A Functional Definition of Politics

Taken from Huey P Newton Reader- pg 147-149

Politics is war without bloodshed. War is politics with bloodshed. When the peaceful means of politics are exhausted and the people do not get what they want, politics is continued. Usually this ends up in physical conflich, which is called war and is also political.
Black people are not free because we lack political power. Historically, Black Reconstruction failed after the Civil war because Blacks had neither political nor military power. The masses of Black people at the time, nevertheless, were very clear on the definition of political power. It is evedient in the songs of the time; on the Day of Jubilee we’d have forty acres and two mules. This was promised Black people by the Freedman’s Bureau, and, as far as the Black masses were concerned, this was freedom.
For the “talented tenth’ of Blacks living during the latter nineteenth century, freedom was operative in more explicitly political arenas such as electoral politics. Although many of these Blacks were often better educated than most whites in the south, having recieved schooling in France, Canada, and England, early Black elected officials lacked the influence necessary to empower Blacks at large. And it was for this reason, among others, that Reconstruction failed.
When one operates int the political arena, it is assumed that he has access to or at least represents power. There are essentially three forms of political power in this respect: economic, land (feudal power) and military. If Black people had received 40 acres and 2 mules we would have developed a politcal force and chosen a representative to speak on our behalf of our interests as a people. Instead, Blacks recieved nothing from the government, thereby contributing to the continuation of our oppressed status. It was absurd to have Black representatives in the political arena where no real political influence existed for Black people.
Whites, however, had and have a base of power from which they exert political consequence. This is evident in the fact that when the farmers are not given adequate prices for their crips, the economy receives a political consequence. Farmers let their crops rot in the field. To be political, you must have a political consequence when you do not receive your desires- otherwise you are non-political.
When Black people send a representative, he is somewhat absurd because he has very little political power. He does not represent land power, because we do not own any land. He does not represent economic or industrial power, because black people do not own the means of production. The only way he can become political is to represent what is commonly called a military power, which the Black Panther Party for Self-defense calls Self-Defense Power. Black people develop Self-defense power by arming themselves from house to house, block to block, community to communinty, throughout the nation. Then we will choose a political representative , and he will state teh desires of the black masses. If the desires are not met, the power structure will recieve a political consequence. We will make it economically non-profitable for those in power to go on with their oppresive ways. Now, we will negotiate as equals. There will be a balance between the people who are economically powerful and the people who are ptentialy economically destructive.
The white racist oppresses Black people for reasons not only related to racism but also for the purposes having to do with the fact that it is profitable to do so.
Black people must develop political power that will make it unprofitable for racists to continue oppressing us. If the white racist imperialists in America continue to wage war against all people of color through out the world, while also waging a civil war against Blacks here in America, it will be economically impossible for him to survive. This racist United States operates with the motive of profit; he lifts the gun and escalates war for profit. We will make him lower his guns because they will no longer serve his profit motive.
Every man is born; therefore he has the right to live and a right to share in the wealth of his nation. If he is denied the right to work, he is denied the right to live. If he cant work, he deserves a high standard of living, regardless of his education or skill. Those who control our economic system are obligated to furnish each man with a livelihood. If they cannot or will not do this, they do not deserve the position of administrators. The means of production should be taken away and placed in the hands of the people, who can organize a system that will provide everyone with a source of livelihood. Motivated by a sincerity, the people will choose capable administrators to control the means of production and the alnd that is rightfully theirs. Until the black people are in possession of these controls there will be no peace. Black people must control the destiny of their community.
Black people desire to determine their own destiny. As a result, they are constantly inflicted with brutality from occupying army, embodied by the police department. There is a great similarity between the occupying army in Southeast Asia and the occupation of our communities by racist police. The armies were sent not to protect the people of South Vietnam but to brutalize and oppress them in the self-interests of imperial powers.
There should be no division or conflict of interest between the people and the police. Once there is a division, the police become the enemy of the people. The police should serve the interest of the people, and be one and the same. When this principle breaks down, the police become and occupying army. When one race has oppressed another and policemen are recruited from the oppressor race to patrol the communities of the oppresed people, an intolerable contradiction exists.
The racist dog policemen must withdraw immediately from our communities, cease their wanton murder and brutality and torture of Black people, or face the wrath of the armed people.