Let’s take control
By Christian Marx
Right-wing media is failing in its attempt to manufacture consent. Jeremy Corbyn proved that even with the entire mainstream media against him (even the BBC) it is possible to smash through the lies and spin of Murdoch and his other 5 billionaire friends who control more than 80% of the U.K media.
People are finally starting to wake up to the fact that the 1% absolutely have a vested interest in pushing an extreme economic agenda that only benefits themselves.
While the media is weakening its grip, this ultimately will not be enough to topple their power. If people really want a fundamental change in the system, they must work twice as hard as their opposition. Turning up to rallies is not enough.
Here are a few tips if we are going to not only win, but fundamentally turn the tables of power:
- Get active. Share articles, letterbox drop information, put huge pressure on those in parliament (get a group of friends together and relentlessly target your local M.P, particularly on economic issues, such as attacking healthcare and education, pensions, unemployment benefits etc).
- Network. Go to meet ups and network with other activists. There are meetings every week in the city, particularly here in Melbourne. Even if you are not in a major city, get in contact with some of these organizations: Socialist Alternative, Socialist Alliance, Lock The Gate etc.
- Put up posters around your local neighbourhood. Create your own artwork even. If you are a little self conscious about doing this on your own, go with a friend.
- Unity is strength. Once others see how committed and passionate you are, they will want to get involved.
- Never let the system crush you. We all have our bad days, even me. But when I get upset or frustrated, I turn that anger into an energy and double my efforts.
- The overwhelming majority now know that this current capitalist system is broken. It can`t go on much longer the way it is. Jeremy Corbyn has proved this. He had no media support at all (besides alternative, non-corporate media) yet he was able to turn a predicted “massive defeat for Labour” into a record turnaround. The biggest reversal of fortune in political history, apparently (in the U.K.).
- WE CAN WIN THE FINAL BATTLE! But only if the majority of those who want a better future get active! Truth is the mightiest hammer. Lets spread it and mobilize! VIVA!
Christian Marx is a political and social activist interested in making the world a fairer place. He has a Bachelor of Social Science and has a keen interest in sociology, politics and history. He was one of the organizers of the March in March rallies in Melbourne and is the founder of the progressive news and information page, “Don`t Look At This Page”, and is also a co-founder of “The Global Revolution” website.
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paulwalter
Return to home pageGood suggestions, Christian.
I just wonder if the results in UK and the participation of the young have a lot to do with the extreme unpopular proposed policies by T May.
Also I think in Australia the proposed policies in the 2014 budget have a lot to do with the decline of the Coalition in the last election.
The greed and arrogance of the extreme right start backfiring on them and this helping people start thinking again.
I hope that the same will happen in USA soon.
Even the Guardian and the BBC rubbished Corbyn.
What might have been the result if both had supported him, or even been impartial.
After all, his policies work very well in the Scandinavian countries. And nowhere else is so stable and prosperous.
Growth indices may have slipped a little in recent years, but when you are at the top of the hill, how do you go higher.
Corbyns policies are a return of the ‘Golden Age’ of the period 1945 to mid 1970.
They worked perfectly well then, there is no reason they should not again, especially as we have most western nations operating a soverign currency system backed only by the country itself.
Ok, I realise there is need for change – but how do we do that? We need a system less damaging to people and the environment – how do we transition and keep food on people’s tables? I suspect that fear will be the great factor that prevents people promoting real change. Until we can solve this problem, then I worry that this system will only stop when it cannot possibly go further (i.e when peoples’ tables are already bare). There is no doubt in my mind that a socialist option is inevitable – beginning with the loss of private property rights for any land that one cannot occupy and work oneself. i.e big farms that depend on many cheap labourers will inevitably be re-distributed among many who can work it without the need of fossil fuels and hired labour. No-one is going to accept anymore that they should be low-paid slaves to someone else simply because he holds a title – especially when that title is to land already stolen at one stage off the Indigenous peoples of this land. Land ownership beyond what is necessary to house and feed oneself has no legitimacy anywhere – particularly in Australia, America and other countries of the ‘new world’.
I fully agree with Rousseau on this count, and the Cubans demonstrated in the ‘Special Period’ that such a redistribution is entirely possible, and can lead to better heatlh and hardly any fossil fuel use. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2TzvnRo6_c)
The first man who, having fenced in a piece of land, said ‘This is mine’, and found people naïve enough to believe him, that man was the true founder of civil society. From how many crimes, wars, and murders, from how many horrors and misfortunes might not any one have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, or filling up the ditch, and crying to his fellows: Beware of listening to this impostor; you are undone if you once forget that the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth itself to nobody.
— Rousseau 1754
Sadly the Guardian has now lost all credibility. Their blatant bias against Corbyn was disgusting and unforgivable.
We need to remember the margins are close. Brexit was only just successful, which should’ve tipped Theresa May that another election following on from Brexit could well be a bad move.
Finally some positive images and words about Corbyn made it through the MSM dross; enough people were paying attention and enough people turned out (in spite of election nausea) to vote.
We can beat the 1%.
The Guardian in Australia keep publishing articles about Tony Abbott.
Make you wonder if some of the journalists would like to see him again as a leader.
I have good Labour friends in the UK who sent me articles regularly on the election and in the last week particularly, I was appalled at the disgusting personal attacks on Jeremy Corbyn.
Posing as a center left outlet The Guardian attacked him regularly and joined the right with a will last couple of days, Centre left my posterior
Dianna, and yet 50% still vote for a party that will look after the 1%. It’s crazy.
Talking about control have a look this!!
Turnbull government’s overhaul would let immigration minister reject decisions made by Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Peter Dutton would be given the power to overrule court decisions on citizenship applications that he doesn’t think are in Australia’s national interest under new legislation.
Tony Abbott told 2GB radio on Monday the AAT lacked common sense and if tribunal members made “bizarre decisions” they “shouldn’t have their contracts renewed”.
Now, if this do not make people revolt, bugger how much will take to them to do something about it.
The ALP have now the ball in their feet, the Greens will not approve it.
MORE than 70 appointments, including several with LNP and Liberal Party links, were made to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal the day before the federal election without going through an advertising or selection process, a Senate estimates committee was told last night.
Appointments to the taxpayer-funded positions included former Liberal National MP Saxon Rice, a former staffer to ex-prime minister Tony Abbott, a former chief-of-staff to Treasurer Scott Morrison, former Liberal senator Judith Troeth and Theodore Tavoularis, who once represented Senator Brandis’ son in a case.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/senate-estimates-hearing-examines-70-political-appointments/news-story/550596ba76d4c4db2ca3e092cc4304b2
The print media has almost always exhibited a ‘right wing’ bias. Keeping in the good books of the advertisers by not publishing items that might offend them is one of the sources of this bias, as well as narrow media ownership.
There has not been support for a left wing newspaper. Many years ago the Labor Party in Australia established a paper (which might have been called the ‘Daily Worker’ or the ‘Australian Worker’) which disappeared. The NSW ALP also ran a radio station 2KY at one time, long sold. The Internet has become an important host for viewpoints other than those of the establishment.
That is a worry Kaye, Dutton & Co are behaving like little dictators.
I agree with you king1394, and IMO the left side of politics should come with a printed paper, at the very least a weekly paper to be distributed for people to read on the weekends.
I am not happy with the Guardian and prefer to read The Conversation not ideal but better that any paper.
Author forgot to mention “the young”. They made a huge difference in UK where voting is not compulsory. More education/knowledge needed too, for everybody.
@ Michael Taylor
Not so crazy we only have to convince a few of the 50%.
Great read! When the rabbott and his joey were leaning and lifting every labor office should have had posters with the ‘lie of the week’ on the window, the laugh of the day in parliament and, above all ‘the economic bloopers of the week’ Make a list of NBN disasters and costs making fun of the copper man with the backyard batteries. Christ there are dozens of things to make passer bys notice, every member should have a battery of howard’s ‘selling’ exploits like gold and airports plus blaming the incompetent selling of power for price rises in electricity. What about price rises when they sold telstra for what it now makes in yearly profit? Medibank selling what is the effect on prices? Time for medicare wake up.
Don’t worry about what trumball is not doing? WTF is billy’s labor doing to change the accepted lie of economic management??
It was merely difficult to understand. They are usually well above the cut in the intellectual coverage of such things.
Dianna, you give me hope. And there is hope.
816 000 estimated eligible Australians weren’t enrolled for the 2016 election and over 5% voted informally in the HoR. That’s a lot of people whose vote could make a difference.
Pleasingly, the participation of 18 year olds has risen from around 50 per cent in 2013 to over 70 per cent in 2016 with an 86.7% participation rate for 18-24 year olds.
254 432 Estimated 18-24 year olds weren’t enrolled for the 2016 election. This compares to an estimated 400 000 in 2013
Young people are getting more involved – let’s hope the trend continues. Make sure all the young people in your family and circle of friends are enrolled and informed about how to cast a valid vote.
I believe we {Labor} can take control next election because if we didn’t it’s just too scary to think about but some really concerning things were I noticed an Essential Poll in the last few days had Turnbulls star on the rise again and even though Corbyn did brilliantly against the attacks the Tories actually increased their share of the vote to its highest since Margaret Thatcher’s famous post-Falklands victory of 1983.
Thanks Kaye Lee & Michael.
🙂
Gee, Murdoch didn’t like it?
Makes my day.
Seriously, how does he imagine any right thinking person would vote for who he voted for?