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| Paulo Freire |
The insistence that the
oppressed engage in reflection on their concrete situation is not a call to armchair revolution. On the contrary
reflection — true reflection — leads to action. On the other hand, when the situation
calls for action, that action will constitute an authentic praxis only if its
consequences become the object of critical reflection. In this sense, the praxis
is the new raison d’être of the oppressed;
and the revolution, which inaugurates the historical moment of this raison d’être, is not viable apart from
their concomitant conscious involvement. Otherwise, action is pure activism.
To achieve this praxis, however; it is necessary to trust in
the oppressed and in their ability to reason. Whoever lacks this trust will fail to initiate (or
will abandon) dialogue, reflection, and communication, and will fall into using
slogans, communiques, monologues, and instructions. Superficial conversions to
the cause of liberation carry this danger.
Political action on the
side of the oppressed must be pedagogical action in the authentic sense of the
word, and, therefore, action with the oppressed.
