No Time Like the Present
Let's do it! General Strike! November 6th don't go to work, get out in the streets. In response to my mention of Garret Keizer's call for a general strike, d.o. glen& jean replied : "It will take a TREMENDOUS effort to pull off a general strike here and now in the belly of the beast." I totally agree but don't see that as a reason to not try. Even if it fails, it will get folks thinking a bit more radically, beyond the usual march-demo-sign waving protest mode. So go to every web site you can ,put out the call, (I know, I know, this takes time but the internet speeds things up) see what happens! Lots of other people read that piece and have to be thinking "YEAH!"
Our new IWW chapter has been struggling with this same dilemna, on a smaller scale ; how can we distinguish ourselves from the rest of the movemeent of movements? How do we energize people, create excitement, get something fresh going with our limited resources?
From the book Constituent Imagination (AK Press) : "This type of community organizing assumes there is an aggrieved section or class of the population that need to be organized in order to make it's demands heard to the larger society. Classically stemming from the 1930s and 1960s ,this invloves a range of confrontational techniques including sit-ins, zaps, demonstrations, boycotts,marches ,STRIKES, picketts, civil-disobedience, teach-ins and festive carnivals. The aim of these practices is for those with little financial power or access to use "people power" to apply pressure to or disrupt carefully chosen targets."
People everywhere are chafing, frustrated, perplexed by the insidious enclosure of possibilities for resistance, so how to channel that? The strike is, of course ,the perfect action, but we all tend to think of it as a "final" piece to the puzzle, something "down the road" that has to happen at "the appropriate time". When is that time? There are Peace actions happening this Friday and talk of "Moratoriums", events that had their share of success in the seventies. Rather than picking up my No Blood For Oil sign again, I'd rather pick up a Strike Till He's Gone sign.
posted by troutsky @ 10:27 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I'd rather pick up a Strike Till He's Gone sign.
Not that things will really be OK when he's gone ...
Unless a boycott is long enough to effect the bottom line, it will only reinforce the belief of the oppressed in the power of the oppressor.
If no one shopped for a month – now were talking!
Agreed Eric,Im thinking of the socializing effect, the radicalizing effect of striking, even if only for a day. People will go home and think about the potential, organize slowdowns and walkouts.Maybe?
I agree greg that a consumer strike would also be effective if well organized. AdBusters has Buy Nothing Day after Thanksgiving.
Dana Frank has done some interesting academic work on consumer politics, including boycotts. I have vague memories of a "meat boycott" about 35 years ago, but don't know what, if any, effect it had.
Either you haven't read, or you haven't understood 'Disaster Capitalism' by Naomi Klein (consult your previous post). If your strike is successful, i.e. it becomes a truly traumatic event for everybody, this will only strengthen the oppressors.
The only people who want to 'highten the contradictions' are the totalitarian oppressors, on the right and on the left...
Wisdom from the moronic bimbo Klien:
It is an iconic turning point and it will be remembered as the moment at which America either fought back or yielded. This violence against a student is different from violence against protesters in the anti-war movement of 30 years ago because of the power the president has now to imprison innocent U.S. citizens for months in isolation. And because, as I have explained elsewhere, we are not now in a situation in which 'the pendulum' can easily swing back. That taser was directed at the body of a young man, but it is we ourselves, and our Constitution, who received the full force of the shock.
What tripe, and you clowns admire this piece of shit
brilliant analysis as usual anonymous.What we have come to expect.
Sonia, "heighten the contradictions"? "Traumatic event"?
The point is, contradictions need no further manipulation, events are plenty horrible. Would you accept a little pain in order to have your chains cut free? Is emancipation only valid if it is painless? Whatever happened to give me liberty or give me death? I think it is wise for strikers to go into an action with a strike fund so that they can hold out.
What action could you suggest?
Troutsky,
What action could you suggest?
I am glad you asked. Overthrowing Mugabe would be a good start. Mass demonstrations against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he comes to New York would be a nice idea as well. Picketing in front of embassies of the countries that didn't have democratic elections in the last 5 years might also be on the agenda...
Well, I'll have to rush off to the local US Embassy then.
Trout, It is my opinion that your blog suffers from having these nuts commenting. They offer nothing.
There are rightwingers and conservatives around who can be dealt with. These can't.
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Sonia,
Why do you assume that a general strike would be spontaneous? The working class is capable of planning such an event so they would be prepared. Worker run business could stay open, communities could help each other, etc..
I think Klein's argument holds true. The shock, however, would be felt by the employing class. Instead of a rise of disaster capitalism, the strike would start to rid the world of the disaster known as capitalism.
The working class is capable of planning such an event
No, whoever will plan such an event won't be 'working class' (not for long, anyway). He will be Stalin II...
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