Q&A for How to Start a Revolution

A revolution is always needed when something is not right and the ruling institutions will do nothing to make it right. When this happens, it means that the time has come for the people to come together and fight for their own interests, sometimes by fighting to press the establishment to reform itself, other times to take the matter (and the power) into their own hands.

Supposing that you did start a revolution, people got involved, took action, fought the powers that be, and only then were defeated, you can go back home knowing that, even though you have been beaten, the seed has been planted and can grow again stronger in the future. You can find many examples of this throughout history. The Russian proletariat was massacred in January 1905 in what is known as the Bloody Sunday, only to strike once more in 1917, successfully dethroning the Tsar, and, months later, the Mensheviks, in the events that led to the forging of the Soviet Union. Fight to educate the masses in your cause, so that they can rise again when the time is right.

Write a speech, do research and find out what people will believe and understand. Back up your points with research from reliable sources you can cite, and make sure whoever's reading/listening to your speech will understand what you're saying.

Usually by their commitment to the cause, their talent for public speaking or their general charisma. They have an ability to inspire people to follow them, and stand up for what they believe in.

Yes, a child can start a revolution with the same principles above, perhaps by focusing on smaller concrete changes first and focusing on a single institution. For example, maybe the child feels lunches at school can be healthier. Children can put a human face on a movement, especially when they are captured on video (consider how children of immigrants humanize that debate).

You do this by humanizing the topic. Relate it to real people. Tell their stories of injustice or get the media to do so. Show that the movement is not based solely on data. This is about real human beings who are suffering or being mistreated. Choose the right spokesperson. For example, a mother's grief may be more powerful. However, ground the emotional response with data and research too.

You need a massive army, like the size of the Bolshevik 1917 army.

You can tap into the organizational structures or lists of friendly organizations. You can use free media by getting your message through blogs, social media, or traditional media stories. You can align with a powerful backer with deep pockets. You can rely on smaller donations from many. If you clearly articulate the need for the revolution, and your vision for the future, there will be people who want to contribute.

Possible riot police will be deployed, and/or if you are really deemed a threat to them, martial law will be enforced.

It didn't in 1923; however, that doesn't mean it wouldn't happen today. It depends. Scotland, for example, had a Nationalist revolution when the SNP was voted in.

Make sure that if you are the one organizing said revolution, you are a public figure from the beginning, Involve yourself in social media posts and be on the front lines at all the protests. Thus, people will know you and associate the revolution with your face. So if someone comes in and wants to steal your revolution, they will have no support because they have not been there. Be the mockingjay.

Traitors are revolutionaries who fail, branded as such by the winning power structure. Those who succeed are founding fathers and national heroes. Your allegiance should be to nothing but your people, to what's right, and to humanity and decency. If you see a real need for a revolution, for a change in the way you are governed, and you do not pursue it, you are a traitor to your children as well as your people.

First approximation: your cause is unjust or not in the best interest of the majority, and you should re-examine your ethics. That said, sometimes the majority don't see their best own interest, have been lied to or seduced by, for example, politicians who pretend to support their religious beliefs to get their votes while working against their interests at almost every turn. If you are an eloquent writer and you can find an outlet, maybe you can point out to people their obvious own best interests, but you are still one voice among millions; few journalists, even, have much impact.

Gather up around about 5,000-10,000 people and start marching to the capital.

You have to get the rest of the troupe behind you. See if you can get them to agree that some things need to change. Your best bet after that would be to organize a list of demands and give them to the leadership. Threaten to strike as a group if the demands are not meant.

It would depend, but in general, I would consider an individual with disabilities to be a strong asset towards a productive revolution. They have the ability to advocate on behalf of others with disabilities and they bring a unique voice to the table.

Taking up arms against the government should be a last resort, reserved for when it actively starts harming regular citizens or taking away their rights.

This guide is only a frame of what you can do. You can use it for a smaller cause, but also a bigger one. I'm sure you could use this as a guideline and take tips from it if you want to use it to make bigger changes and differences.

You most definitely are! There is nothing more to the definition of a revolutionary than that.

The best way to do that involves not having total control. There is a saying by a man named Lord Acton that says, "All power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Let others give input and you don't have to worry too much, especially in a smaller setting.

Getting the military to revolt is the best method. Many revolutions have relied on the support of the miltary. Look up the Battleship Potemkin mutiny, for example.

Probably not, because capitalism is extremely entrenched in American society, and most Americans hate communism. You can try, though!

Some would say it already started with his presidential campaign. Most supporters argue that despite the fact that Bernie Sanders failed to get the nomination, the issues he brought to the forefront have greatly influenced American politics. Whether it is part of a larger revolution or not, only time can tell.

The government will usually have a response, whether it is a letter of commendation for standing up for what you believe in, or crushing it using the military. You first have to know your government; study their policies and how they react to things. If you are protesting peacefully, then the government will generally respond peacefully also.

A revolution is like an egg. Once it is started (or cracked, in the egg analogy), you can't put it back in its shell.

You're better off starting a petition than inciting a revolution.

It really depends on what country you are in, what your tactics to achieve change are, and what exactly you want to change. For example, trying to overthrow the communist party in China through protesting has a high likelihood of getting you in a Chinese prison camp, while the same kind of protesting in the U.S would probably just end with you being put onto a CIA surveillance list.

Write an essay in favor of Communism and send it out to media outlets and literary/philosophical journals to try to get in published.

These ailments are not unique to the modern world, and there is no way to eliminate them completely unless you can somehow guarantee that everyone in the world has a physically and emotionally healthy life. However, there are a number of factors in modern society (at least in the US) that may increase the occurrence of depression and anxiety. One is that the typical modern Western diet is very un healthy , which leads to a lot of inflammation in the body and brain and fails to provide all the nutrients we need to function fully. Another is that many people today sleep too little, whether from overwork or from being kept up by electronics, which is bad for mental health. Another is that most people make much lower wages (adjusted for inflation) than people did a few decades ago, so they cannot afford a good quality of life, are always under financial stress, and often have to overwork themselves to make a living. There are other factors, but there is a character limit. :)

You can be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit tax fraud, which is a federal crime. It's probably better to use your words.