Guerilla as social reformer

One of the key themes that run through all of Che's work on guerilla warfare is the need for the guerilla fighter to be both a combatant and a social reformer. This idea is bound up with the realities of actual guerilla warfare as well as with Che's unique ideas about communist revolution. According to traditional Marxists-Leninist theory, communist revolution can only occur in societies that have developed a substantial market economy, enough to generate a large urban working class. This large urban working class will, because of certain necessities of history will eventually become so oppressed that they will instigate a revolution. Of course, underdeveloped societies like Cuba do not large working class populations so the revolution must be led by a vanguard of dedicated revolutionaries and guerilla warriors who will create the conditions for revolution. To this end, Che advocates training the peasantry...