,OCCUPY'S AN>*I/ ROOTS ,PEOPLE 3 ,AU?OR 3 ,DAVID ,GRAEB] ,TEXT 3 ,NEW ,YORK1 ,N,Y -- ,ALMO/ EV]Y TIME ,I'M 9T]VIEW$ BY A MA9/REAM J\RNALI/ AB\T ,OCCUPY ,WALL ,/REET ,I GET SOME V>IATION ( ! SAME LECTURE3 0,H[ >E Y\ GO+ TO GET ANY:]E IF Y\ REFUSE TO CREATE A LEAD]%IP /RUCTURE OR MAKE A PRACTICAL LI/ ( DEM&S8 ,& :AT'S ) ALL ?IS AN>*I/ NONS5SE -- ! CONS5SUS1 ! SP>KLY F+]S8 ,DON'T Y\ REALIZE ALL ?IS RADICAL LANGUAGE IS GO+ TO ALI5ATE PEOPLE8 ,Y\'RE NEV] GO+ TO BE ABLE TO REA* REGUL>1 MA9/REAM ,AM]ICANS ) ?IS SORT ( ?+60 ,IF ONE W]E COMPIL+ A SCRAPBOOK ( WOR/ ADVICE EV] GIV51 ?IS SORT ( ?+ MI*I/S & O!R ANTI-AU?ORIT>IANS %[$ UP AT A MEET+ CALL$ BY ONE SU* GR\P & EFFECTIVELY WOO$ EV]YONE AWAY FROM ! PLANN$ M>* & RALLY TO CREATE A G5U9E DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLY1 ON BASICALLY AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES1 ?AT ! /AGE WAS SET = A MOVEM5T ?AT ,AM]ICANS FROM ,PORTL& TO ,TUSCALOOSA W]E WILL+ TO EMBRACE4 ,I %\LD BE CLE> H]E :AT ,I MEAN BY 0AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES04 ,! EASIE/ WAY TO EXPLA9 AN>*ISM IS TO SAY ?AT IT IS A POLITICAL MOVEM5T ?AT AIMS TO BR+ AB\T A G5U9ELY FREE SOCIETY -- ?AT IS1 ONE :]E HUMANS ONLY 5T] ?OSE K9DS ( RELATIONS ) ONE ANO!R ?AT W\LD NOT HAVE TO BE 5=C$ BY ! CON/ANT ?REAT ( VIOL5CE4 ,HI/ORY HAS %[N ?AT VA/ 9EQUALITIES ( WEAL?1 9/ITUTIONS LIKE SLAV]Y1 DEBT PEONAGE OR WAGE LABOR1 CAN ONLY EXI/ IF BACK$ UP BY >MIES1 PRISONS1 & POLICE4 ,AN>*I/S WI% TO SEE HUMAN RELATIONS ?AT W\LD NOT HAVE TO BE BACK$ UP BY >MIES1 PRISONS & POLICE4 ,AN>*ISM 5VISIONS A SOCIETY BAS$ ON EQUALITY & SOLID>ITY1 :I* C\LD EXI/ SOLELY ON ! FREE CONS5T ( P>TICIPANTS4 ,AN>*ISM V]SUS ,M>XISM ,TRADITIONAL ,M>XISM1 ( C\RSE1 ASPIR$ TO ! SAME ULTIMATE GOAL BUT !RE WAS A KEY DIFF]5CE4 ,MO/ ,M>XI/S 9SI/$ ?AT IT WAS NECESS>Y FIR/ TO SEIZE /ATE P[]1 & ALL ! ME*ANISMS ( BUREAUCRATIC VIOL5CE ?AT COME ) IT1 & USE !M TO TRANS=M SOCIETY -- TO ! PO9T :]E1 !Y >GU$ SU* ME*ANISMS W\LD1 ULTIMATELY1 BECOME R$UNDANT & FADE AWAY4 ,EV5 BACK 9 ! #a#i? C5TURY1 AN>*I/S >GU$ ?AT ?IS WAS A PIPE DREAM4 ,ONE CANNOT1 !Y >GU$1 CREATE PEACE BY TRA9+ = W>1 EQUALITY BY CREAT+ TOP-D[N *A9S ( COMM&1 OR1 = ?AT MATT]1 HUMAN HAPP9ESS BY BECOM+ GRIM JOYLESS REVOLUTION>IES :O SACRIFICE ALL P]SONAL SELF-REALIZATION OR SELF-FULFILLM5T TO ! CAUSE4 ,IT'S NOT JU/ ?AT ! 5DS DO NOT JU/IFY ! MEANS 7?\< !Y DON'T71 Y\ WILL NEV] A*IEVE ! 5DS AT ALL UNLESS ! MEANS >E !MSELVES A MODEL = ! WORLD Y\ WI% TO CREATE4 ,H5CE ! FAM\S AN>*I/ CALL TO BEG9 0BUILD+ ! NEW SOCIETY 9 ! %ELL ( ! OLD0 ) EGALIT>IAN EXP]IM5TS RANG+ FROM FREE S*OOLS TO RADICAL LABOR UNIONS TO RURAL COMMUNES4 ,AN>*ISM WAS ALSO A REVOLUTION>Y IDEOLOGY1 & ITS EMPHASIS ON 9DIVIDUAL CONSCI5CE & 9DIVIDUAL 9ITIATIVE MEANT ?AT DUR+ ! FIR/ HEYDAY ( REVOLUTION>Y AN>*ISM BETWE5 R\ IMAGE ( ! AN>*I/ BOMB-?R[]4 ,IT'S WOR?Y ( NOTE ?AT AN>*I/S W]E P]HAPS ! FIR/ POLITICAL MOVEM5T TO REALIZE ?AT T]RORISM1 EV5 IF NOT DIRECT$ AT 9NOC5TS1 DOESN'T WORK4 ,= NE>LY A C5TURY N[1 9 FACT1 AN>*ISM HAS BE5 ONE ( ! V]Y FEW POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES :OSE EXPON5TS NEV] BL[ ANYONE UP 79DE$1 ! #b?-C5TURY POLITICAL LEAD] :O DREW MO/ FROM ! AN>*I/ TRADITION WAS ,MOH&AS ,K ,G&HI47 ,YET = ! P]IOD ( R\+ = WORLD W>S1 AN>*ISM W5T 9TO SOME?+ ( AN ECLIPSE = PRECISELY ?AT REASON3 ,TO SEEM 0REALI/IC01 9 SU* VIOL5T TIMES1 A POLITICAL MOVEM5T HAD TO BE CAPABLE ( ORGANIZ+ >MIES1 NAVIES & BALLI/IC MISSILE SY/EMS1 & ?AT WAS ONE ?+ AT :I* ,M>XI/S C\LD (T5 EXCEL4 ,BUT EV]YONE RECOGNIZ$ ?AT AN>*I/S -- RA!R TO !IR CR$IT -- W\LD NEV] BE ABLE TO PULL IT (F4 ,IT WAS ONLY AFT] #a#i#h#i1 :5 ! AGE ( GREAT W> MOBILIZATIONS SEEM$ TO HAVE 5D$1 ?AT A GLOBAL REVOLUTION>Y MOVEM5T BAS$ ON AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES -- ! GLOBAL JU/ICE MOVEM5T -- PROMPTLY REAPPE>$4 ,H[1 !N1 DID ,[,S EMBODY AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES8 ,IT MIE MADE4 ,AN>*I/S (T5 NOTE ?AT ?IS IS ! DIFF]5CE BETWE5 PROTE/ & DIRECT ACTION3 ,PROTE/1 H[EV] MILITANT1 IS AN APPEAL TO ! AU?ORITIES TO BEHAVE DIFF]5TLY2 DIRECT ACTION1 :E!R IT'S A MATT] ( A COMMUNITY BUILD+ A WELL OR MAK+ SALT 9 DEFIANCE ( ! LAW 7,G&HI'S EXAMPLE AGA971 TRY+ TO %UT D[N A MEET+ OR OCCUPY A FACTORY1 IS A MATT] ( ACT+ AS IF ! EXI/+ /RUCTURE ( P[] DOES NOT EV5 EXI/4 ,DIRECT ACTION IS1 ULTIMATELY1 ! DEFIANT 9SI/5CE ON ACT+ AS IF ONE IS ALREADY FREE4 ,! REFUSAL TO ACCEPT ! LEGITIMACY ( ! EXI/+ LEGAL ORD]4 ,! SECOND PR9CIPLE1 OBVI\SLY1 FOLL[S FROM ! FIR/4 ,FROM ! V]Y BEG9N+1 :5 WE FIR/ />T$ HOLD+ PLANN+ MEET+S 9 ,TOMPK9S ,SQU>E ,P>K 9 ,NEW ,YORK1 ORGANIZ]S KN[+LY IGNOR$ LOCAL ORD9ANCES ?AT 9SI/$ ?AT ANY GA!R+ ( MORE ?AN #ab PEOPLE 9 A PUBLIC P>K IS ILLEGAL )\T POLICE P]MISSION -- SIMPLY ON ! GR\NDS ?AT SU* LAWS %\LD NOT EXI/4 ,ON ! SAME GR\NDS1 ( C\RSE1 WE *OSE TO OCCUPY A P>K1 9SPIR$ BY EXAMPLES FROM ! ,MIDDLE ,EA/ & S\!RN ,EUROPE1 ON ! GR\NDS ?AT1 AS ! PUBLIC1 WE %\LD NOT NE$ P]MISSION TO OCCUPY PUBLIC SPACE4 ,?IS MI*Y1 BUT 9/EAD TO CREATE A =M ( CONS5SUS-BAS$ DIRECT DEMOCRACY4 ,FROM ! V]Y BEG9N+1 TOO1 ORGANIZ]S MADE ! AUDACI\S DECISION TO OP]ATE NOT ONLY BY DIRECT DEMOCRACY1 )\T LEAD]S1 BUT BY CONS5SUS4 ,! FIR/ DECISION 5SUR$ ?AT !RE W\LD BE NO =MAL LEAD]%IP /RUCTURE ?AT C\LD BE CO-OPT$ OR CO]C$2 ! SECOND1 ?AT NO MAJORITY C\LD B5D A M9ORITY TO ITS WILL1 BUT ?AT ALL CRUCIAL DECISIONS HAD TO BE MADE BY G5]AL CONS5T4 ,AM]ICAN AN>*I/S HAVE LONG CONSID]$ CONS5SUS PROCESS 7A TRADITION ?AT HAS EM]G$ FROM A CONFLU5CE ( FEM9ISM1 AN>*ISM & SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS LIKE ! ,QUAK]S7 CRUCIAL = ! REASON ?AT IT IS ! ONLY =M ( DECISION-MAK+ ?AT C\LD OP]ATE )\T CO]CIVE 5=CEM5T -- S9CE IF A MAJORITY DOES NOT HAVE ! MEANS TO COMPEL A M9ORITY TO OBEY ITS DICTATES1 ALL DECISIONS WILL1 ( NECESSITY1 HAVE TO BE MADE BY G5]AL CONS5T4 ,! EMBRACE ( PREFIGURATIVE POLITICS4 ,AS A RESULT1 ,ZUCCOTTI ,P>K1 & ALL SUBSEQU5T 5CAMPM5TS1 BECAME SPACES ( EXP]IM5T ) CREAT+ ! 9/ITUTIONS ( A NEW SOCIETY -- NOT ONLY DEMOCRATIC ,G5]AL ,ASSEMBLIES BUT KIT*5S1 LIBR>IES1 CL9ICS1 M$IA C5T]S & A HO/ ( O!R 9/ITUTIONS1 ALL OP]AT+ ON AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES ( MUTUAL AID & SELF-ORGANIZATION -- A G5U9E ATTEMPT TO CREATE ! 9/ITUTIONS ( A NEW SOCIETY 9 ! %ELL ( ! OLD4 ,:Y DID IT WORK8 ,:Y DID IT CAT* ON8 ,ONE REASON IS1 CLE>LY1 BECAUSE MO/ ,AM]ICANS >E F> MORE WILL+ TO EMBRACE RADICAL IDEAS ?AN ANYONE 9 ! E/ABLI%$ M$IA IS WILL+ TO ADMIT4 ,! BASIC MESSAGE -- ?AT ! ,AM]ICAN POLITICAL ORD] IS ABSOLUTELY & IRR$EEMABLY CORRUPT1 ?AT BO? P>TIES HAVE BE5 B\E TO LIVE 9 ANY SORT ( G5U9ELY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY1 WE'RE GO+ TO HAVE TO />T FROM SCRAT* -- CLE>LY /RUCK A PR(\ND *ORD 9 ! ,AM]ICAN PSY*E4 ,P]HAPS ?IS IS NOT SURPRIS+3 ,WE >E FAC+ CONDITIONS ?AT RIVAL ?OSE ( ! #a#i#cS1 ! MA9 DIFF]5CE BE+ ?AT ! M$IA SEEMS /UBBORNLY WILL+ TO ACKN[L$GE IT4 ,IT RAISES 9TRIGU+ QUE/IONS AB\T ! ROLE ( ! M$IA ITSELF 9 ,AM]ICAN SOCIETY4 ,RADICAL CRITICS USUALLY ASSUME ! 0CORPORATE M$IA01 AS !Y CALL IT1 MA9LY EXI/S TO CONV9CE ! PUBLIC ?AT EXI/+ 9/ITUTIONS >E HEAL?Y1 LEGITIMATE & JU/4 ,IT IS BECOM+ 9CREAS+LY APP>5T ?AT !Y DO NOT REALLY SEE ?IS IS POSSIBLE2 RA!R1 !IR ROLE IS SIMPLY TO CONV9CE MEMB]S ( AN 9CREAS+LY ANGRY PUBLIC ?AT NO ONE ELSE HAS COME TO ! SAME CONCLUSIONS !Y HAVE4 ,! RESULT IS AN IDEOLOGY ?AT NO ONE REALLY BELIEVES1 BUT MO/ PEOPLE AT LEA/ SUSPECT ?AT EV]YBODY ELSE DOES4 ,NO:]E IS ?IS DISJUNCTION BETWE5 :AT ORD9>Y ,AM]ICANS REALLY ?9K1 & :AT ! M$IA & POLITICAL E/ABLI%M5T TELLS !M !Y ?9K1 MORE CLE> ?AN :5 WE TALK AB\T DEMOCRACY4 ,DEMOCRACY 9 ,AM]ICA8 ,ACCORD+ TO ! (FICIAL V]SION1 ( C\RSE1 0DEMOCRACY0 IS A SY/EM CREAT$ BY ! ,F\ND+ ,FA!RS1 BAS$ ON *ECKS & BALANCES BETWE5 PRESID5T1 CONGRESS & JUDICI>Y4 ,9 FACT1 NO:]E 9 ! ,DECL>ATION ( ,9DEP5D5CE OR ,CON/ITUTION DOES IT SAY ANY?+ AB\T ! ,U,S BE+ A 0DEMOCRACY04 ,! AU?ORS ( ?OSE DOCUM5TS1 ALMO/ TO A MAN1 DEF9$ 0DEMOCRACY0 AS A MATT] ( COLLECTIVE SELF-GOV]NANCE BY POPUL> ASSEMBLIES1 & AS SU* !Y W]E DEAD-SET AGA9/ IT4 ,DEMOCRACY MEANT ! MADNESS ( CR[DS3 BLOODY1 TUMULTU\S & UNT5ABLE4 0,!RE WAS NEV] A DEMOCRACY ?AT DIDN'T COMMIT SUICIDE10 WROTE ,ADAMS2 ,HAMILTON JU/IFI$ ! SY/EM ( *ECKS & BALANCES BY 9SI/+ ?AT IT WAS NECESS>Y TO CREATE A P]MAN5T BODY ( ! 0RI* & WELL-BORN0 TO *ECK ! 0IMPRUD5CE0 ( DEMOCRACY1 OR EV5 ?AT LIMIT$ =M ?AT W\LD BE ALL[$ 9 ! L[] H\SE ( REPRES5TATIVES4 ,! RESULT WAS A REPUBLIC -- MODEL$ NOT ON ,A!NS1 BUT ON ,ROME4 ,IT ONLY CAME TO BE R$EF9$ AS A 0DEMOCRACY0 9 ! E>LY #a#i? C5TURY BECAUSE ORD9>Y ,AM]ICANS HAD V]Y DIFF]5T VIEWS1 & P]SI/5TLY T5D$ TO VOTE -- ?OSE :O W]E ALL[$ TO VOTE -- = C&IDATES :O CALL$ !MSELVES 0DEMOCRATS04 ,BUT :AT DID -- & :AT DO -- ORD9>Y ,AM]ICANS MEAN BY ! WORD8 ,DID !Y REALLY JU/ MEAN A SY/EM :]E !Y GET TO WEI< 9 ON :I* POLITICIANS WILL RUN ! GOV]NM5T8 ,IT SEEMS IMPLAUSIBLE4 ,AFT] ALL1 MO/ ,AM]ICANS LOA! POLITICIANS1 & T5D TO BE SKEPTICAL AB\T ! V]Y IDEA ( GOV]NM5T4 ,IF !Y UNIV]SALLY HOLD \T 0DEMOCRACY0 AS !IR POLITICAL IDEAL1 IT CAN ONLY BE BECAUSE !Y /ILL SEE IT1 H[EV] VAGUELY1 AS SELF-GOV]NANCE -- AS :AT ! ,F\ND+ ,FA!RS T5D$ TO D5\NCE AS EI!R 0DEMOCRACY0 OR1 AS !Y SOMETIMES ALSO PUT IT1 0AN>*Y04 ,IF NO?+ ELSE1 ?IS W\LD HELP EXPLA9 ! 5?USIASM ) :I* !Y HAVE EMBRAC$ A MOVEM5T BAS$ ON DIRECTLY DEMOCRATIC PR9CIPLES1 DESPITE ! UNI=MLY CONTEMPTU\S DISMISSAL ( ! ,UNIT$ ,/ATES' M$IA & POLITICAL CLASS4 ,9 FACT1 ?IS IS NOT ! FIR/ TIME A MOVEM5T BAS$ ON FUNDAM5TALLY AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES -- DIRECT ACTION1 DIRECT DEMOCRACY1 A REJECTION ( EXI/+ POLITICAL 9/ITUTIONS & ATTEMPT TO CREATE ALT]NATIVE ONES -- HAS CROPP$ UP 9 ! ,U,S4 ,! CIVIL RI MOVEM5T1 & ! GLOBAL JU/ICE MOVEM5T ALL TOOK SIMIL> DIRECTIONS4 ,NEV]1 H[EV]1 HAS ONE GR[N SO />TL+LY QUICKLY4 ,BUT 9 P>T1 ?IS IS BECAUSE ?IS TIME >\ND1 ! ORGANIZ]S W5T /RAIE PRESID+ OV] A DEMOCRACY4 ,:5 IT COMES TO !IR MO/ BASIC POLITICAL S5SIBILITIES1 MO/ ,AM]ICANS >E DEEPLY CONFLICT$4 ,MO/ COMB9E A DEEP REV]5CE = 9DIVIDUAL FRE$OM ) A NE>-WOR%IPFUL ID5TIFICATION ) 9/ITUTIONS LIKE ! >MY & POLICE4 ,MO/ COMB9E AN 5?USIASM = M>KETS ) A HATR$ ( CAPITALI/S4 ,MO/ >E SIMULTANE\SLY PR(\NDLY EGALIT>IAN1 & DEEPLY RACI/4 ,FEW >E ACTUAL AN>*I/S2 FEW EV5 KN[ :AT 0AN>*ISM0 MEANS2 IT'S NOT CLE> H[ MANY1 IF !Y DID LE>N1 W\LD ULTIMATELY WI% TO DISC>D ! /ATE & CAPITALISM 5TIRELY4 ,AN>*ISM IS MU* MORE ?AN SIMPLY GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY3 ,IT ULTIMATELY AIMS TO ELIM9ATE ALL SOCIAL RELATIONS1 FROM WAGE LABOR TO PATRI>*Y1 ?AT CAN ONLY BE MA9TA9$ BY ! SY/EMATIC ?REAT ( =CE4 ,BUT ONE ?+ OV]:ELM+ NUMB]S ( ,AM]ICANS DO FEEL IS ?AT SOME?+ IS T]RIBLY WRONG ) !IR C\NTRY1 ?AT ITS KEY 9/ITUTIONS >E CONTROLL$ BY AN >ROGANT ELITE1 ?AT RADICAL *ANGE ( SOME K9D IS LONG S9CE OV]DUE4 ,!Y'RE RID TO IMAG9E A POLITICAL SY/EM SO SY/EMATICALLY CORRUPT -- ONE :]E BRIB]Y1 ON EV]Y LEVEL1 HAS NOT ONLY BE5 MADE LEGAL1 BUT SOLICIT+ & DISP5S+ BRIBES HAS BECOME ! FULL-TIME OCCUPATION ( EV]Y ,AM]ICAN POLITICIAN4 ,! \TRAGE IS APPROPRIATE4 ,! PROBLEM IS ?AT UP UNTIL ,SEPTEMB] #a#g1 ! ONLY SIDE ( ! SPECTRUM WILL+ TO PROPOSE RADICAL SOLUTIONS ( ANY SORT WAS ! ,RI1 NO?+ T]RIFIES ?OSE RUNN+ ! ,U,S MORE ?AN ! DANG] ( DEMOCRACY BREAK+ \T4 ,! IMM$IATE RESPONSE TO EV5 A MODE/ SP>K ( DEMOCRATICALLY ORGANIZ$ CIVIL DISOB$I5CE IS A PANICK$ COMB9ATION ( CONCESSIONS & BRUTALITY4 ,H[ ELSE CAN ONE EXPLA9 ! REC5T NATIONAL MOBILIZATION ( ?\S&S ( RIOT COPS1 ! BEAT+S1 *EMICAL ATTACKS1 & MASS >RE/S1 ( CITIZ5S 5GAG$ 9 PRECISELY ! K9D ( DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLIES ! ,BILL ( ,RI*I/ ROLE 9 ,OCCUPY ,WALL ,/REET1 !Y W\LD TURN AWAY 9 %OCK & HORROR2 BUT \R RUL]S SEEM1 RA!R1 TO LABOR UND] A L+]+ FE> ?AT IF ANY SIGNIFICANT NUMB] ( ,AM]ICANS DO F9D \T :AT AN>*ISM REALLY IS1 !Y MIE UNNECESS>Y44 ,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 ,*RONOLOGY 3 ,JANU>Y #f1 #bba 3 ,OCCUPY'S AN>*I/ ROOTS -- ,ADD$4 ,JANU>Y #d1 #bbb 3 ,OCCUPY'S AN>*I/ ROOTS -- ,UPDAT$4 FILE G5]AT$ FROM 3 HTTP3_/_/REVOLTLIB4COM_/