Forum:
omkay none of these paragraphs are completed I just hit a wall on typing and being able to lay out my thoughts. edits tbd
So I had some thoughts on the recent "boycott" that supposedly happened. A repost based one day aversion of big companies.
I could sit here at home and scoff at the inefficacy of liberal/non-marxist leftist activism but that attitude does nothing to help steer people in the direction of clear class consciousness. It is the duty of a good communist to build off of people's justified frustration, and help others make the connections that I had made. So I thought I would share some thoughts of mine, because based on what I've seen in this forum, most users are still working on this development.
Lack of a solid plan of action - This could be on me for not really doing my due diligence on researching whatever org put this together or what their beliefs are, but not having a clearly organized group or demands, is going to guarantee that nothing will change. Collective action must have a clear cut demand from a company or capitalists, and the given action must be prolonged until the demand is met. In the case of the economic boycott, the collective action is a vague non-action, and the demands are just an expression of general disapproval at the state of things. This isn't to say that workers aren't justified in being outraged at their material conditions, the everlasting crisis that late capitalism finds itself is always alleviated at the expense of the workers.
The basis of why this movement seems like a good idea is the prevalence of the idea of "voting with your dollars". This sentiment touches on the concept that the working class (those who only make a living through a wage or salary), the vast majority of the population, has the potential to exert its power over the capitalist class (those who make their money from profits/production assets/capital growth), a very small minority of the population. However, using the logic of $1 = 1 vote, the working class is hugely overpowered. This logic is likely validated by mass media because it takes the focus away from where the power of the working class really lies - in their work. The people who operate the machinery, transport material, process data, etc. are the ones who can halt the system in its tracks. The churning of profit machine Collective organizing against capital must be directed to exert the working class power
What aspiring leftists needs to understand is that action that does not attack the fundamental logic of capitalism will not have the power to change society. The suggestion that a small movement of people not buying something for a day will lead to fortune 500 corporations taking a noticeable hit on their market value is not a realistic expectation whatsoever and is purely idealistic. Plenty of people will not spend money for a whole day unintentionally,
Report Topic
Permalink