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this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023
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Asklemmy
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This is naive and optimistic. No political change has actually come from voting. The civil rights act was not voted, but fought and died for. Same with worker's rights.
Actually it's not. Most important changes happen slowly and gradually, though we often hear more of the violent and drastic changes.
I recommend this podcast for an explanation.
https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/how-to-change-the-world/
You only hear about them because that's when change actually happens. Incrementalism is optimistic at best.
I think it's naive to sit around and hope for drastic changes. Revolutions and protests are only symptoms of the actual change.
I've seen it happen several times regarding workers rights. F.i. Strikes always makes the news, but quite often the strikes are shut down quickly with little to no change. The idea for the demands existed in a smaller group before the strike and that idea doesn't disappear when the strike ends. The actual changes usually does happen at the next ordinary collective bargaining. That's how working time has been lowered throughout the years. People strike, achieve nothing, but then it's still lowered, because the idea can't be shut down. The strike serves to distribute the idea, but it rarely makes the change by itself. For a lot of other good ideas it never even makes it to a strike, and sometimes a drastic protest might even hurt the idea.
Ideas change the world, not violence.
There are plenty of examples of this. Listen to the podcast. The research behind it is solid.
I don't know why you're talking about "sitting and hoping". That doesn't sound like what i was talking about.
Also, you have it backwards. Yes, violent protest and peaceful demonstrations work together. But it's the violent part that gets shit done. Without the real people's revolt, you have hippies in a circle getting pepper sprayed, because the movement has no force behind it.
The nonviolent protesters are there to spread ideas. The revolters are there to show that we mean business.
Also keep in mind that many "non violent demonstrations" have been subject to massive whitewashing. We remember MLK as a peaceful protester, but certainly wasn't seen as one at the time. Another thing to note is that the strongest advocates of peaceful protest (such as conservatives who have turned around to use MLK to admonish BLM) are coincidentally those with privilege and, thus, most to lose from revolution.
I disagree. Listen to the podcast or read the source papers. The scientist behind it literally tried to prove your point but was herself surprised to find that the point I have expressed here to be true. It's quite interesting.
There was plenty of anti-slavery political involvement leading up to the civil war, the New Deal was started by the democratically elected FDR, we’ve recently seen the disparities in LGBT rights depending on who holds majorities in government. All these come from voting and deliberate policymaking whether it be through ingenuity or bigotry. Fight tooth and nail for your right to vote, but ALWAYS use it, and make sure to educate yourself about who is on your ballot.