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F
- Faction (Factionalism) - A political term describing a group of persons forming an oppositional political/ideological minority within a larger organization. They meet out of normal events and seek to advance a political line different from the rest of the group. This is a one of the most serious violations of internal discipline within democratic centralism. See also "fractionalism".
- Factory System - An organized method of production in which goods are manufactured by workers and machines, in a factory outside of their homes, under supervision of a manager.
- Falcón, Ricardo - A "promising young leader" of La Raza Unida Party who was killed on August 30, 1972 while en route to a meeting in El Paso, Texas. "Falcon was a popular activist who... was especially active in rural northeastern Colorado, but traveled throughout the state, bridging the gap between campus and community activism. He was an adept organizer, whether working with youth or adults, rural or urban activists, intellectuals or working people, and was a fiery speaker with an equally fiery temper" (See E. Vigil).
- Fall of Soviet Bloc - The fall of the Soviet Bloc refers to the fall of the Soviet Union that was then declared by the United States as the defeat of communism by capitalism.
- Fascism - A social system and form of government as right-wing as possible, marked by strong social and economic control, usually controlled by a dictator. It is created with the combination of capitalist production, imperialism, racism, militarism, and intense right-wing nationalism. A fascist is a person or group that advocates for fascism or fascist principles.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - A U.S. police force that has been used over many years as a politcal police to repress organizations and movements.
- Ferdinand, Archduke - The man whose assassination was the "spark" (see excuse) that set off WWI. The only real reason he is famous is because he was killed, and that was the excuse used to start the war.
- Feudalism - A European Medieval social system in which serfs labored for landholders who promised "protection" and were responsible to other overlords. This system was as close to slavery as you can get, except that the serfs and peasants were white, so Europeans called it be another name. This period was also known as the "Dark Age of Europe" - its highest point was the rise of the European monarchies. This social system had class divisions clearly marked between the peons and serfs (campesinos) who worked the land that belonged to “feudal lords”. These people were extremely rich and powerful, and sometimes claimed to be “royalty.” This was a closed system within which you were locked into the social level you were born into. This was a terribly oppressive system that exploited directly and clearly. There are still countries in the world that maintain feudal relations.
- Fierro, Josefina - .
- Flores Magón, Ricardo and Enrique - Ricardo Flores Magón was one of the most important early leaders of the Mexican Revolution (1900-1920s), who in many ways developed the early ideas of the revolution and the rights of the poor. He started the PLM and the newspaper Regeneración. He was captured and put in prison by the U.S. (as a favor to the reactionary Mexican government) where he was killed by prison guards.
- Fonseca Amador, Carlos - A Nicaraguan teacher and librarian who founded the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN). Compañero Fonseca was killed in the mountains of Nicaragua three years before the triumph of the FSLN in 1979.
- Fractionalism - This term describes internal divisions within an organization that are not based on political disagreements (see factionalism). A fraction can be based on individual/personal problems that lead to smaller groups forming that do not "get along" with each other, are less willing to work in a unified way, and disrupt the active unity of the greater organization.
- Francisco Villa - See "Villa, Francisco".
- Franco, Francisco - Fascist dictator in Spain rising to power just before the outbreak of WWI.
- Freedom - The condition of being free of restraints, with the liberty from slavery, detention, or oppression.
- Freedom of Communication - In the present this has become a fundamental form of freedom because information and misinformation have become so powerful and common in our everyday lives that being able to communicate and be communicated with has become necessary to a solid understanding of what it means to be free.
- Freire, Paulo - Paulo Reglus Neves Freire was a Brazilian educator and influential theorist of critical pedagogy.
- French Guiana - A colony of France located on the northern coast of South America. It has borders with Brazil and Suriname.
- French Revolution - The revolution in France that began in 1789, overthrew the Bourbon monarchy, and ended with Napoleon's seizure of power in 1799.
- Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) - A coalition of five revolutionary guerrilla organizations. The FMLN formed as an umbrella group on October 10, 1980 from these organizations: the Fuerzas Populares de Liberación Farabundo Martí (FPL), Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo (ERP), the Resistencia Nacional (RN), the Partido Comunista Salvadoreño (PCS) and the Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores Centroamericanos (PRTC).
- Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) - A socialist party in Nicaragua named after Augusto César Sandino, who led the Nicaraguan resistance against the United States occupation of Nicaragua in the 1930s.
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