Antiwork
For the abolition of work. Yes really, abolish work! Not "reform work" but the destruction of work as a separate field of human activity.
To save the world, we're going to have to stop working! — David Graeber
A strange delusion possesses the working classes of the nations where capitalist civilization holds its sway. ...the love of work... Instead of opposing this mental aberration, the priests, the economists, and the moralists have cast a sacred halo over work. — Paul Lafargue
In communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activity but each can become accomplished in any branch he wishes, society regulates the general production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticise after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, herdsman or critic. — Karl Marx
In the glorification of 'work', in the unwearied talk of the 'blessing of work', I see the same covert idea as in the praise of useful impersonal actions: that of fear of everything individual. — Friedrich Nietzsche
If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept it all to themselves. — Lane Kirkland
The bottom line is simple: all of us deserve to make the most of our potential as we see fit, to be the masters of our own destinies. Being forced to sell these things away to survive is tragic and humiliating. We don’t have to live like this. ― CrimethInc
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Leftist policies are extremely popular among the electorate. But all western nations are now corporate captured and completely corrupted. So the only options for voters tends to be center-right neoliberals, who only promise mild reforms and never even keep those promises, or full-throated fascists on the far right.
So the bland neoliberals have diminishing support that translates into losses, with most people not engaging in a process that offers them no representation, and you come away with the impression that support for fascism is gaining in popularity. In fact, it’s that the systems are rigged and only pro-corporate fascists are permitted to win.
Look at voter turnout numbers. Millions of people are simply choosing to not support either major party- not shifting right. And look at what happened to progressive ballot measures last election. Broad and sweeping support nationwide, even in districts where far right candidates win.
And if you look at what western governments are censoring online, it’s mostly support for leftist policies and anti-war speech. This further creates the impression of a growing right, due to systemic silencing of the left: https://www.mintpressnews.com/tiktok-chinese-trojan-horse-run-by-state-department-officials/284353/
What studies are you referring to? Here’s the ones I’ve seen:
https://thehill.com/business/4869155-poll-approval-labor-unions/amp/
https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx
https://news.gallup.com/poll/642695/majority-disapprove-israeli-action-gaza.aspx
https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2024/4/26/voters-think-its-time-to-raise-the-minimum-wage
I think it's a bit more complex than that. In my country there are multiple Marxist parties and since we are a parliamentary system they have actual power. Still the general discourse tends to feel a bit more to the sides I mentioned. At the same time far right has been growing. But I agree people tend to be onboard with leftist policies. Maybe what the world needs is a pinch more leftist populism. Bring voters back from the claws of the far right.
Again, regardless of how it may feel, their numbers are not growing. The far right is growing in power- not size.
Anyone who’s read enough theory or history saw this coming for years. This was expected. Capitalists were always going to turn to fascism in the face of rising leftist populism. Fortunately, the same theorists predicted the capitalists/fascists will ultimately fall, and socialism/communism will follow.
We don’t need a “pinch” of leftist populism. That’s like saying we need just a little equality, or smidge more justice. We need an overwhelming flood of leftist populism, and a world where everyone can live with dignity. Plus, it’s the only thing that can save us from climate collapse.
Ok I can agree with you on that last part. But would you be ok with slide into an authoritarian government just because it was under a leftist banner? Would it be that different from a full blown fascist ruler? I've read plenty of leftist and anarchist theory and even if I can agree that it was a possible path, it was a path, not the path, same thing with eventual rise of socialism, it's possible, not a given thing. Also no need to be condescending I'm trying to have a polite conversation here. I wanted your personal take on why you think majority of people were left leaning, I didn't even disagree with it. The far right is gaining power because it's gaining size. People choose authoritarian and racist rethoric above the alternative because it's simpler. It's force above philosophy. That's why I said a pinch. Because if left populism goes in the same direction it will lead to the same conclusion even if the original goal was better.
Authoritarianism by the majority just seems like a euphemism for democracy.
I’m not pulling the numbers out of my ass. Many millions of people are now disengaged with what they believe to be a sham government. Look at the surveys and turnout numbers.
Neoliberals are just losing support faster than the far right. But both are shedding support.
Nowhere I said authoritarianism by the majority. And I'm not American so I'm assuming you are talking about the USA government. But let me see if understand what you are saying. Your take is that both neoliberals and the far right are both loosing support but that support is not going anywhere because people are just disengaging from politics? If that's the case I agree. But also I don't see how to re-engage people.
Easy. Re-engage people by helping them. But it would require not putting corporations first. The parties would rather lose than do that.