=
×

Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Head To Head
Log In
Register
Unsung Forum »
Have I been told off by Julian on the Drudion for....
Log In to post a reply
63 messages
Topic View: Flat | Threaded
Merrick
Merrick
2148 posts

Edited May 02, 2009, 17:03
capitalism and the law
May 02, 2009, 16:33
Citizensmurf wrote:
the notion of destroying capitalism (and American Capitalism at that, as though it merited a seperate entry in Webster's) is completely ridiculous.


In what way is it more ridiculous than continuing capitalism?

Capitalism requires perpetual economic growth. 'Economic growth' is largely a way of saying 'consumption of resources, most of them finite'. It doesn't take a genius to work out why you can't have infinite consumption of finite resources. To believe it is literally insane. That is the basis of capitalism.

The crunch has to come some time, and an aware, managed and just withdrawal is preferable to accelerating toward the cliff edge.

Citizensmurf wrote:
carrying a sign and beating a drum isn't going to do a thing


No one action ever achieves overthrow of anything. But collectively, they engender a cultural environment where change becomes possible. As Stephen Stills said in For What It's Worth, the signs mostly say 'hurrah for our side'. But that's OK, it empowers and emboldens people to know they're not alone, it increases the momentum for change.

Citizensmurf wrote:
King explicitly draws attention to the deviance/dissent distinction

"In no sense did I advocate evading or defying the law as the rabid segregationist would do. This would lead to anarcy. One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly . . . and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that his conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law"


Whilst Nelson Mandela's incarceration lends a lot of gravitas to the way he's viewed, imagine if, from the start, he and the rest of the ANC had only broken the law openly and always handed themselves in. The whole premise of the revolutionary position is that it does not view the law - the transcribed wishes of the ruling elite - as a fair framework for society.

George Orwell said:

"There is no revolutionary tradition in England, and even in extremist political parties, it is only the middle-class membership that thinks in revolutionary terms. The masses still more or less assume that "against the law" is a synonym for "wrong". It is known that the criminal law is harsh and full of anomalies and that litigation is so expensive as always to favour the rich against the poor: but there is a general feeling that the law, such as it is, will be scrupulously administered, that a judge or magistrate cannot be bribed, that no one will be punished without trial. An Englishman does not believe in his bones, as a Spanish or Italian peasant does, that the law is simply a racket."

Whilst I think that's putting it a little too strong, there is nonetheless a clear element of the law that is just the rich making up rules to suit them, and the judiciary being an executive arm of the same governmental powers that the activists oppose. When you pick the referee out of one of the teams, you don't get a fair game.

King presumes a need to have the highest respect for the law. He also presumes that waiting around to get nicked will increase public awareness. There are people rotting in cells in Russia, North Korea and around the world, and more buried in unmarked graves across South America and elsewhere who would tell you otherwise.

Closer to home, ten years ago when GM crops were being planted there was a campaign of 'accountable decontaminations'. This involved telling the cops you were going to pull up the crop, meeting them at the field and pulling up the minimum necessary to get nicked. They would get charged and fined and the crops grew on. Other people came in the unannounced and took out whole fields, then left to go and do another crop another night.

Both teams garnered a lot of public attention and support, but only the second lot's audacious action actually worked as direct action.
In reply to:
Re: Have I been told off by Julian on the Drudion for.... (Citizensmurf)		 Replies:
Re: capitalism and the law (Moon Cat)
Re: capitalism and the law (IanB)
Re: capitalism and the law (Citizensmurf)
Re: capitalism and the law (Rick1991)
Topic Outline:
Unsung Forum Index