John Maclean, born on this day in 1879, was a Scottish schoolteacher and revolutionary Marxist, sometimes referred to as "Scotland's Lenin". His Marxist evening-classes produced many of the activists who became instrumental in the Clyde revolts during and after WWI. MacLean was appointed both an Honorary President of the first Congress of Soviets and Soviet Consul to Scotland in recognition of his consistent socialist position on the imperialist war and his tireless work in support of the Bolshevik revolution.
Maclean's revolutionary politics were well-known, and in 1915, he was arrested under the Defence of the Realm Act and fired from his job as a primary school teacher. As a consequence, he became a full-time Marxist lecturer and organizer, educating other Glaswegian workers in Marxist theory.
Maclean supported Irish independence on an anti-imperialist basis, describing the Irish War of Independence as "The Irish fight for freedom" and even condoning the assassination of a magistrate, Alan Bell. He saw the war in Ireland as strengthening the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, arguing that "Irish Sinn Féiners, who make no profession of socialism or communism...are doing more to help Russia and the revolution than all we professed Marxian Bolsheviks in Britain".
MacLean was at odds with much of the British left and dismissive of the newly-formed Communist Party of Great Britain. He had already turned his back on economism and the syndicalism favoured by the Clyde Workers’ Committee, had recognised the nature of British imperialism and come to the conclusion that revolution could only come about through the destruction of the British Empire.
Maclean was also noted for his outspoken opposition to World War I, and, in 1918, he was arrested for sedition. During the trial, Maclean gave the now legendary "speech from the dock", expounding on his position. He was sentenced to five years' penal servitude, but was released after the November armistice.
In captivity, Maclean had been on hunger strike, and prolonged force-feeding had permanently affected his health. He collapsed during a speech and died of pneumonia, aged forty-four.
"I have taken up unconstitutional action at this time because of the abnormal circumstances and because precedent has been given by the British government. I am a socialist, and have been fighting and will fight for an absolute reconstruction of society for the benefit of all. I am proud of my conduct. I have squared my conduct with my intellect, and if everyone had done so this war would not have taken place...
...I appeal exclusively to [the working class] because they and they only can bring about the time when the whole world will be in one brotherhood, on a sound economic foundation. That, and that alone, can be the means of bringing about a re-organisation of society. That can only be obtained when the people of the world get the world, and retain the world." -
--John MacLean, from the "Dock Speech"
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He shouldn't be allows to make me upset for 2 days straight for no reason. We just make food. He just feels this need to change things even if they're fine cause he kinda sucks ass as a chef and relies on me and the sous to.do a lot and the sous kinda splits his job with me. Regardless don't take the fucking window from.me, that's been my job for 2 fucking years and I will quit over it, and although I'll.provavlt be on the line in another job at least I wasn't demoted after 2 years cause my normally doormat.boss decided to be king big dick swinging his implied power all over turd mountain. Gotta really give it up to one of my co-worlers who was running pasta who told the guy when I went on my post rush smoke that he was used to orders being verbalized and being told by yknow, the guy running the window when to start on what but give.the Intel it's coming so they can prepare, especially with the pastas cause we only have 4 burners and one is the pot of water, so it's 3, and sometimes those are being used for apps before you call em too. I do this interesting thing where I talk to my co workers and encourage them to.communicate as well, I don't have the power to fire them so they can honestly tell me what's holding them up.when I ask and holy fuck do I ask people to do stuff and not tell. Even in the hairless situations I give pleases and thank yous and genuine appreciation for coming through in a clutch, these people know their jobs and i trust them and my interventions are generally in reaction to a server mistake. I also cover as much as I can in my downtime, I blast over.to.the pizza line as them what would help and do that for as long as I have time, I handle salads, apps, put bread in the oven for apps or for with pastas, all.thar shit my boss delegated while he did my job at half speed, stood there looking for flaws that didn't exist for.the rest and humming like a moron the rest. Culinary school is complete bullshit where you learn to be a manager and how to make worse French versions of shit I know how to do and it's super not great for vegans. If I make a post in mutual aide will you guys fund me a vegan co-op kitchen? Fuck, if I could even pay to use someone else's industrial kitchen for my own catering needs I could get somewhere. My boss acting like he's in charge of shit has ruined my week. I think he noticed small.kimks in the operation when things came to my end and wants to fill in to make the system better and probably feels like he's helping me and giving me a break from the window. He's wrong. Whenever there's a staff meeting and the floor is opened and my turn comes around the vibe is and I usually get to say 'I address my issues directly as they come to me instead of waiting for a meeting, my laundry is already aired.'but that's cause he's been very cool in respecting people sorta falling where they're strongest. He's best co-piloting and even isn't great at that. He should just be a line cook thst does.the schedule. He cares too much to make the ship run smoothly.