War by Other Means

The old Soviet playbook is still operable. The Minnesota insurrection proves it.

The lead-up to the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (roughly 1905–1917) and the efforts of the left in America over the past 70 years (1956–2026) share thematic parallels in their pursuit of social change. Both periods involved agitation against perceived systemic injustices, drawing on ideas of equality and anti-elitism. Yet, they have diverged sharply in context, methods, scale, and outcomes: the Russian case culminated in violent overthrow amid autocratic collapse, while American progressive movements have operated within a resilient democratic framework, achieving incremental reforms without regime change.

That seems to be changing, as signs of convergence emerge.