Geographic aspect ignored
Prof studies revolutions
By GLORIA VOBEJDA Kansan Staff Writer
A KU geography professor likes to study revolution, a subject seemingly unrelated to geography.
Robert W. McColl, associate professor of geography, said in most studies of revolutions, the most important factor, the geographic aspect has been largely ignored.
He said a revolution could be lost in a matter of hours if geographic factors such as terrain or access to commercial centers are not taken into consideration.
"Everything Mao has said," McColl said, "every bandit has known for centuries—you stay near the fat cats." That's why pirates stayed close to the course of rich merchants in the old days, he explained.
A common misconception is that revolution starts in the boondocks, he said. But in fact, revolution always begins in the city—often after a palace coup-fails.
Revolutions different
McColl differentiates between secessionist movements, rebellions, revolutions and national revolutions.
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He said secessionist movements, such as the American South during the Civil War and the current situation between Nigeria and Biafra, are the attempt of one region of the country to withdrew and become independent.
a rebellion, he said, is locally-oriented and often only limited to political objectives
"Revolution is directed toward the overthrow of the entire national political structure and government," he said. "The only difference between revolution and national revolution is the involvement of national population."
"Furthermore, the creation of an insurgent state with its own political administrative organizations lends an aura of legitimacy to the movement."
McColl believes the revolutionary movements in Thailand and in various African countries have been to declare their existence because they lack an adequate territorial base.
stupidity for his failure in Bolivia. He said Guevarra was a good practical revolutionary but he listened to the theories of a French Marxist, Regis DeBray, who was later captured and told of Guevarra's plans to revolutionize the whole South American continent from Bolivia.
Since Guevarra was not indigenous to Bolivia, he did not speak the language.
"And the involvement of the masses is really the only difference between revolution of
McColl said in comparing well-documented revolutions in China, Greece, the Phillipines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cuba, there was a common commitment to capture and control a territorial base within a state.
A black revolution could paralyze some American cities or do some damage but they are too highly visible, and cannot be controlled, he said. Because of this we might have a recurrence of the Japanese concentration camps in the United States in World War II.
Will Thailand be the next Vietnam? If it is, McColl said, revolution will break out in Northern Thailand. The insurgents are coming in from Laos and Cambodia and organizing the people.
Thailand next?
"A territorial base provides a physical haven for the revolutionary leaders," he said. "It also demonstrates the weakness and ineffectiveness of the government to protect its own territory and population,
Want land control
McColl blames Che Guevarra's
today and those of centuries ago."
"The insurgent is forced to the countryside only after failure to establish an urban base," he explained.
and provides the necessary human and material resources.
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