#left-wing politics

[trendynewsnow]

New Political Movement Emerges from SYRIZA's Turmoil

After months of significant turmoil and internal strife, the leader of the left-wing SYRIZA party, Stefanos Kasselakis, has announced the formation of a new political movement. This newly conceived party has yet to be officially named, but Kasselakis clarified that it represents “the continuation of the democratic SYRIZA party, distinct from the current iteration that prevents individuals from…

[tmarshconnors]

Democracy According to the Left 

In the latest French elections, Marine Le Pen and her National Rally achieved a remarkable victory by winning every single department, except Paris. Garnering the most votes, one would naturally assume that such a resounding success would place them at the forefront of the political landscape. However, despite this overwhelming support, the National Rally found themselves relegated to third place. This raises an important question about the state of democracy as practiced by the Left – is it truly democratic, or is it veering into the realm of tyranny?

The Illusion of Democratic Process

At its core, democracy is supposed to be the embodiment of the people’s will, a system where every vote counts and the majority's voice guides the direction of the nation. Yet, the French electoral system has revealed cracks in this ideal. Despite the National Rally’s sweeping victories across most departments, the complexities of the system allowed for a political maneuver that essentially silenced the voice of millions of French voters.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen such outcomes. The Left often champions democracy, but when the results don’t align with their vision, they find ways to manipulate the system. It’s a pattern that raises concerns about the integrity of democratic processes under left-leaning governance. Is it truly democracy when the clear mandate of the people is overridden by political engineering?

A Tale of Electoral Engineering

The French electoral system’s two-round process allows for alliances and tactical voting that can skew results in favor of the establishment. In this case, traditional parties banded together to keep the National Rally out of power, despite their strong showing in the polls. This isn’t an isolated incident but rather a tactic increasingly employed to maintain the status quo.

Such practices undermine the very essence of democracy. When political elites manipulate electoral outcomes to preserve their dominance, they effectively disenfranchise large segments of the population. This isn’t the rule of the people; it’s the rule of a privileged few who decide what is best for everyone else.

The Double Standard

Imagine if the roles were reversed. If a right-leaning party employed similar tactics to suppress a left-wing victory, there would be an outcry, and rightly so. But when the Left does it, it’s often framed as a necessary measure to protect democracy from ‘extremism.’ This double standard is not only hypocritical but dangerous. It sets a precedent that justifies the erosion of democratic principles in the name of protecting them.

This selective application of democratic norms leads to a slippery slope where the end justifies the means. Today, it’s about keeping Marine Le Pen out of power. Tomorrow, it could be about suppressing any dissenting voices that challenge the prevailing narrative. It’s a path that leads away from true democracy and toward tyranny.

A Warning for the Future

The marginalization of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally is a symptom of a broader issue. When democratic processes are subverted, and the will of the people is ignored, it breeds discontent and distrust in the system. People begin to feel that their votes don’t matter, that their voices aren’t heard. This disillusionment can have serious consequences, leading to social unrest and a fracturing of the political landscape.

For democracy to thrive, it must be allowed to function as intended. This means respecting the outcomes of elections, even when they don’t align with the preferences of those in power. It means ensuring that every vote counts and that political engineering doesn’t override the will of the people.

Marine Le Pen and her National Rally’s experience in the recent French elections is a stark reminder of the fragility of democracy. When political elites manipulate systems to maintain control, they undermine the very principles they claim to uphold. This is not democracy; it’s tyranny masquerading as democratic process.

As we move forward, it’s crucial to safeguard our democratic institutions from such subversion. The will of the people must be paramount, and every effort should be made to ensure that democracy is more than just a name – it should be a living, breathing practice that genuinely reflects the voice of the populace. Only then can we truly call ourselves democratic.

[archaalen]

French protesters are standing up to the far right ahead of the country's snap elections

[phoenix-joy]

if i were to pick only three to add to my read list, i think i'd choose:

Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare by Annabel Sowemimo (Wellcome Collection/Profile)

Empire of Normality: Neurodiversity and Capitalism by Robert Chapman (Pluto)

Mad World: The Politics of Mental Health by Micha Frazer-Carroll (Pluto)

click thru to read the long list!

as a side note: due to pain/fatigue, etc., i don't get out much at all. so, i've only been in Lighthouse a couple of times over the years. but! the vibe was absolutely the best, and the online events i've attended have been enlightening.

i hope that you all have an equally awesome activist bookshop either where you live or at least within enough of a distance that it's accessible even a handful of times a year.

Extract:

The judges for the Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing are delighted to announce the 2024 longlist!

The Bread and Roses Award, presented by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers with admin support from Lighthouse books, celebrates radical, accessible, politically-left non-fiction which offers new perspectives and insight. Over 60 books were sent by publishers for consideration, from publishing houses big and small across the industry including Verso, Saqi, Profile, Repeater, and Hajar Press.

The books chosen this year cover a wide array of topics which are critical to the present political discussion in the UK. Among them are social inequality, Britain’s place in global political conflicts, health politics, the mental health impact of climate change, marginalised histories of identity, feminism for all, and the experience of forced displacement and refuge. [...]

The shortlist for the Bread and Roses Award will be announced on 17 June 2024.

/end of extract

[somerandomg33k]

Darwinism and Marxism, a discussion

This should be an interesting discussion between my friend, Cory Johnson, and his friend, Justin Clark, about the book, Darwinism and Marxism.

[logorrhea5mip]

Sorry for the bad photo quality, Tumblr doesn't like posts this long.

[badolmen]

They don’t even attempt to assassinate US politicians anymore. You notice that? Not since the anthrax scare back for… who was it, Barack? And even that… pathetic. This new generation has no respect for an honest hitman. I’m not sure this new generation has any honest hitman - you see that shit with Boeing? Sloppy, fucking disgraceful - you kill the whistleblowers before they get halfway to a lawsuit. What kind of fucking amateur is doing faked suicides the night before testimony? Goddamn greenhorns. Back in my day someone tried to shoot Ronald Reagan in broad daylight. There used to be bomb threats to Congress. I took out a few union leaders in the utilities sector myself. Today’s generation? Won’t even threaten to throw a punch - not even over on that - what’s it now, ‘X’? They got no guts. None! And they don’t even have poor impulse control to boot! Too much of that - that panopticon anxiety bullshit. “Oh what if I get a called out post???” People used to send the president letters full of bioweapons. In the mail! Today’s generation? Not a chance. All because of woke.

[guerrillatech]

[wetsocksinbed]

I genuinely forget that there are Republicans/Trump Supporters on this app. I’m so used to seeing LGBT, feminist, blm, leftist stuff on here that going through a comment section and seeing people be vehemently against Harris because she’s A) a woman, B) black, and C) Democratic, gives me such whiplash. I’m not American, so American politics are already incredibly wild and insane, but to see blatant racism and just straight up misinformation (Harris was in fact NOT a cop, and she has been strongly advocating for a ceasefire for a LONG time) is just…wild

[troythecatfish]

The chart does not capture the astonishing fact that these accomplishments were achieved under brutal sanctions imposed by the world’s superpower. Viva la revolución.

They also have ad-free TV ✌️📺 (you don’t need commercials with Socialism).

[dioptasesystem]

Among other things, obviously.

[magnetothemagnificent]

The American far-right: (((They))) built space lasers and hurricane machines to create natural disasters in the United States!

The American far-left: A country the size of New Jersey is single-handedly accelerating climate change to create natural disasters in the United States!

You guys sound exactly the same

[sophies-junkyard]

Change is incremental, but something CHANGED today. You weren’t sure about voting for Biden? You don’t have to anymore! And now is the time to RALLY. The world is fucked up, but letting Trump win will not lead to the political revolution we’re waiting for. Wake up.

Im gonna vote for Kamala Harris in November because I don’t want a wannabe dictator running our country. Simple as that.

[grayheartart]

Biden-Harris Administration Tries to Gaslight American Public on Poor Handling of Hurricane Helene.

While North Carolina residents impacted by this hurricane suffer, Democrats are more concerned with shifting blame onto the guy who hasn't been calling the shots in the last 4 years instead of getting help to the victims of this natural disaster.

Democrats wasted your tax dollars on funding a war on the other side of the world Democrat wasted your tax dollars giving illegal immigrants necessities they gladly deny you. Democrats wasted your tax dollars on social programs that provided Americans no tangible benefits. Democrats don't fucking care one bit about you outside of your vote and even then, they don't try to earn it if they can fearmonger you over it.

[determinate-negation]

getting weird looks from people for saying in casual conversation that i would prefer china to be the world hegemonic power over the u.s. but theyre the only major world power to be doing literally anything significant wrt to climate change and the energy transition how is this even controversial

[k-wame]

this is the level of information literacy i wanna achieve