Reply #211: misrepresentation [View All]

[William Z. Foster]

You assume that we are talking about partisan electoral politics, and what the politicians do.

That is the problem - seeing us as merely supporters of various politicians, and seeing the range of possible political ideas to all be contained within the context of what various politicians say.

Political and social change has always come from outside of partisan electoral politics. When you keep the discussion tightly contained within the context of what the rulers are doing and saying, you introduce a powerful bias against the working class people and in favor of those in power.

The way you are describing politics here, we are relegated to minor and relatively powerless roles - as volunteers, cheer leaders, donors, spectators unpaid pr flacks, believers - all for the benefit of various powerful people. That eliminates 99% of the political possibilities and ideas before we even get started or have any discussion, and yes it does eliminate any voice for the political left and precludes any serious change from ever happening.

Our role should be to force the powerful to work for us, not look for ways to work for the powerful.

Also, I urge people to reject these ideas that are based on fear of what the right wingers might do. We rob them of their power by creating an alternative channel for people's dissatisfaction and anger, not by tip-toeing around. We create an alternative by thinking, speaking and acting outside of the very narrow confines of partisan electoral politics. Every great and successful movement for social and political change did that.