Organizing the Lumpenproletariat

The writings of Karl Marx spend considerable time extolling the revolutionary potential of the working class. For Marx they represented the vast majority of society, and with the right leadership could become a force for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism. It didn't happen for a variety of reasons and the marxist complaint of "false consciousness" on the part of the working class is gross insult to the supposedly revolutionary workers. False consciousness is what marxists call workers who are non-revolutionary and often content with their lot. Marx also identified a class of society a rung below the poor, exploited, working class - the lumpenproletariat. The lumpen were the lowest rung of society but possessed no revolutionary potential at all. In politically incorrect terms they were the scum of the earth - ex cons, drug addicts, alcoholics, vagrants, hookers, pimps, the mentally ill, and other ne'er do wells. According to Marx they were incapable of developing a revolutionary consciousness and not of any particular use to a working class revolutionary movement. Lenin on the other hand found great use for their criminal inclinations The Occupy Wallstreet movement has recently begun to experience an influx of the lumpen into their illegal encampments and to put it mildly they are not being welcomed with open arms by the Occupiers. Nevertheless, the Occupiers should take a moment to revel in their success; they've achieved something Marx thought was impossible, they've organized the lumpen. So here's to you Occupiers, the real 1 % aren't the bankers, they're the lumpen and now they're your problem to manage.