Excerpt from Howard Fast's "Spartacus": Slaves Against Their Own Dreams

This last few weeks I have been exploring the idea of philosophy, both ancient and recent. As Marxists our ideology is at least part philosophy, even though Karl Marx  stated that “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.”

And still, we find that various Marxist ideas have cropped up in ancient history. Such an idea is the slave rebellion of Spartacus, in ancient Rome. Spartacus did not write philosophy but his actions were just as profound as if he had written his ideas down. Many Marxist groups have taken his name, as an honor to his actions. His rebellion was considered important even if he did not actually succeed.

-Steve Otto

 

The following is from the site Cuestionatelotodo and translated by Google:  

"Since you are a politician," Cicero said, smiling, "why don't you tell me what a politician is?"

"A phony," Graco replied dryly.

 

"At least you are frank."

"It is my only virtue and it is extremely valuable." In a politician, people mistake it for honesty. [...] there are many people who have nothing and a handful who have a lot. And those who have a lot have to be defended and protected by those who have nothing. Not only that, but those who have a lot have to take care of their properties and, consequently, those who have nothing must be willing to die for the properties of people like you and me and like our good host Antonio Cayo. Also, people like us have many slaves. Those slaves don't want us. We must not fall into the illusion that slaves love their masters. They do not love us and therefore slaves will not protect us from slaves. So many, many people who do not own slaves must be willing to die in order for us to have our slaves. Rome holds a quarter of a million men in arms. Those soldiers must be willing to march to strange lands, march until they are exhausted, live in dirt and squalor, wallow in blood, so that we can live comfortably and increase our personal fortunes.

 

The peasants who died fighting the slaves were in the army, in the first place, because they had been evicted from their lands by the latifundistas. Those lands, now cultivated by slaves, turned them into wretches who died to keep said lands intact. So we are tempted to assure that all this is a reductio ad absurdum. Because, you must consider the following, my dear Cicero: What would the valiant Roman soldiers lose if the slaves win?

 

In truth, they would desperately need them, as there are not enough slaves to properly work the land. There would be plenty of land for everyone and our legionaries would achieve what they dream of, their plot of land and a small house. However, they march to destroy their own dreams, so that sixteen slaves transport an obese old pig like me in a comfortable litter. "

-From Spartacus , by Howard Fast

Downloadable book: Spartacus