Tue, 08 Jan 2019 16:14:36 +0000

A short note on the modern democracy

When speaking of modern politics a lot of focus is given to democracy. Democracy is taken as this great system, which is there as otherwise we might get into 'dictatorships'. In the American politics and culture it is taken to a level of considering Huey Long reforms evil, just because he was not (according to them) democratic. At the same time, we have countires with democratically elected presidents, in which the support for them is 30%. To paraphrase Marx - 'Do not allow yourselves to be deluded by the abstract word democracy. Whose democracy?'

The focus on democracy currently is so great, that even 'leftist' propaganda is in the support of the current model of the democracy. The insurrectionary activity is considered pure madness as it suggests violence2. And as we are all aware, violence makes the world worse. And all people who suggest violence are anarcho-communists from Antifa anyways. They just want to bash the fash™. Political change (have, not bash), not so much. They prefer (not only) to fight anarchist meat-eaters.

It seems as if any suggestion towards change was broken. We have our democracy, and its emblem which certifies any evil doing and attacks on the people it can do. On the other, we have violence, which is getting easier and easier to control, with drone attacks, surveillance, and (even if it works) lack of ideology and unstability. Are we left in the era where no real political change is possible?

No. The power for the political change exists, and will exist as long as there are essential contradictions in the society to facilitate that. I think that the old insurrctionary tactics are set with much higher risk, as the system had over 200 years experience with insurrections and 'radical democracy'. That experience caused the rise in efficiency of social control and pacification of any dangerous movement. The weakness that caused the fall of Tzarist Russia are long gone, and states with much wider individual power are able to control and destroy any movement of this kind.

What are the possible new tactics? Part of the tactics in this hard era is organic work, trying to apply the values of socialism in small groups where relations of capital had not yet arisen. I would also suggest focus on increasing the weight of working class, and the global approach to society. I am completely against splitting the hairs, and trying to create new classes. The labour value theory still applies, and the relations are just more obscured. Outsourcing working class does not solve the contradictions, it hides them. I am hopeful that with time the new class conscience of this displaced working class will come about and sabotaging becomes effective practice. That is a very brief view and there is much more to be read and understood about modern praxis (the application of political theories).

I am well aware that this optimism of early 20th century still seems possible, but the west at the current period is not in the state where any kind of political change can happen. This can change, but it requires a catastrophe to happen, as the Western dream keeps people in control, and the fact that majority of the western population is richer than most of the outsourced working class. To revolt would go against their own interest, as they would be on losing side of this aspects. The political changes that happen in the west, therefore are to increase the quality of life in the west itself. In my opinion this will just worsen inequality and could lead to a global crisis on the unknown scale.

I understand that some of the readers of this phlog are not interested or against this kind of leftism. In the case you are, or have some questions, feel free to email me your comments. Also, expect more phlogposts soon as I currently have more time for them.