What is activism?

[Shechemite]

How is, and how should, ‘activism’ be defined? What is the difference between being an activist and not being an activist?

Is activism a historically-specific phenomenon? Were there medieval activists?

What role does activism play in class-conflict; and in the creation and maintenance of class (and of specific classes)?

Does activism - as a phenomenon - threaten class-society? Does it maintain it?

 

[LDC]

Did you ever come across these?

Eco-action votre webmagazine généraliste

www.eco-action.org

and a Postscript here Give up Activism: Postscript (Do or Die)

 

[Shechemite]

Did you ever come across these?

Eco-action votre webmagazine généraliste

www.eco-action.org

and a Postscript here Give up Activism: Postscript (Do or Die)

ta

 

[butchersapron]

See also Militancy: highest stage of alienation

 

[Red Cat]

Thanks both, I enjoyed those pieces.

 

[Shechemite]

“We don't underestimate the temptation to say "the more I mouth off about militants, the more I prove that I'm not one,””

Chuckled to myself reading this

 

[chilango]

Obvs.

 

[HerbertS]

When did the word 'activist' become common? The french article uses the word ' militant' rather than activist.

 

[RTWL]

How is, and how should, ‘activism’ be defined? What is the difference between being an activist and not being an activist?

Activism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

your being an activist when your being politically active(left wing) and you are not an activist if you are not

Is activism a historically-specific phenomenon? Were there medieval activists?

No. Yes.

What role does activism play in class-conflict; and in the creation and maintenance of class (and of specific classes)?

Well I suppose it creates the classes as it dissolves the previous structure. As in- 16thC british feudal system dissolved to democracy through activism creating a new class.

Does activism - as a phenomenon - threaten class-society? Does it maintain it?

How could it possibly maintain it? Other than providing fun holidays for annoying trust fund kids :/

I thought what Butchers posted was funny and rings true with some people, but the majority that could be labelled activists I have encountered seemed to be having a bloody good time.

 

[Proper Tidy]

your being an activist when your being politically active(left wing)

Bit confused by this. If you are politically active you are an activist but only if you are (left wing)?

 

[RTWL]

Yes, the word activism seems to only refer to left wing politics. I do not know why.

The term itself emerged from the sixties.

Following the surge of so-called "new social movements" in the United States in the 1960s, a new understanding of activism emerged as a rational and acceptable democratic option of protest or appeal.[11][12][13] However, the history of the existence of revolt through organized or unified protest in recorded history dates back to the slave revolts of the 1st century BC(E) in the Roman Empire, where under the leadership of former gladiator Spartacus 6,000 slaves rebelled and were crucified from Capua to Rome in what became known as the Third Servile War.[14]

 

[Shechemite]

Who were these medieval activists then? Priests?

 

[kebabking]

Who were these medieval activists then? Priests?

Jack Cade? Watt Tyler?

 

[JimW]

Who were these medieval activists then? Priests?

Few sectarian movements might count.

 

[RTWL]

Who were these medieval activists then? Priests?

Anybody doing anything that fits the definition of activism within the period. I`m thinking Dennis from Monty Pythons the Holy Grail but i am sure there are better examples.

Jack Cade?

Before the 14th century, popular uprisings (such as uprisings at a manor house against an unpleasant overlord), though not unknown, tended to operate on a local scale. This changed in the 14th and 15th centuries when new downward pressures on the poor resulted in mass movements of popular uprisings across Europe. For example, Germany between 1336 and 1525 witnessed no fewer than sixty instances of militant peasant unrest.[1]

 

[Proper Tidy]

Yes, the word activism seems to only refer to left wing politics. I do not know why.

The term itself emerged from the sixties.

Then it can't just mean people who are politically active, can it. Rather than being a basic descriptor, it must be an identity

 

[Shechemite]

‘Politically active’ is a strange way to describe someone

 

[RTWL]

Then it can't just mean people who are politically active, can it. Rather than being a basic descriptor, it must be an identity

that would be the crux of this thread

 

[Proper Tidy]

that would be the crux of this thread

Quite

 

[Proper Tidy]

‘Politically active’ is a strange way to describe someone

Its always a narrow definition isn't it, like somebody who mainly just goes to meetings and social events with other lefty types with probably very little political effect would be politically active but somebody running a baby bank type thing getting cribs and clothes and stuff out to skint mums or providing benefits advice or whatever would be called a volunteer

 

[Shechemite]

It also isn’t used according to the definition

Bannon (and his apparent inspiration, Tom Cromwell) aren’t thought of as ‘activists’, but it’s hard to argue that they aren’t/weren’t politically active

 

[Shechemite]

And there are right wingers described as ‘activists’ (eg Tory activists)

 

[RTWL]

In that case it should not be limited to the left at all .

I've always seen the activist scene/hero/warrior thing like a commercial subverting of resistance, or commercial culture corrupting resistance culture. The fact that people have been taught to behave by institution and have not questioned it. It gives the whole thing a pretentious pop culture quality.

 

[Shechemite]

So ‘activism’ exists as an intermediary between elites and populations? A means for factions within the dominant class(es) to ideological transmit and to discipline within a (proto-)state?

 

[Shechemite]

Like being a secondary school teacher?

 

[kebabking]

And there are right wingers described as ‘activists’ (eg Tory activists)

Have you not seen twitter?

Yes, a Tory who is active - door knocking, twitter, stuffing envelopes, whatever - is called a 'tory activist'.

 

[Shechemite]

Have you not seen twitter?

Yes, a Tory who is active - door knocking, twitter, stuffing envelopes, whatever - is called a 'tory activist'.

What?

 

[RTWL]

So ‘activism’ exists as an intermediary between elites and populations? A means for factions within the dominant class(es) to ideological transmit and to discipline within a (proto-)state?

Like a university lecturer encouraging students to mobilize the working classes on the back of a theory ? .... this would reinforce class !

 

[kebabking]

What?

How can that not be the most self explanatory thing you've read in the last week?

 

[Shechemite]

How can that not be the most self explanatory thing you've read in the last week?

hence my curiosity. What is it you thought your post on twitter/Tory activism was clarifying?