"It’s easy for radicals to critique the results of nonviolent regime changes that happened since the 1970s: economies being more fully integrated into the neoliberal order, authoritarian forces shoving aside the pro-democracy forces in parliament, the dogged continuation of corruption, prefigurative efforts that started in the throes of the struggle losing their momentum. That said, when I look at these struggles that brought down dictators I do see frequent use by reformers of sophisticated nonviolent strategy. They were using skills the radicals badly needed. The strategists planned how to get from point A to point B. They anticipated counter-moves by the opponent, and developed options to stay on the offensive. They planned how to use the weaknesses of the dictator, and also how to undermine the dictator’s strengths. Otpor worked successfully to neutralize the police, for example, who time and again spied upon, beat up, and arrested the young people. Instead of deflecting their struggle against the dictator into a struggle against the cops, Otpor remembered that police are the enforcers—not the deciders—and they are workers who are actually victims of the oppressive system. Because of Otpor’s strategic approach to the police, the police violence weakened over time, and when the dictator most needed them they refused to carry out his will. Successful strategists for nonviolent regime change were the opposite of self-absorbed; they figured out how to reach key allies, and how to mobilize cross-class coalitions that would, at a critical moment, generate the power of mass noncooperation. As always, the challenge I make to radicals is: “Where’s our learning curve? How can we create strategy that borrows from what worked for the reformers and at the same time sets in motion more fundamental change?” I’ll raise the stakes of my challenge: “Is it really a choice between working strategically for reforms, with the chance of winning, or acting unstrategically for revolution, with the certainty of losing?” If that’s the choice, I know which I choose. To me the way out of the radical dilemma is to break out of the radical bubble, learn from what works in reform campaigns both from observation and participation, and embrace lessons and relationships for the broader task of transformation. Because the broader task is really tough, the Manifesto offers a framework that supports participatory strategizing with revolutionary goals."
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 06:21:56 +0000
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