The first political work I did was leafleting houses for candidates my father supported when I was in 6th grade. He was a Republican precinct chair, and who ever he supported won in our precinct. It was basic ol' fashioned politics, a model that AOC used successfully lest anyone sneer at it. I'm certainly not a Republican now but there is a real lesson in trying to communicate directly with other people on various issues.
I disagree slightly with your general definition of politics - you seem to describe political systems and institutions as well as the policies that certain politics produce. I believe politics better refers to struggles for power between actors which takes place within and outside of those systems (themselves products of past political struggles) and which produce various policies and other exercises of power. I still largely agree that politics takes place in different ways in many places not traditionally thought of as political fields, i.e. workplaces, neighborhoods, school systems etc. And only by accomplishing smaller scale actions can we hope to build the power and conditions necessary for larger, systemic change.
I was a bit hasty here, and I think I essentially agree with you, although I do think politics is slightly more expansive than the definition you're using here and maybe more to the point in my attempt to help others expand their definition I may have overstated my understanding of it. And, lastly, I under the political to be even broader than "politics," significantly broader even. A point which maybe should have been clarified more in the piece. Thank you for this thoughtful comment!
I think I agree I was overly narrow as well. Definitely a broadening of "politics" as well as "the political" is a necessary step for an effective working class political movement.
Thanks for your reply! I really liked the Earthseed series!
“What I’m asking is what would happen if we thought of working class people as the center of our politics? What would happen if we stopped thinking of D.C. as the center, or the statehouse, or even your favorite political writer or thinker as the center of your political outlook or compass, and instead thought of the working class people in your neighborhood, job, and social circle as the center piece? I don’t have the answer, or at least don’t have a concise version for this short piece, but I hope this question alone is helpful.”
I think the concise answer is “unionize”? Start a union at work if you don’t have one!
Nice piece. I’ll admit I was surprised to read that the audience is the voter.
While all you wrote has merit, I feel like a MUCH bigger issue is the difference between governance and campaigning. Governance should not prioritize campaigning to a narrow base. Following through on prior campaign promises, though? Sure.
Would Desantis be doing all the awful things he’s doing if he weren’t running for president? I don’t know. But I do know a huge motivator for him at this moment is his presidential campaign.
The first political work I did was leafleting houses for candidates my father supported when I was in 6th grade. He was a Republican precinct chair, and who ever he supported won in our precinct. It was basic ol' fashioned politics, a model that AOC used successfully lest anyone sneer at it. I'm certainly not a Republican now but there is a real lesson in trying to communicate directly with other people on various issues.
I disagree slightly with your general definition of politics - you seem to describe political systems and institutions as well as the policies that certain politics produce. I believe politics better refers to struggles for power between actors which takes place within and outside of those systems (themselves products of past political struggles) and which produce various policies and other exercises of power. I still largely agree that politics takes place in different ways in many places not traditionally thought of as political fields, i.e. workplaces, neighborhoods, school systems etc. And only by accomplishing smaller scale actions can we hope to build the power and conditions necessary for larger, systemic change.
I was a bit hasty here, and I think I essentially agree with you, although I do think politics is slightly more expansive than the definition you're using here and maybe more to the point in my attempt to help others expand their definition I may have overstated my understanding of it. And, lastly, I under the political to be even broader than "politics," significantly broader even. A point which maybe should have been clarified more in the piece. Thank you for this thoughtful comment!
I think I agree I was overly narrow as well. Definitely a broadening of "politics" as well as "the political" is a necessary step for an effective working class political movement.
Thanks for your reply! I really liked the Earthseed series!
Ah that really warms my heart. The Earthseed writing might be my very favorite!
“What I’m asking is what would happen if we thought of working class people as the center of our politics? What would happen if we stopped thinking of D.C. as the center, or the statehouse, or even your favorite political writer or thinker as the center of your political outlook or compass, and instead thought of the working class people in your neighborhood, job, and social circle as the center piece? I don’t have the answer, or at least don’t have a concise version for this short piece, but I hope this question alone is helpful.”
I think the concise answer is “unionize”? Start a union at work if you don’t have one!
Hell yeah!!
Nice piece. I’ll admit I was surprised to read that the audience is the voter.
While all you wrote has merit, I feel like a MUCH bigger issue is the difference between governance and campaigning. Governance should not prioritize campaigning to a narrow base. Following through on prior campaign promises, though? Sure.
Would Desantis be doing all the awful things he’s doing if he weren’t running for president? I don’t know. But I do know a huge motivator for him at this moment is his presidential campaign.