Would be great if people's thinking about political insurgency and political unity were a little more complex...
Calls for unity most often mean unity under the hegemony of those calling for unity.
Insurgency within a given institution or party—let's say, for example, the Democratic Party—will predictably be framed by the old guard leadership as disunity, disloyalty, self-sabotage, infighting, civil war, etc.
Example: "Not even a real Democrat."
Example: "Not even a real Democrat."
The idea that a vibrant contest over the direction and leadership of an institution will inevitably weaken it is ludicrous. When a party has become as unappealing as, say, the Democratic Party, it may take an open contest over its direction to win people back.
None of this, however, means that political unity within the institution is unimportant in relationship to common opponents. For example, rising authoritarianism, white nationalism, and the GOP. Defeating these threats is hugely important.
Ideally for political challengers, they win the contest within the institution and then unity happens under a new vibrant insurgent leadership.
Indeed, a compelling argument of insurgents is that the party—again, for example, the Democratic Party—is presently losing because the old guard has become out of touch with a mass base; that a successful insurgency within the party will make it more popular & more successful.
However, dominant narratives about viability and electability can be internalized even in our potential base. The old guard will use fear of losing to a worse threat (e.g., to Trump) to keep people from pushing for change.
So if we understand that Bernie Sanders is the most electable candidate because of his trustworthiness, willingness to pick popular fights with powerful interests, and enthusiastic volunteer base, it is our job to persuade a mass base of this.
Insurgency can be a long process, usually not won all at once. When challengers fail to win the internal contest, they still have to do everything they can to ensure, ya know, that actual fucking Nazis don't win. They may need to unite temporarily with the old guard at the helm.
For example, holding our noses and knocking doors for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
And then, when Hillary Clinton loses because she symbolizes a rotten status quo, you will still be blamed (along with Russia) for this loss. The old guard is not known for its introspection.
In our example the insurgents were correct: Bernie would have won.
But being right, on its own, wins us nothing more than righteous rage.
We will never win an insurgency by appealing to the old guard. We won't win by debating with the political class. We win by doing the hard work of organizing those who have been left behind by the old guard into a force that can topple the old guard.
