First measures of the coming insurrection

The past few years have seen previously unthinkable change in North Africa and the Middle East. In mere days, protest movements were able to topple supposedly entrenched regimes in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Yemen, a testament to the power of the people—and the fundamental vulnerability of corrupt governments. With ‘First Measures of the Coming Insurrection’, Eric Hazan and Kamo push the lessons of the Arab Spring to their next logical step: the eventual fall of failing regimes throughout the West. As multiple crises chip away at the democratic consensus, what should people do to prepare for the coming upheaval? Point by point, Hazan and Kamo explore what must be done in the aftermath of a regime’s collapse—how to prevent established powers from re-taking control, how to reorganize society without central authority, and how to build governance according to people’s needs. Breaking from those who would envision a “democratic transition” and the classical communist idea of a “transition period,” they instead offer guidance for quick, effective action and organization in a time of crisis.