excellent, i think there already many elements of a real democracy movement in place, but many don't even know that's what they are yet - the two i'm involved in is simple local activity to increase the unity and strength of my community by really mainstream activity that many millions of people are doing all over the country and have been doing for many years. The other is through Radical London (<span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><a href="http://www.radicallondon.net">www.radicallondon.net</a></span>) a more explicit attempt to convince self defined activists that community organising is a form of<span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:10pt"> direct action to create a society of cooperation and mutual aid on
their doorstep or in other words a really democratic society. </span><div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:10pt">There are also incredibly mainstream organisations such as 'unlock democracy' and 'democracy matters' which i believe have a restricted view of what democracy should be and consequently don't have very good politics, but maybe they would also be part of a broad movement?</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:10pt">However, i think we need some kind of umbrella under which we can all continue to work, i'm not sure if occupy is the right group for this role, but i think we need to work together to find out how to create the FEELING of it being a movement, because i think it almost is one, but just needs a bit more something</span><div>
<font face="Arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><br></font><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 8:26 AM, Mark Barrett <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:marknbarrett@googlemail.com" target="_blank">marknbarrett@googlemail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">reposted at <a href="http://www.peoplesassemblies.org/2012/09/28939/" target="_blank">http://www.peoplesassemblies.org/2012/09/28939/</a><br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On 21 September 2012 19:42, Steve Freeman <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:49sfreeman@googlemail.com" target="_blank">49sfreeman@googlemail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid" class="gmail_quote"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">Dear all</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font>FYI the following was published in Occupy Times </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">Building a Real Democracy movement </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:10pt">Every day
millions of people struggle against the conditions capital imposes on society.
People are confronted by economic and social injustice, environmental
degradation, and the threat of war. Popular democracy appears when people begin
to act together to organise protests, demonstrations, strikes, occupations, and
revolutions. The appeal of democracy is universal because it offers the
prospect of people governing themselves and determining their own future. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:10pt"> <br>
Capital and Democracy are fundamentally opposed. The power of money confronts
the power of people. Should money<span> </span><i>or<span> </span></i>people rule the world? Capital
concentrates more power in the hands of the minority. Democracy seeks to
mobilise the power of the majority. Both are engaged in a protracted worldwide
struggle for power, which will decide the future of humanity and the survival
of the planet. <br>
<br>
In the last twenty years the struggle for democracy swept across Russia and
Eastern Europe, South Africa, Burma, China, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, and
Palestine. Liberal or parliamentary democracy holds out the promise that the
‘will of the people’ will prevail and civil liberties will be secured. However,
the experience of liberal democracy has shown that financial and corporate
power continues to rule. Around the world people are increasingly disillusioned
with liberal democracy because it cannot resolve the issues of economic
injustice and sustainability.<span> </span><br>
<br>
<b>Democracy’s opportunity<span> </span></b><br>
<br>
The Occupy movement was one of many responses to the crisis of capital.
Spontaneous action caught the authorities off-guard. Now they have regained
their composure and control. Consequently, Occupy faces a major decision
regarding whether to convert itself into a more ‘permanent’ organisation with
long term goals and strategies, or to accept defeat and move on to the next
protest campaign.<br>
<br>
We do not, however, have to invent a new strategy or aims. We need to
understand the contradictions and alternative pathways within the movement
itself. The future of Occupy is already there. Three objectives stand out –
real democracy, economic and social justice, and a sustainable environment. It
is not that they are opposed to each other. It is more a question of strategic
priority, emphasis and linkage.<br>
<br>
<b>Movement – campaigns, parties and actions<span> </span></b><br>
<br>
Although the US movement began with economic focus on Wall Street, in ‘Scenes
from Occupied America’, Rebecca Solnit identified the two issues at the centre
of the movement - “economic justice and real democracy”. She says that by
“living out that direct democracy every day through assemblies and committees”,
the movement is “winning through people power”. New York Occupiers, like Marina
Sitrin, urged people to take the real democracy route: “Soon, I hope, in our
plazas and parks, our neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces, we will all be
saying something similar: Real Democracy!”<span> </span><br>
<br>
Real Democracy is the means by which people power can implement economic and
social justice, and a sustainable environment. Without it, the people can
protest against injustice and ecological disaster, but like King Canute, we
cannot stop the tide of capital lapping over us. Occupy has a future primarily
as an international movement for real democracy. It has to win the argument that
real democracy is the road to economic and social justice and a sustainable
environment.<br>
<br>
A movement is not a single organisation. The environmental movement, for
example, has a range of parties, campaigns, think-tanks and direct action
groups. There is the Green Party, the Alliance of Green Socialists, Greenpeace,
Friends of the Earth, Climate Change, Climate Camp and more. The trade union
movement remains the prime focus for struggles for economic and social justice.
It has many organisations, publications, and campaigns gathered around it.
<br>
<br>
In contrast, there is no recognisable Real Democracy movement. Occupy should
become the catalyst for a Real Democracy movement with a range of Real
Democracy institutions, parties and think-tanks. Occupy should be the first
organisation to take Real Democracy seriously, but eventually become one voice
within a broader movement. We should not try to ‘own’ or control such a
movement but play our part in building it. <br>
<br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">[Published in September 2012 Occupy Times]<span><font color="#888888"><b></b></font></span></span></p><span><font color="#888888">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>Steve<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
</font></span></font></span></blockquote></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Apathy is Dead ! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarider/5254770064/#/photos/solarider/5254770064/lightbox/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarider/5254770064/#/photos/solarider/5254770064/lightbox/</a><br>
<br>
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