> Chuck- the inability to convince people to financially support projects
> reflects the lack of organizing skills on the left. Churches raise big
> bucks from poor people around the world from poor people, as does the left
> where it is able to convince people it has a plan that will use those
> resources effectively.
Good point. I've been thinking about how churches do these things--it helps that I live in a city now where there are gigantic churches. Religion relies on tithing to raise funds, along with special projects. Some left groups use tithing, but in an incredibly exploitive fashion (cue comments about ANSWER or the ISO). Yes, churches use religion to scare people into giving, but these days most churches focus on building *community* which draws people in. Some people on this list disparage "activist communities," but one thing we suck at is developing a radial oppositional culture that draws people in and supports our larger goals.
Some idiots in our ranks will dismiss this as a preoccupation with creating a subculture, but that analysis simply misses the bigger picture. The Left in America was so big a century ago because it has a working radical oppositional culture rooted into communities. The Left wasn't big simply because it had mass organizations, it also promoted an active cultural life. People didn't just go to meetings with fellow travellers, they also went to social events, dances, lectures, picnics, retreats and so on.
Pretty much what contemporary churches do very effectively.
Most people on the left don't understand how important these ingredients are to successful organizing. I've been an organizer for many years and I've found that only when you pay attention to this social side that people need, will you make breakthroughs when it comes to organizing politically. Radical soccer and infoshops may sound silly to some of you, but these are effective organizing tools.
One of my main focuses for the past ten years has been to help build radical counter-institutions like infoshops so that we can rebuild that oppositional radical culture that existed in America in the early 20th century. We can publish all the copies of Left Business Observer we want, but it won't reach people unless we have a network of local bookstores and infoshops who can carry the magazine.
This all goes back to fundraising and what Nathan is talking about. We could do a better job of organizing fundraising. I'm arguing that we need to pay more attention to the social needs of our comrades. let's have more fun!
> The reason MoveOn is effective is that they convince people that they will
> use their money effectively. They say-- give us money and we will run this
> ad condemning the war. Give us money and we will support this set of
> actions. Look at the web site of Americans Coming Together, the AFL-Sierra
> Club-etc. political operation-- they tell donors exactly what their money
> buys:
> http://www.americacomingtogether.com/
> a.. $500 helps pay a canvassing team for a week.
> a.. $100 puts a new canvasser through ACT training.
> a.. $25 buys canvassing materials for one day's route.
Interesting!
> What does contributing to your average left group get you? Time spent
> hectoring other leftists at some other left event.
See my above rant about the importance of radical oppositional culture.
> The lack of a strategic plan linked to a fundraising plan is the main reason
> why the left is so weak in the US. The left is fragmented so it can't get
> critical mass to launch any serious plan that would attract real resources.
But more leftists and activist are getting it. I attended the Allied Media Conference in Ohio last year which brings together hundreds of people active in the alternative press. The workshops on fundraising and grantwriting were packed!
Chuck0