Edward Norton
8th August 2004, 00:58
For those of you on this forum who actually realise the futility of voting and the sheer waste of time capitalist 'elections' are then alternatives should be considered.
Despite all the diverse spectrums of leftist ideology on this forum (Maoist, Stalinist, Trotskyist, Leninists, Anarchists and others) forum members can be divided into two different catagories on the question of voting and partaking in capitalist 'elections'. This in essence separates the revolutionaries from the reformists.
Reformists, whether they vote for 'anybody but Bush' Kerry or for the out and out left reformist Nader or for some obscure small Leninist group, such as the Workers World Party or the SP-USA, they are all carrying out a political act of expressing public confidence in the capitalist system and it's farcial 'elections'.
Voting means you believe that 'elections' will change things and that the capitalist system will respond to the 'people's will' accordingly. Thats the ILLUSION that 'elections' in a capitalist state are designed for, what, you think that 'elections' were really designed to actually bring about change?????
Some 'leftist' groups claim that 'elections' are indeed are fraud, BUT still participate in them to 'raise people's awareness' or 'expose the sham of it all' and other well intentioned but meaningless BULLSHIT.
If 'elections' are a fruad then why waste time trying to make people realise that by telling them to do the very action (voting) you claim to be a waste of time?????
Instead wouldn't it be better to carry out activism to get people to drop out of the sham of 'electoral politics' and get them into not just staying at home (apathy, which is better than voting but is used by politicians as passive support for them, as they have this knack for considering non-voters as their supporters who are just to lazy do go to the ballot box) but to get invlolved in an active BOYCOTT.
Spoil your voting sheet and if an active boycott movement was set up, everyone could spoil their paper with a set slogan or even a symbol, (even a smiley face would do).
Apart from spoiling papers, activists could form pickets or demos outside polling stations and launch a temporary newspaper or booklet to advise people on how best to take part in the boycott. Agitation and activism that gets its message out clearly is the key.
Meetings, demos and a nationwide 'spoil your paper' boycott would need much organizing, but with co-ordination between groups and individuals it can be done!
However to get people into this, espc. people who dont vote but are not political or political but not tied to some leftist party, this needs to be done bottom-up, not top-down! No 'leaders' or 'vanguard parties' leading people to action, everyone invoved should have a say as to how the boycott should take place and how best to carry it forward.
Despite all the diverse spectrums of leftist ideology on this forum (Maoist, Stalinist, Trotskyist, Leninists, Anarchists and others) forum members can be divided into two different catagories on the question of voting and partaking in capitalist 'elections'. This in essence separates the revolutionaries from the reformists.
Reformists, whether they vote for 'anybody but Bush' Kerry or for the out and out left reformist Nader or for some obscure small Leninist group, such as the Workers World Party or the SP-USA, they are all carrying out a political act of expressing public confidence in the capitalist system and it's farcial 'elections'.
Voting means you believe that 'elections' will change things and that the capitalist system will respond to the 'people's will' accordingly. Thats the ILLUSION that 'elections' in a capitalist state are designed for, what, you think that 'elections' were really designed to actually bring about change?????
Some 'leftist' groups claim that 'elections' are indeed are fraud, BUT still participate in them to 'raise people's awareness' or 'expose the sham of it all' and other well intentioned but meaningless BULLSHIT.
If 'elections' are a fruad then why waste time trying to make people realise that by telling them to do the very action (voting) you claim to be a waste of time?????
Instead wouldn't it be better to carry out activism to get people to drop out of the sham of 'electoral politics' and get them into not just staying at home (apathy, which is better than voting but is used by politicians as passive support for them, as they have this knack for considering non-voters as their supporters who are just to lazy do go to the ballot box) but to get invlolved in an active BOYCOTT.
Spoil your voting sheet and if an active boycott movement was set up, everyone could spoil their paper with a set slogan or even a symbol, (even a smiley face would do).
Apart from spoiling papers, activists could form pickets or demos outside polling stations and launch a temporary newspaper or booklet to advise people on how best to take part in the boycott. Agitation and activism that gets its message out clearly is the key.
Meetings, demos and a nationwide 'spoil your paper' boycott would need much organizing, but with co-ordination between groups and individuals it can be done!
However to get people into this, espc. people who dont vote but are not political or political but not tied to some leftist party, this needs to be done bottom-up, not top-down! No 'leaders' or 'vanguard parties' leading people to action, everyone invoved should have a say as to how the boycott should take place and how best to carry it forward.