[Campaignforrealdemocracy] Democracy WG Update

[Mark Barrett]

Hey All

Thanks Sara and John, for notes and minutes from Friday's GA. Sounds like a
great Assembly!

About tomorrow's 6.30pm meeting, can someone please confirm venue? There is
a rumour of it being at the Bank of Ideas.
Please confirm Steve!

For the meeting, it might be a good idea to note the following:

**** Please can everyone try and use the Forum to post their ideas on any
of these threads - if you have problems in accessing get in touch with
myself and George

(1) There have not been many comments on Paul's Democracy Critique but they
are all up (including Chris and Steve F who both posted direct to the list)
at
http://www.occupyforum.org.uk/showthread.php?373-Critique-of-the-Parliamentary-Democracy-State&p=1984#post1984

(2) Likewise the Group Aims doc - all the comments (including S and C's)
are now up at
http://www.occupyforum.org.uk/showthread.php?374-Aims-of-the-Real-Democracy-Working-Group
-**

[If your comments aren't there, please note Mark J
markjagdev at gmail.com is taking
comments on both of these foward].

(3)  About the Initial Statement, I am a bit out of the loop on
what process has been agreed here but following the notes sent could John
or Sara maybe start a thread for it on the Forum so everyone can
participate / view the amalgamation.

(4) About Putney Idea - for those not aware of this please see link to my
post, and Steve's text below. Tanya from Multifaith (and who can reach
Giles Fraser) has offered to help with the organisation of this. Details
still to be worked out but could support our work well and also lead neatly
into the March - May 15M / Occupy / Real Democracy Now! mobilisation now
being planned throughout the world). Sara from this group and Adam (cc/d)
have also expressed an interest. I have posted both of the following two
texts at the Forum at
http://www.occupyforum.org.uk/showthread.php?401-Putney-Event
**
(a) Link to original info:
http://www.peoplesassemblies.org/2011/10/river-march-to-putney/
(b) Steve Freeman's text:

*England’s democracy - St Pauls to St Marys*

“I think the poorest he that is in England has a life to live as the
greatest he……and I do think that the poorest man in England is not bound in
a strict sense to the government that he has not put himself under.” These
words of the republican Leveller, Colonel Thomas Rainsborough, addressing
the Army Council on 28 October 1647 at St Mary’s Church in the Putney,
still speak to us over three hundred years later.

The struggle for democracy has continued ever since, by revolution and
reform, with victories and defeats. Far from ending the struggle for
democracy, capitalism has steadily generalised it across the world. As
Banks and Corporations exploit their power so people revolt and seek
democratic solutions. International finance and people’s democracy stand as
mortal foes.

The latest phase, the Arab Spring, began in Tunisia and spread to Egypt,
Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Syria and recently appeared in Moscow and China.
This triggered the Occupy movement in September 2011 which hit the
headlines when people began to occupy Wall Street. ‘Occupy’ has become an
international protest movement against financial capital and social
inequality which has spread to over ninety five cities including Madrid,
New York, London, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, and Paris.

At first sight the Occupy movement seems distinct from the political and
democratic struggles in the Middle East. It would be wrong simply to
contrast the Arab democratic revolutions with ‘Occupy’s’ economic demands.
Whilst the movement’s slogan “We are the 99%” refers to the distribution of
income it expresses democratic values. It has been rightly described as a
“democratic awakening” - if not yet Spring at least the end of hibernation.
The central feature of our movement is participatory democracy in "General
Assemblies".

This takes us back to that historic and revolutionary, if largely
forgotten, general assembly of the New Model army in occupation at St
Mary’s church Putney. In 1647 the active section of the England’s young
people were armed and organised in the New Model Army. Each regiment
elected its own ‘shop stewards’ known as the agitators. As the first civil
war ended the army became effectively a people’s parliament or republic,
inside the defeated Stuart monarchy.

This parliament or general assembly met to debate a new constitution. The
republican Levellers proposed an “An Agreement of the People” in opposition
to the Army’s ‘Grandees’ - landowning generals - such as Fairfax, Ireton
and Cromwell, backed by the wealthy City bankers and merchants. History has
shown the Levellers were right but Cromwell and the City had the might.
Soon they used it to suppress the Levellers, and the Diggers, who in 1649
began to occupy land at St Georges Hill in Surrey.

England has turned full circle. Today’s young people are not in a
revolutionary new model army. But its students and ‘redundant’ youth are
rebelling on the streets. Occupy has been led by young people trying to
peacefully occupy the City in solidarity with similar protests across the
world. The forces of the Crown barred the route to the Stock Exchange and
we ended up camped outside St Paul’s. Now, like some Macbethean witches
prediction, it is time for St Paul to meet St Mary.

(5) Some might be interested in this interview ('New Democratic Era') about
People's Assemblies :
http://new-compass.net/articles/new-era-democratic-history
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