No politician can be reformist. It’s a job that requires subservience to the status quo. After all “If voting changed anything they’d make it illegal.”
Hmm…I agree with everything that comes after this.
When I say “reformist”, I really mean someone who advocates small, gradual changes to society, in opposition to revolutionary changes. So most anarchists support revolution and are not reformists. More importantly, most politicians are reformists, at least in what they promise.
I know. I deliberately chose to use a different scale for the word to make a point. By that I mean reformist/traditionalist instead of reformist/revolutionary. Using reformist for anyone who wants to change(reform) society.
I do this quite a lot. deliberately misinterpret the point to point out the fuzziness of terms. I should probably remember to point that out whenever I do it.
The quote is in the context of socialist/anarchist ideas. If you are referring to the USian right then they are doing it because they are fascist who want to remain in power. and they’ve been making voting harder for a long time now in order to disenfranchise voters and get in power. From my anarchist point of view both neo-liberal democracy and fascism are the status-quo.
No politician can be reformist. It’s a job that requires subservience to the status quo. After all “If voting changed anything they’d make it illegal.”
Hmm…I agree with everything that comes after this.
When I say “reformist”, I really mean someone who advocates small, gradual changes to society, in opposition to revolutionary changes. So most anarchists support revolution and are not reformists. More importantly, most politicians are reformists, at least in what they promise.
I know. I deliberately chose to use a different scale for the word to make a point. By that I mean reformist/traditionalist instead of reformist/revolutionary. Using reformist for anyone who wants to change(reform) society.
I do this quite a lot. deliberately misinterpret the point to point out the fuzziness of terms. I should probably remember to point that out whenever I do it.
But aren’t they making it harder to vote exactly what is happening?
The quote is in the context of socialist/anarchist ideas. If you are referring to the USian right then they are doing it because they are fascist who want to remain in power. and they’ve been making voting harder for a long time now in order to disenfranchise voters and get in power. From my anarchist point of view both neo-liberal democracy and fascism are the status-quo.
Interesting, do you have any recommendations on reliable sources to learn more?
Learn more of what exactly?
If you mean anarchy then I always recommend the AFAQ: https://anarchistfaq.org/afaq/index.html. (elections are handled in section J.2).
If you don’t (mean anarchy) then I don’t (have any recommendations).
Thanks! I did mean anarchy. I could’ve been clearer.