule the World and The Post-Corporate World: Life After Capitalism

"I completed reading your book yesterday on my trip back from Canada to Haiti. It is one of the best books I have read in the last few years. If this book had been published in the 60's/70's, we would be living in a better world today. It gives the kind of tools that can change mankind's path. I will strongly recommend it to my colleagues, to both read and promote it."

Felix Ulloa, Ph.D Salvadoran Lawyer Former member of FMLN/FDR (Revolutionary Coalition of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front and the Democratic National Front) during the civil war in El Salvador (1970-1980)

If you are interested in the subject of revolution you will not want to miss these ideas. Those interested are encouraged to download the book which is a PDF file, and reproduce it in any form and language they wish as long as it is for non-commercial use. We will be happy to post any translations on this site or to link to them on other sites.

This book is full of reflections on revolutionary experience. You will find what is relevant in it to you. It also contains stories and poetry that will entertain you through long days and nights while provoking you to think about their themes.

If you are risking your life or anyone else's for your cause, spend some time considering what can go wrong and how to prevent or fix that. As you will discover in this book, later may be too late.

Ira Chaleff

or what I learned from

Lenin,

Che and

Mandela

By Élan Le Vieux
as told to Ira Chaleff

© Ira Chaleff, 2001 - All rights reserved

El libro ha sido traducido al español como 'Los Límites de la Violencia: Lecciones de una vida revolucionaria o lo que aprendí de Lenin, el Che y Mandela'. Ya está disponible la primera edición impresa sobre papel a la que se puede acceder a través del sitio http://www.limitesdelaviolencia.net

irachaleff@cs.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION (page 8)

PREFACE: What is Revolution? (page 17)

PRELUDE: My Life (page 23)

CHAPTER ONE: ANGER AND VIOLENCE (page 27)

Hard Life - Anger at Injustice
To Become a Revolutionary?
Violence - Its Uses and Limitations
The Elder and the Revolutionary
Violence Versus Force
Basic Acts
Young Revolutionaries
The Rabidly Angry

INTERLUDE: Reflection

CHAPTER TWO: REVOLUTIONARY LEADERSHIP (page 64)

Confusion of the Personal and Political
Tomorrow
What Makes a Good Human Being?
Revolutionary Leaders
Revolutionary Followers
Celebration
Preparing to Govern
Good King Alfred

INTERLUDE: Lament

CHAPTER THREE: MONSTERS AND HEROES (page 123)

What Makes a Monster?
Funding the Revolution
Dehumanizing and Demonizing

INTERRUPTION: Fright

Power, Sexuality and Sadism
Maria
The Mensch
The Hero
Sasha's Diary

INTERLUDE: How I Came To Be In North America

CHAPTER FOUR: HAVING WON THE REVOLUTION (page 180)

The End Game
Cry For the Drowned
When Does the Revolution End?
Defections
Building a New World: Changing the Structure, Maintaining the Spirit
Keeping the Spirit Alive in Future Generations
Endings

EPILOGUE (page 213)

Transcriber's Epilogue
 

PRINCIPLES