• nohaybanda [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        6 months ago

        I’ve linked an example above. Are you already familiar with the concept but disagree with my thesis that this is a form of electoral politics? If I proposed that Soviet council power was a form of electoral politics (as opposed to direct democracy or autocratic rule), would you disagree or expand on that?

        Or are you doubling down on you in initial knee jerk reaction and refusing to engage critically and seriously? The first step of a good faith attempt to engage with ideas is to ask for clarification.

        • Sphere [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.net
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          6 months ago

          Rio is asking for a specific accomplishment; you’re pointing out systems of government. As such, it looks like the two of you are talking past one another at the moment.

          • nohaybanda [he/him]@hexbear.net
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            6 months ago

            Cuba’s pivot on LGBTQ rights is a direct result of electoral politics? Or do we take the CIA line that all communist societies are autocratic systems where a single man makes all decisions?

            • Sphere [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.net
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              6 months ago

              Look, I wasn’t making the argument; you’ll see elsewhere in this thread that I agree with you. I was just trying to get your conversation back on track. That…doesn’t seem to have worked very well, unfortunately.

              • nohaybanda [he/him]@hexbear.net
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                6 months ago

                Yes I am talking about democracy. A subset of democratic governance is representative democracy, in which political functionaries and leaders are elected by way of popular* elections and given some* power to govern. Electoralism then is the practice of engaging with electoral politics using a variety of tactics - agitation, propaganda, canvassing, organised voting, voter suppression - in order to empower delegates who will in turn attempt to advance a political agenda. The “transfer of power from the few to the many” is one such agenda that may be pursued electorally. It is wrong to equate the goal with the political practice, they are different.

                Now, within socialist tradition there exists a strain of politics, which centers electoralism as the primary mode of political struggle towards the empowerment of the working class, to the exclusion or suppression of more active forms of struggle. That is called reformism. I challenge every one of you arguing with me here to show me where I have advocated for reformism.


                • I know these vary a lot, don’t @ me
        • rio [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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          6 months ago

          I asked a direct question: what is an achievement in terms of civil rights or social progress.

          What’s more that was obviously in the context of western liberal democracy anyway.

          You point to a system in China that hasn’t really achieved any system change either and then go on to say some rant about me having a knee jerk reaction.

          All that after saying I’m arguing in bad faith.

          Go fuck yourself or give me an example of system change, preferably one in the context of western liberal democracy since that’s clearly the relevant context but if you can’t do that I’ll also take an example from China because I’m not a bad faith douche bag and I’ll let you move the goal posts if that helps you.

          • nohaybanda [he/him]@hexbear.net
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            6 months ago

            Eat my entire ass. I very explicitly rejected the idea that liberal electoralism is the only possible kind and gave a reason why we should not default to capitalist societies as the sole or default carriers of the democratic tradition.

            While we’re on the subject. good faith approach: hey what do you mean by electoralism here?

            Bad faith: your aggro bullshit

            EDIT: I’m being aggro as well. My apologies, I’ll take a step back and cool off