Greetings,
On Thu, 5 Jun 1997, Doug Henwood wrote:
> Michael Perelman wrote:
>
> >The answer is that I would not even think of coming up with such a
> >program. I would devote my energies to reinvigorating the grass roots.
> >In the U.S., much the most progressive legislation in our history came
> >during the Nixon years. Did Nixon have an effective reformist program?
> >Of course not. People were in the streets.
>
> When Tavis asked the WITBD question, I was glad it wasn't me who had to answer.
>
> Michael, you have a point here, but it's not enough to talk about the grass
> roots. Of course any seriously radical movement needs a mass base, but
> that's not enough. Most ordinary folks are completely confused by what's
> going on and feel utterly alone and powerless. To reinvigorate the grass
> roots requires explaining to people the world as it is and as it might be.
> That's what radical intellectuals are supposed to do, but we're not doing
> much of it.
The so-called "experts," academicians and politicians are only
blocking the path of progress to the society at this time. Ordinary
people know that what is needed is a society in which, for the first time,
they have a real and decisive say, that really full democracy is absent
and that the super-wealthy set the agenda in society. The present
electoral set-up of the financial oligarchy, which has disempowered the
vast majority since its inception, is beginning to fail even the
super-wealthy. Needed is an entirely new electoral system, one which
brings the people to power.
> Doug Henwood
> Left Business Observer
> 250 W 85 St
> New York NY 10024-3217 USA
> +1-212-874-4020 voice +1-212-874-3137 fax
> email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> web: <http://www.panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html>
Shawgi Tell
Graduate School of Education
University at Buffalo
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
