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Burnley123 · 41-45, M
You (I'm not American) do have a two party system but you also have primaries.
This means that it's possible to change a party from within. The American right has been quite successful in changing the Republican Party to the point where it's now almost unrecognisable from twenty years ago.
I'd like the American left to do this with the Democrats. Obviously, it's hard when you up against corporate money but it is possible.
Changing a party from within has to be the best method in America. The First Past the Post electoral system means that it's almost impossible to do that any other way.
This means that it's possible to change a party from within. The American right has been quite successful in changing the Republican Party to the point where it's now almost unrecognisable from twenty years ago.
I'd like the American left to do this with the Democrats. Obviously, it's hard when you up against corporate money but it is possible.
Changing a party from within has to be the best method in America. The First Past the Post electoral system means that it's almost impossible to do that any other way.
PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M
@Burnley123 I would say you are right in theory but reality has not lived up to that. American history shows their parties get changed from without, not from within. And even in the UK the left wing of the labour party has been trying to change the labour party for longer than either of us have been alive with underwhelming results.
On paper it should work but there is little real world results to support that idea.
On paper it should work but there is little real world results to support that idea.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@PicturesOfABetterTomorrow All socialists have had underwhelming results almost all of the time and that is why the world is as it is. There is no magic bullet.
So, we need to talk about what is relatively viable and (in America) I think it's the primary system.
I used to think this about Labour but now I'm not sure that can work because there are no primaries, just a party bureaucracy. So the left has been purged and everything is stacked against us. I'm still a party member but no longer active.
Having said this, the Corbyn movement (against implausible odds and the entire wright of the political establishment) did come close to getting into government.
Like America, left of labour parties are lucky to keep their deposit. Our Greens might be the answer but they have limitations.
So, we need to talk about what is relatively viable and (in America) I think it's the primary system.
I used to think this about Labour but now I'm not sure that can work because there are no primaries, just a party bureaucracy. So the left has been purged and everything is stacked against us. I'm still a party member but no longer active.
Having said this, the Corbyn movement (against implausible odds and the entire wright of the political establishment) did come close to getting into government.
Like America, left of labour parties are lucky to keep their deposit. Our Greens might be the answer but they have limitations.
PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M
@Burnley123 If we stick to the electoral system designed in a way to kneecap real change that is not surprising.
Alot of modern socialist groups like to ignore the fact that the revolutionary approach is what has actually worked.
As for the primary and caucus system we have seen with Bernie Sanders how that can be shut down with a few backroom phone calls by the establishment party elite.
Greens are a mixed bag because they are not ideologically consistent even within the so called west. In Canada for example the green party are literally tories that don't deny climate change and are a centre right party.
Alot of modern socialist groups like to ignore the fact that the revolutionary approach is what has actually worked.
As for the primary and caucus system we have seen with Bernie Sanders how that can be shut down with a few backroom phone calls by the establishment party elite.
Greens are a mixed bag because they are not ideologically consistent even within the so called west. In Canada for example the green party are literally tories that don't deny climate change and are a centre right party.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@PicturesOfABetterTomorrow
Yes but he has had far more impact than Trotskyist in at least 50 years.
As for the primary and caucus system we have seen with Bernie Sanders how that can be shut down with a few backroom phone calls by the establishment party elite.
Yes but he has had far more impact than Trotskyist in at least 50 years.