Tuesday 30 October 2012

Radical Politics - What are you scared of?

Radical politics have come in for a lot of criticism recently from all sections of society including both the left and the right from where they see it as being somewhat too grandiose and idea and the very people who think radically are attached with some sort of stigma that follows them for being involved in radical politics. The left seem to believe that we are selling out our sovereignty and the right has come to the conclusion that such right politics are the preserve of loony lefties intent on some sort of anarchy to disrupt society, the centre remains indifferent and will do whatever gets them votes. Republicanism seems to have a chip on its shoulder with radical politics and this comes as surprising seen as the radicalism that has come out of Republicanism with its violent past. Republicanism was radical at one stage and has since run out of fuel .

Radicalism offers a solution to the problems we are facing and by looking at the other philosophies in place we can look at the perhaps the best ideaologies and what applications these may have to providing a radical solution to the future we are faced with.

Communitarianism is a dirty word in the circles of radical politics. Often it is associated with authoritarian regimes however some of the principles it guarantees are basic rights that we should enshrine in good old Bunreacht na H-Eireann such as access to healthcare, education but most importantly the right to work . Jobs have been seen to be a privilege, how often has it been heard by the dog on the street that “You’re lucky to have a job” as if it some reward. Communitarianism is built on the basis that communities should mould the individual which then pushes the common good for all concerned. Ireland at the moment is experiencing something of a crass indivudualisation with a heavy dollop of materialism that is creating no social movement and breathing apathy. The comparison with authoritarianism is idiotic In the extreme as authoritarinsim is accompanied by use of violence to co-erce a people into a way of thinking or subduing them as is being done by the democratically elected government of Greece. Working together as a community ensures that we all benefit and working together casts of the shackles of capitalism to ensure a fair world. This is done through the use of community projects or solidarity as exemplified by the Campaign Against Household Waste or other similar movements that galvinise a community together in the face of financial oppression.

Through Progressivism we can achieve a more democratic orientaited society that is built by the people for the people. Too often we are left with the faceless bureaucrats or politicians lining their own pockets for their own benefits,we need a system which will benefit us , the people to empower ourselves and take back the structures of society back so that we can run things as a collective society. A lot of progressives made great inroads in the inner city deprived areas of Chicago where welfare reforms were set up and social workers and properly trained people were put in place to address the issues that they were faced with. These included back to work programmes, back to education programmes and the creation of a programme where children were guaranteed at least one meal a day . Labour laws which were very anti child were reformed to ensure that those whom were the most vunerable in society were changed so that they got an education and matured so they could benefit importantly themselves and then secondly society as a whole. Following on from this there was more of an empowerment of unions which worked for the people as in complete contrast to now where they are agents of the bourgoise and work for no one but themselves.




Finally the one thing we need to do to effect change is anarcho-pacifism and a revolution. Anrchopacifism is the use of non violent means in order to achieve this as so used by Ghandi to great effect. Mass strikes, boycotts, cyber anarchy , actually anything that disrupts society . This needs to coincide with a revolution in the way we think. We need to revolutionise the the thinking of the proletariat in this country to crack the corridors of power that are in existence. Seems awfully romantic how it is phrased but it’s the truth.

Radicalism is not a dirty word, it’s a way of thinking. Don’t be scared by it, think outside the box….

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