the Disillusioned kid: Suffrage and Suffering
| Email | Home | Linkage | Profile |

Monday, April 11, 2005

Suffrage and Suffering

When questioning the value of voting as a political tactic, one of the most common arguments I come across is reference to the sacrifices of those who fought for universal suffrage. Timx, for instance, states, "I believe strongly that everyone should vote - the right was hard enough won." Tim's factual assertion is true enough, the Suffragettes and the Chartists being two of the most prominent movements involved in this struggle. Many supporters of both movements paid with their liberty and even their lives and nobody should understate the commitment or bravery of those involved. I question, however, whether it follows from this that we have a duty to vote.

Those who fought for the right to vote, rarely considered it an end in itself. Rather, they were concerned with the changes they thought would come about if suffrage were extended. The Suffragettes sought a better lot for women, while the Chartists incorporated a range of movements seeking social justice and/or a radical overhaul of the system. Insofar as their hopes have been realised (despite the many problems with modern society the plight of women and the poor is greatly improved on what it was one hundred years ago) this argument is no longer relevant and insofar as universal suffrage has failed to radically shake up the system (wealth and power is still concentrated in the hands of a few) they have, tragically, been proved wrong.

Recall also, that there were similar struggles for the right to trade union membership (witness the Tolpuddle Martyrs who were deported to Australia for having the audacity to organise against their bosses). Despite this, I have never come across anybody (even from the most rigidly workerist sections of the socialist left) who assert that consequentially we have a duty to join a union. Arguments for joining are typically framed in terms of why it is a good idea whether for yourself, your class or the interests of the "revolution".

I stress that I'm not necessarily saying that people shouldn't vote. I'm simply questioning the importance adduced to it as a form of political activity. This is important because the undue focus on electoralism diverts people and movements away from strategies which have real potential to bring about significant radical change.

Side Projects

Carnival of Anarchy
The Peace Pipe
UK Watch Blog

Acquaintances

Against the Current
Atopian.org
Culture hits and gendered bits
Daniel Randall
In The Water
Mike Wood
On The Barricades
Pizarro's Sword
Space Cat Rocket Ship
Surveillant Assemblage
TashCamUK FotoPage
The Naked Lunch
The Peace Pipe
The World of the Dynamite Lady

Strangers

Anarchoblogs
Antiwar.com Blog
Arte & Lingua
Barker in Valencia
Blairwatch
Bloggerheads
Blood & Treasure
Bombs and Shields
Boomablog
Born at the Crest of the Empire
Chase me ladies...
Chicken Yoghurt
Craig Murray
Dead Men Left
Direland
Disreputable Lazy Aliens
Empire Notes
Europhobia
Friends of Al Jazeera
Global Guerillas
Guerillas in the Midst
I Blame the Patriachy
Informed Comment
Insultadarity
Janine Booth
Lenin's Tomb
Life of Riley Blog
Media Watch Watch
Neil Shakespeare
NO2ID NewsBlog
One Hump or Two?
Otto's Random Thoughts
Perfect.co.uk
Pitch In For Uzbekistan
Registan.net
Run over by the truth
Solidarity With Iraqi Workers
Shut Up You Fat Whiner!
Sudan: Passion of the Present
Talk Politics
The Anthropik Network
The Daily (Maybe)
The Devil's Kitchen
The Disillusioned
The f-word
The Head Heeb
The Killing Train
The Revenge of Winston Smith
The Socialist Unity Blog
The Wicked Truth
Theory of Power
Things I Don't Have Time For
This (Fresh) Gringo
This Is My Truth
Thumping the Tub
Time The Dreaded Enemy
UK Watch Blog
UK Poli Blogs
underbrella
Under The Same Sun
Uzbekistan.neweurasia.net
What Fresh Hell Is This?
Where is Raed? (RIP)
Who Are You to Accuse Me?
Words and Rocks
Zeropointnine
Z-Net Blog

Neighbours

Asbo Community Space
Defy-ID
Eastside Climate Action
Faslane 365
Freecycle
Indymedia
No Borders
Nottingham Student Peace Movement
Refugee Forum
Stop the War
Sumac Centre
The Demo Project

Ivory Towers

Anarchist Studies Network
Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice
Postanarchism Clearinghouse

Miscellania

Anarchist FAQ
Antiwar.com
Chagos Discussion List
Chagos Support Forums
Electronic Intifada
Future of Iraq Portal
Index of Political Blogs
Indymedia UK
Infoshop
Iraq Occupation Focus
Pledgebank
Refuser Solidarity Network
SchNEWS
Socialist Unity Network
The New Standard
UK Chagos Support Association
UK Watch
Weekly Worker
Wikipedia
WriteToThem.com
Z-Net

The Progressive Blog Alliance

Register here to join the PBA.