When worlds collide: Occupy and the 99 percent

"Occupy a job"

was the terse direct tweet sent to me after I had blogged about my day at Occupy Cardiff. At first, I was furious as I have been in continuous employment since 1965, but once I calmed down I realised this just reflected the fact that the tweeter was making assumptions, but in reality knew nothing about me. And that summarises the problem with the Occupy movement, almost nobody knows much about it or really understands it.

The mantra 'we are the 99 percent' has resonated with ordinary people throughout the western world. People in western nations are confused and angry as they see their standards of living reduced because of the economic crisis of the last three years. Their anger is directed against a tiny number of people and organisations of wealth and power who continue to increase their prosperity and their influence, whilst ordinary people see the deep reduction in their living standards. However, ordinary people perceive no outlet to express that depth of feeling and so the emergence of the Occupy movement has at last provided them a vehicle to carry their anger and frustration with the 1 percent.

Towards a radical future

Radicals have being saying for years that the electoral system is a fake, and that real change cannot come through parliament. In the recent elections millions of people did not vote, and millions more voted reluctantly and without enthusiasm; most of these will not vote in the next election. They can see that, at bottom, there is little difference between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. Millions of people, perhaps the majority, can see this.

From the beginning, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been condemned by radicals as wrong morally, militarily and politically. The West has lost in Afghanistan and is losing in Iraq. People are sick of these wars and do not believe in the politicians, politics and parties who sold them the war. Millions of people can see this.

Practically since its inception, Left politics has said that capitalism cannot create a better society, that it is based on exploitation and subject to crisis. The current economic crisis and the cuts that are hitting society have shown the brutal reality of capitalism. Millions of people can see this.

The radical analysis has been proved right. Yet, these millions are not drawn into the orbit of the radical politics. Why? Why are radicals isolated from the masses of people in society, with so little influence?