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… learning how to is critical for “rank and file” activists in all our movements for change
One of my friends told me that my banging on about the coming economic downturn (in my Facebook posts) and the possibility / probability that it could be worse, was a bit heavy.
I think it’s vital for more of us to be discussing this and helping to work out the strategy to deal with it from the viewpoint of the majority and of the natural world upon which we all depend.
A downturn or recession will hit – this is not an “if” – and when it does it presents real problems for those of us who want to reverse growing inequality and defeat the climate emergency.
Because historically that’s when we retreat!
On the climate emergency, for example, humans and nature, cannot wait for the tottering capitalist business cycle to evolve and deliver renewed growth in the capital investment required for just and rapid transition from fossil to renewable power.
We could leave it in the hands of our “leaders”
Yes, that’s an option, and when we say “Oh, the big picture is just too big and too complicated for the likes of me”, that’s what we consent too.
But it’s really pretty stupid.
We see a clue why it’s stupid in this …
“Mr Trump’s handling of the economic slowdown has opened up the White House to scathing criticism from members of past economic teams, who have contended that the flailing process and lack of traditionally credentialled economists at the helm could exacerbate a downturn.”
That is, the people attacking Trump are the ones who supervised the global financial crisis of 2008-9. The hypocrisy is extreme but not really surprising.
But, WE, THE 90% CANNOT WAIT, or hope that the failures of the past might work next time.
Because, we are at the end of the recovery from their last crisis and it has delivered no where near enough of what is required. We have 11 years or so and the next economic downturn / crisis will, in the capitalist order of things, rob at least 3 to 5 of those years from the precious time necessary to start getting things right. And that’s assuming that the effects of global warming won’t go more exponential.
The longer the delay that the next downturn / crisis might force upon us, the more likely that what will be required is convulsive change.
There is precious little sign that the notional leaders of parties, unions, environmental ngo’s, equality campaigns understand that type of strategy. In fact, their comfort zones don’t actually like that option.
And their base tends to consent to that. That has to change, otherwise disaster dominates.