Interesting video in which Maoists Space Babies and a member of FTP-Boston criticize mutual aid as not contributing to the revolution.
I can agree with some of their criticisms as mutual aid can sometimes just be a synonym for charity on the left, involving just giving people stuff without any connection to community ties or without trying to bring people into the class struggle. Doing mutual aid solely for the purpose of mutual aid without having other organizations such as labor unions and tenant unions attached to it doesn't build up dual power.
However I do think they go too far in their criticisms and fail to realize that providing support networks to people are critical to ensuring they can join an organization. Like if a working class person is already struggling to put food on the table they will not have the time to go on strike, but if you help them out first through mutual aid you not only improve their ability to take future actions but also will make them more sympathetic to your organization and more liking to want to go on strike and join the socialist movement.
What do y'all think of the video? :thinkin-lenin:
Here's the piece if anyone is interested, I'm only about halfway through cuz it's pretty long and I had to take a break.