On the Soapbox: Demand Not. Build

Since the Occupy movement arose spontaneously in September 2011, it has reignited political debate across the world. Its hundreds of tent city occupations have revealed an internationally shared sense of discontent on an unprecedented scale. The movement boasted a collection of anarchic features including direct methods of disruptive protest, explicit rejection of leadership structures and an emphasis on total inclusivity. These globally shared themes have earned it the term “radical”.

From the beginning and right up to the present, certain questions have dominated the ensuing discourse: “What are your aims?” and “Do you have demands?”. Occupations across the world have been hesitant to form demands. In London the Occupy protesters produced a statement through mass consensus. The ten point statement expressed general concerns about democracy, economic justice, austerity and more. However the statement did not offer a coherent political program ready for the powers that be to implement.

Despite the media’s persistence, the Occupy movement has still not produced concrete demands. One reason for this is that direct democracy insists that decisions affecting people’s lives can only be made when all those concerned have full access to the decision making process. This suggests an incapacity to make demands on behalf of other groups of people. In time, the Occupy movement and other sympathetic groups – of which there are many – may develop ways to include greater numbers of people in decision making. The organisation of the global Occupy movement resembles a network of solidarity and cooperation rather than a centralised form of governance.

More significantly however, the movement suggests that people take independent action to create change, rather than relying on institutions. Far removed from our representative electoral systems, this kind of politics in action favours personal responsibility, cooperation and long term commitment. One demand, for example, could have been the creation of a democratic system that everyone can participate in directly. Another demand could have been free education for all. Another could have been the universal right to form self-determined communities on common land.

The Occupy movement does not need to demand these things from anyone, instead, it simply builds them from the ground up. It is this radical approach that continues to inspire so many people around the world.

This approach demonstrates a belief that ordinary people can create a better world for themselves. It is the understanding that people have power with one another and do not require power over one another. From this liberated position, one only makes demands of one’s self and finds ways to realise one’s vision with the willing cooperation of others.

By Mark Weaver