At 2/13/2002, you wrote: >Alan, >3) Verticalism.... > >Doyle >This begs the question of how a mass organization can truly reflect the >views of the masses.
This is indeed a key question. In my view, a top-down organization is not very likely to "reflect the views of the masses". As I see it, these views will get reflected only when the masses themselves participate actively in the discussion, distilling, and presentation of their views. You certainly don't need a group of paternalistic iluminati to reflect the masses' views for you. This is precicely the discussion taking place in many of the 55 plus neighborhood assemblies in Buenos Aires today. There is a strong emphasis on maintaining the horizontal organization. People have been screwed over by representatives (of every political colour) and no longer want to delegate "the views of the masses" to representatives. Left parties, of course, have so far been unable to grasp this (since horizontalism is antithetical to their organization and thinking), and their participation in assemblies trying to steer them this (predetermined) direction and that is understandably causing quite a lot of resentment. Alan _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
