Our ideals vs public opinion

[Sir Aunty Christ]

Two recent death penalty related threads: Death Penalty (http://http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=54863&hl=) and Suffolk Farmer Supports Death Penalty, Made his own gallows (http://http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=55153&hl=Gallows) got me thinking that our left-wing ideals (of which the abolition of the death penalty worldwide is one) can contradict public opinion.

My question is two-fold:

1) How do we reconcile our ideals with democracy if popular opinion is against us?
2) How do we convince the public that our ideals are more enlighted than their (possible) desire for revenge.

[rouchambeau]

1.) Easy, we act in opposition to public opinion.

[bcbm]

1 and 2. Promotion and engagement of class struggle.

[Mesijs]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2006, 05:51 PM
1.) Easy, we act in opposition to public opinion.
How do you mean that? You have to have the public opinion with you, otherwise nothing will happen...?

[cambridgeleft]

Originally posted by Sir Aunty [email protected] 31 2006, 05:32 PM
Two recent death penalty related threads: Death Penalty (http://http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=54863&hl=) and Suffolk Farmer Supports Death Penalty, Made his own gallows (http://http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=55153&hl=Gallows) got me thinking that our left-wing ideals (of which the abolition of the death penalty worldwide is one) can contradict public opinion.

My question is two-fold:

1) How do we reconcile our ideals with democracy if popular opinion is against us?
2) How do we convince the public that our ideals are more enlighted than their (possible) desire for revenge.
1. Why do you say public opinion is counter-abolition of death penalty? Most people I know (though that is hardly an accurate indicator) would prefer no death penalty. Though the tide is changing I think...

2. Prove to them that death penalties don't actually cut crime (which some American statistics prove, although I have lost the data I had as it was from a lecture.)

3. Re-educate the populace by putting forward our views more publicly, more accessibly and more easily for them.

4. Propaganda?