[lbo-talk] Nation roundtable on Venezuela

[wrobert at uci.edu]

> Eric wrote:
>
>> What about the
>> "positive" refusal of voting? Why isn't abstention considered a
>> political statement rather than a sign of confusion or apathy?
>
> As a vocal anarchist who campaigns against voting, I follow this stuff
> closely.
>
> I think the main reason is a paradigm problem. People, especially
> Americans who are indoctrinated into believing that voting is a good
> thing, can't comprehend that many people refuse to vote for political
> reasons. Voting abstention for political reasons is quite common in the
> U.S., but liberal and progressive intellectuals will go to great lengths
> to explain it away as apathy or something else.
>
> What I find hilarious are the campaigns to move voting to weekends or to
> allow online voting. The fools who promote this shit really think that
> people don't vote because it's not convenient enough. It's fucking easy
> to vote in the U.S. Polling places are all over the place and newspapers
> always list where people can vote. Registration is easy and in your face.
>
> Some people need to face up to the fact that many people don't vote for
> political reasons.
>
> Chuck0

      I agree in part with this analysis.  Historically, not voting can be
as much of a political act as voting.  The best example that comes
to mind is the abstentionism practiced by the CNT/FAI in the 1930's
in Spain.  The refusal to vote was connected to a militant and
collective political project that emphasized direct action and
alternative modes of political decision making.  However, I am less
inclined to read every act of non-voting in such a light.  When
non-voting is not connected to this sort of political collectivity,
it merely reflects a sense of alienation and/or apathy on the part
of the individual.  I grant that there may be a legitimate reason
for those feelings and its a general sign that something is amiss in
the system (Actually, I'll go farther.  It probably is a sign that
something is amiss and it probably indicates that voting doesn't
really mean all that much), but it doesn't indicate much other than
that.  robert wood