Those who think consciousness raising & movement building are disconnected, or even a distraction from electoral politics have not paid attention to the history of social change.
In this thread, we explore how societal change really happens.
History’s guidebook to winning. 1/20
In this thread, we explore how societal change really happens.
History’s guidebook to winning. 1/20
From civil rights to ending the Vietnam War, from Women's suffrage to minimum wage laws, consciousness-raising & movement-building have always been at the forefront of change, with electoral politics trailing a few steps behind to negotiate that change. We’ll demonstrate: 2/20
Privilege & power create an inherent blind spot making it hard for people to see their own privilege. Our need to see ourselves in a positive light tends to cause us to rationalize our privilege.
More on the psychology of privilege in this thread: 3/20
More on the psychology of privilege in this thread: 3/20
This rationalization of illegitimate power is the root cause of the corrupting force of power.
Illegitimate power corrupts. Always has. Always will.
Here’s how: 4/20
Illegitimate power corrupts. Always has. Always will.
Here’s how: 4/20
Because of how privilege & power work, historically, change has not come about from changing the minds or appealing to the morality of those in power. They know what they are doing but they rationalize their oppressive, inhumane & unjust actions. 5/20
Instead, historically, societal change against oppressive or unjust norms have always been forced against the will of those in power.
The logic of power has always been the same: they will concede X *only* when something greater than X is threatened. 6/20
The logic of power has always been the same: they will concede X *only* when something greater than X is threatened. 6/20
The logic of consciousness-raising & movement-building follows: to be successful, movements must always demand & threaten MORE than the current political demand so that the current political demand becomes the pacification or compromise. 7/20
Example: Let’s say a local corporation saves $1 million by not properly disposing their waste & instead dumps it into your neighborhood.
You organize with your neighbors: civil disobedience, boycotts & even solidarity strikes with the corporation’s workers. 8/20
You organize with your neighbors: civil disobedience, boycotts & even solidarity strikes with the corporation’s workers. 8/20
These movement activities raise the costs of the unjust dumping into your neighborhood. These activities end up costing the corporation FAR more than the original $1 million they would have saved.
Their calculus: it’s no longer *worth* it. That’s how you win. 9/20
Their calculus: it’s no longer *worth* it. That’s how you win. 9/20
This is historically how movements win. They raise the costs of injustice & oppression to the point where it’s no longer *worth* it because something EVEN GREATER is threatened.
That’s why for movements to be successful, they must always demand & threaten more. 10/20
That’s why for movements to be successful, they must always demand & threaten more. 10/20
Let’s see how this plays out. When Sanders wins the presidency, his platform will inevitably be opposed by the entire political establishment: Corporate Dems, privileged liberals, centrists & of course, Republicans.
So how do we win something as big as GND or M4A? 11/20
So how do we win something as big as GND or M4A? 11/20
We win the same way civil rights were won. The same way women’s suffrage was won. The same way minimum wage was won. The same way all major victories for justice & democracy have been won: by powerful movements *forcing* the change using the above logic. 12/20
The #NotMeUs movement must continue to grow. It must always be demanding & threatening more than the current political demand. That’s how change happens. & that’s how change will always happen until we win real participatory democracy. 13/20
We’ve been down this road since before we were born. We all know this. Our movement, like movements of the past, must raise the costs of injustice & oppression. Through civil disobedience, strikes, etc. until we raise the costs ABOVE our current demand - until we win. 14/20
That’s the calculus those in power understand.
As we raise the costs of not passing our #NotMeUs platform, slowly elites & their owned politicians will reach their point were opposing these policies are no longer *worth* it to them. 15/20
As we raise the costs of not passing our #NotMeUs platform, slowly elites & their owned politicians will reach their point were opposing these policies are no longer *worth* it to them. 15/20
They will then start to have luncheons & congratulatory press conferences praising themselves for their noble advocacy for doing what’s right - even though they originally opposed our policies & are only now doing it because they’re forced to. 16/20
Next, after we win M4A, GND etc., Corporate Dems & privileged elites will pretend they were always in support of them. Sound familiar?
And then, like clockwork, in about 50 years, Republicans will have a completely whitewashed version of the story (a la MLK). 17/20
And then, like clockwork, in about 50 years, Republicans will have a completely whitewashed version of the story (a la MLK). 17/20
This is how we win. Our movement must always be a step ahead. Always demanding & threatening more along a trajectory to a better world where finally our societal institutions are inherently democratic, equitable & fair, and we'll no longer need to fight. 18/20
Consciousness-raising & movement-building are NOT disconnected from electoral politics. Historically they have always played a central role in progressive societal change. It’s important that we not forget this vital history. 19/20
Many of us are spending time & effort on electoral politics. This is important work.
But history teaches us it’s also important to continue our movement-building work, because after Sanders wins, it’s the movement that will ensure we actually win the changes we seek. 20/20
But history teaches us it’s also important to continue our movement-building work, because after Sanders wins, it’s the movement that will ensure we actually win the changes we seek. 20/20
