Make Poverty History Protest tonight

**dcfcsteve** · 19/04/2005, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by jofyisgod

I just feel that these mass protests achieve very little (cite the Iraq protest in C.London in 2003, i think it was) and succeed in stroking the ego's of the particpants far more than they do regarding actual policy and action. Tony Blair's already listening to you, now articulate what you want to him, rather than 'protesting', and he may be more helpful.

That's a harsh judgement on mass protests Jofy. Very often they do achieve things - perhaps not the sole goal intended, but they can have other impacts as well.

The anti-war protest in London in February 2003 was the single biggest protest in British history. That alone was an achievement. It also galvanised anti-war support - which has left Tony Blair so mortally wounded that he's already announced he will stand down within the next parliamentary term. That is a massive achievement - nigh on a political coup.

I was on the parade and it would almost have brought a tear to your eye to see that anything, ANYTHING in this day and age motivated 1 million people - many of them the so-called motiveless young - to get off their arse and make a statement. People I know at work and as friends - who had previously exhibited not the slightest glimmer of interest in politics - were talking about the event weeks in advance, and got theirselves out to make a stand. It didn't stop the Iraq war - true. But that was the fault of Blair's tunnel-vision and unwillingness to listen to anyone. Not the fault of the protestors or the protest itself.

Of those million who went on that march, I will guarantee you that some of them have been changed by that event - the ability to directly impact people's lives also being an achievement for the event. I'll give you a personal example. I've always been very actively interested in politics (full-time President of my Students' union for 2 years etc), but had got disillusioned with the direction English party politics was taking in the post-Labour period. That protest in 2003 completely re-invigorated my faith in politics and people power, and directly lead to me getting actively involved again. As a result, I am now awaiting selection as a candidate for a major party next year's local elections in Lambeth.

That's just one very personal example, but I don't doubt that the Feb 2003 anti-war protest had many, many other impacts upon individuals, families, organisations etc etc. Individually and collectively, those are huge achievements for what in reality was a fleeting moment in people's long lives.

In a normally functioning democracy - one where a party with 43% of the popular vote doesn't have a massive parliamentary majority, let alone a virtual dictator for a leader - the protest would have achieved its primary aim of stopping the war. It's failure to do so was not the fault of the protest itself, and its failure to do so does not mean it didn't achieve anything else for that or other causes/people/organisations.

History has shown time and time again that mass protest and people power works Jofy - from the French Revolution, through the fall of the Iron curtain, up to the recent events in Ukraine and a number of Central Asian Republics. Ironically - the biggest thing that usually prevents it from working, however, is an unwillingness to believe that it does work.....

**liam88** · 19/04/2005, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

History has shown time and time again that mass protest and people power works Jofy - from the French Revolution, through the fall of the Iron curtain, up to the recent events in Ukraine and a number of Central Asian Republics. Ironically - the biggest thing that usually prevents it from working, however, is an unwillingness to believe that it does work.....

Fair juice to ye Steve great post

**liam88** · 19/04/2005, 12:17 PM

Ok I've got an 10 minutes before my meeting for college mock election so here we go....