The problem with Western/Euro-centric capitalism is not that capitalism is inherently evil like so many revolutionaries seem to think. You’ve got to be able to differentiate between the man and the weapon. The problem is the short-sighted profit motive as a singular focus and the dehumanization/depersonalization of corporations. We seem to forget that companies don’t run themselves…people do. And people can be weak and vulnerable. Capitalism itself is not the problem…the rugged individualistic mentality of Europeans and how they use the tool of capitalism is the problem. Therefore, you do not fight corporations. You fight individuals.
So this is my suggestion to community leaders involved in the #OccupyWallStreet movement. Marching and protesting is good PR and a good start to the movement and build momentum. But when you’re ready to start getting actual results and not just news coverage, I suggest the following three tactics:
1) Boycott strategically. If corporations are the problem, start identifying the worst ones and go after them. For example, If Coca Cola or Bank of America are the biggest transgressors, then organize a mass boycott of their products/services. AND with all those people you’ve organized, take them to occupy the corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities of those companies. When you start costing these companies money, they will react. The initial reaction will be bad news for whoever it’s targeted at, but if you can withstand it and keep moving they will eventually have to start cooperating or die fighting.
Also, while you’re boycotting certain companies, pick out other companies that you think are doing good. boycotts are less effective if you don’t give the boycotters an alternative. So you can tell people to boycott Bank of America, but then you need to find a bank that is not evil to tell people to move their money to (like Carver or Citizens Trust or your local community credit union).
2) Target individuals. Goldman Sachs is run by people. Pick out the key decision makers in these Wall Street organizations that you’re protesting and start making their lives difficult. If done properly, you won’t even have to resort to violence or any physical contact with that person at all….although the threat of violence can be very effective. Call their phone non-stop to make demands. Start blasting them on tv, social media, radio, and everywhere you can. Get hackers to start freezing their assets. Make up embarrassing stories about them and publish them. I’m just thinking off the top of my head here, but you get the picture. If you can’t appeal to these individual’s morals (since they may be non-existent), then you start appealing to their selfishness and survival instincts. Let them know that there will be consequences for their actions (and inaction in some cases).
But remember to pick the right people to target that actually have the power to change things. There are a lot of good people working for bad companies that don’t really understand how they’re participating in a destructive organization. Attacking these people will do no good. You really need to target the executive level to get anything done. But also appeal to the rank and file to organize internal company protests and strikes against the destructive practices of their companies.
3) Stop electing dumb asses and corporate lackeys into political office. Democrats AND Republicans all serve the same people…elite whites. Democrats and Republicans are like brothers fighting for the same inheritance money from their dying father. Neither brother is worthy of it. We have to start supporting different political parties. You cannot reform the Democratic or Republican parties. We don’t have to constantly choose between the lesser of two evils. Best to just toss them out and start new.
