Blog #31 – New Rules for New Radicals

Blog #31. New Rules for New Radicals

 

1.    1. Build on existing campaigns and demands, but in the framework of transformative claims and goals, highlighting root causes and the necessity for  deepen and broad changes

2.      2. Build constant coalitions around actions and goals, showing the interrelations of all claims and their ultimate common roots.

3.     3. Compromise strategically and balance importance of immediate improvement with need for long-term perspective.

4.      4. Be clear that the goal is not achieving consensus, but rather of winning an ultimate fundamental change in power relations between the 1% whose wealth comes from the work of the 99%; between two sides, clarify the inevitable and causative conflicts of interest between them.

5.     5. Privilege labor-capital demands, as inherently accepting fundamental economic conflict sand requiring transformation.

6.    6. Stress the key role of government, press for its democratic control and engage in the full range of political activity, within and outside political parties.

       7.  Do not be afraid to discuss the terms “capitalism” and “socialism” and their historical meanings.

These are intended to build on most of the older Rules for Radicals of Saul Alinsky and Acorn, or of the campaigns to build worker ownership and cooperatives, but to recognize their limits and add to them a transformative content aimed at building an ultimate radical social movement for effective change around cultural visions of a democratic socialism, details of whose designs will be worked out as theory and practices develop together. It might be organized around Chavez’ three triangles of socialism:

1) national/global social planning and ownership; 2) worker controlled production and services; and 3) everyday community empowerment for rights to the city.