Creating a True Democracy

by Larry Kerschner

The United States government was, in theory, designed to “promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”  It was also not necessarily envisioned to be permanent. “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it …”  Corporations were also originally viewed as having a license granted by the government that was time-limited and designed to accomplish a specific social good.  Capitalism, despite predictions of its demise by Marx, produced some semblance of prosperity gaining a general sense of approval among the working class.  This approval allowed corporations, over time through financial support of politicians, to gain control of all three sections of the U.S. Government.  Eventually, through control of the government, laws and treaties were passed that through economic globalization have re-defined the function and power of the nation-state and the transnational corporations. This has left American citizens with political rights but no political power.  On February 15, 2003, millions of people were in the streets opposing the upcoming war against the people of Iraq.  This was a demonstration of the lack of political power among the people.

       Since the 1960s there has been a growing coalition of environmentalists, feminists, small acreage farmers, LGBTQ activists,  trade unionists, counter-recruiters to the military, indigenous activists, NGOs, traditional peace activists and many other social and political groups.  We are slowly learning to create our own parallel cooperative communities based on true democracy and consensus.  We are learning to live the future we want to see. 

       Obviously the change we seek will not occur over night. It took over two centuries to arrive here. The fundamentalist Right-wing spent the past forty years gaining the power they currently have in our society.  Small continuous steps forward add up.  One movement you might want to consider adding your voice to is creating and legalizing true democracy.  This will be a step to begin wresting control back from the corporations. For more information on getting rid of the Citizens United decision: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pc_jreF0X4.