Foco theory
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The Foco theory of revolutionary guerrilla tactics was introduced by Che Guevara (1928-1967) in his manual on guerrilla warfare which remains one of the classic dissertations on this subject more than half a century after its writing. However, during 1966–1967 when Che attempted to implement his foco theory in the Bolivian revolution failed, he was executed as a result.[1]
The premise of the theory is that a small devoted group of dedicated men can both create the conditions of a revolution and set it off as well, without waiting for revolutionary conditions to develop.
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The main purpose of the theory is to build a revolutionary movement within a state through militant resistance rather than through political parties. Foco was developed during and after Guevara's involvement in the successful Cuban revolution of 1957-59.
A foco insurgency relies on an armed vanguard or small nucleus of fast moving guerrillas that gain victories against state forces. In Guevara's model, the victories would ignite an organic revolution within the population that would overthrow an incumbent government. Che obtained his advanced training in guerrilla warfare when he participated in Fidel Castro's preliminary step in the Cuban Revolution, the July 26 Movement. This experience provided him with a framework for guerrilla warfare to be used in future revolutions. Though the process was successful in Cuba, Guevara saw his methods subsequently fail in Africa and South America. An attempt to forge an insurgency in Bolivia led to his capture and execution in 1967 despite the backing of the Cuban government. The failure was to end Cuba's overt support of guerrilla movements internationally.
Che Guevara's book on Guerrilla Warfare outlines three fundamental principles of foco theory:[1]
- Popular forces can win a war against an army.
- It is not necessary to wait for a revolutionary situation to arise as one can be created.
- In the underdeveloped countries of the Americas, rural areas are the best battlefields for revolution.
These principles were the foundation on which he based his philosophy of social change through armed revolution and guided Che in his later efforts to create revolutions in Africa and Latin America. His writings gained him fame among international revolutionaries as a leader in revolutionary thinking. His final, failed attempt in Bolivia ended in his death.[1]
[edit] Foco revolution in Bolivia
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[edit] References
- Guevara, Che : Guerrilla Warfare, Souvenir Press Ltd, paperback, ISBN 0-285-63680-4.
