One of your best pieces yet, a really sharp and digestible argument about this innate tension in the left, why it's a defining factor of our movement and good reasons for why we should never extinguish it; thanks for sharing 🤙🏽
And if ever proof was needed, (that you are bang on), just look at the UK Labour Government. In fact, look at the Labour party, before it was elected. In the years running up to the 2024 General Election, they "cleansed" the party of revolutionaries. What we now have is a party, that was formed to represent the working class, but is minding the capitalist shop.
There is also proof, here in the UK, that revolutionaries, attract support and funding. The Green Party have seen huge growth since Polanski became leader, pushing a far more "extreme" left-wing agenda.
#VoteGreen
#PowerToThePeople
#FreedomForTooting - you need to have watched Citizen Smith, to get that one! :-)
Thank you for adding to a space in my heart I am quietly tending that is love and acceptance, instead of bitterness and resentment. It not useful to material change. In hospicing modernity, the collective came up with the stages of collapse awareness or denial, when you look at peoples reactions more to the reactions of a terminal diagnosis, everyone reacts differently, go along, deny, try or give up. Whose to say which is correct, when we all end up the same place.
Such a good article, spot on. I live in New Zealand, the Labour Party here is a prime example of this. Over the last 40 years the NZ Labour Party has managed to eliminate that natural conflict that previously existed within it's ranks, to the point that it is now a centre right party, not too different to past National Parties (NZ conservative party), and hence NZ politics has moved generally further and further to the right. Very sad. Very well crafted article though.
The body analogy might therefore evolve into something like this:
* Revolutionaries are the body’s response to injury—they identify what is intolerable and demand change.
* Reformers are the healing mechanisms—they prevent the response from destroying the organism itself.
* Interest groups are the organs—each with different needs and functions.
* Political success occurs when enough organs conclude that a new equilibrium will improve their survival.
* Political failure occurs when the immune response becomes autoimmune and starts attacking the organs it needs to keep alive.
In that sense, the central political challenge may not be choosing between reformers and revolutionaries. It may be constructing a coalition in which both can coexist long enough to create a new settlement before the movement turns its energies inward.
Is there any point using your body analogy where the fight implodes and immune system eats itself? “Your party “ is a case in point. Although, you might be able to make a Counter argument that that was revolutionary against revolutionary? And the absence of a reformer caused its downfall? On a related point with Corbin 2015-19, maybe the Revolutionary can never lead the Campaign as the reformers won’t like it and they will undermine his position?
Some of the best examples in Scandinavian countries owe their success to historical collaborations between strange bedfellows – farmers and students. So maybe the relationship is not between reformers and revolutionaries but between vested interest who will benefit from a NEW economic system?
Well articulated article on the need for different voices, different perspectives for the left. As humans we share a need for respect, love, safety, and acceptance for who we are, it is the balancing of the differences that has made the left a presence for change.
One of your best pieces yet, a really sharp and digestible argument about this innate tension in the left, why it's a defining factor of our movement and good reasons for why we should never extinguish it; thanks for sharing 🤙🏽
Thank you so much b
Brilliant as ever.
And if ever proof was needed, (that you are bang on), just look at the UK Labour Government. In fact, look at the Labour party, before it was elected. In the years running up to the 2024 General Election, they "cleansed" the party of revolutionaries. What we now have is a party, that was formed to represent the working class, but is minding the capitalist shop.
There is also proof, here in the UK, that revolutionaries, attract support and funding. The Green Party have seen huge growth since Polanski became leader, pushing a far more "extreme" left-wing agenda.
#VoteGreen
#PowerToThePeople
#FreedomForTooting - you need to have watched Citizen Smith, to get that one! :-)
I loved Citizen Smith, btw! :-)
https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2015/09/10/20/1-Citizen-Smith-Alamy.jpg?width=1200
Thank you for adding to a space in my heart I am quietly tending that is love and acceptance, instead of bitterness and resentment. It not useful to material change. In hospicing modernity, the collective came up with the stages of collapse awareness or denial, when you look at peoples reactions more to the reactions of a terminal diagnosis, everyone reacts differently, go along, deny, try or give up. Whose to say which is correct, when we all end up the same place.
Such a good article, spot on. I live in New Zealand, the Labour Party here is a prime example of this. Over the last 40 years the NZ Labour Party has managed to eliminate that natural conflict that previously existed within it's ranks, to the point that it is now a centre right party, not too different to past National Parties (NZ conservative party), and hence NZ politics has moved generally further and further to the right. Very sad. Very well crafted article though.
A revised body analogy
The body analogy might therefore evolve into something like this:
* Revolutionaries are the body’s response to injury—they identify what is intolerable and demand change.
* Reformers are the healing mechanisms—they prevent the response from destroying the organism itself.
* Interest groups are the organs—each with different needs and functions.
* Political success occurs when enough organs conclude that a new equilibrium will improve their survival.
* Political failure occurs when the immune response becomes autoimmune and starts attacking the organs it needs to keep alive.
In that sense, the central political challenge may not be choosing between reformers and revolutionaries. It may be constructing a coalition in which both can coexist long enough to create a new settlement before the movement turns its energies inward.
Is there any point using your body analogy where the fight implodes and immune system eats itself? “Your party “ is a case in point. Although, you might be able to make a Counter argument that that was revolutionary against revolutionary? And the absence of a reformer caused its downfall? On a related point with Corbin 2015-19, maybe the Revolutionary can never lead the Campaign as the reformers won’t like it and they will undermine his position?
Some of the best examples in Scandinavian countries owe their success to historical collaborations between strange bedfellows – farmers and students. So maybe the relationship is not between reformers and revolutionaries but between vested interest who will benefit from a NEW economic system?
Thanx. Verry usefull insights
Great piece!
This is great. Who wrote it?
I did.
Well articulated article on the need for different voices, different perspectives for the left. As humans we share a need for respect, love, safety, and acceptance for who we are, it is the balancing of the differences that has made the left a presence for change.
Love this piece