Student Activism

Economics -> American Capitalism and Social Justice Spring 12

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

What is SDS?

Students for a Democratic Society Logo<ref>Students for a Democratic Society. SDS Logo. N.d. Graphic. SDSWeb. 2 May 2012. <http://www.sdsmke.com/ >.</ref>

SDS is a radical student organization that advocates on the behalf of the American youth in schools and communities. The SDS is entirely student run, with over 100 chapters on various college campuses, and in high schools throughout the nation.<ref>Students for a Democratic Society. "Who is SDS?." SDS: Dare to struggle, Dare to win!. Students for a Democratic Society, n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.newsds.org/about-us>.</ref>

Goals of SDS and How They Will be Achieved

Members of this organization emphasize the importance of implementing change “from the bottom up.”<ref name=SDS>Students for a Democratic Society. "Who is SDS?." SDS: Dare to struggle, Dare to win!. Students for a Democratic Society, n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.newsds.org/who-sds >.</ref> This means that every member’s initiatives are instrumental in introducing positive change. SDS recognizes problems in our economy, with our environment, and in our government. SDS states that there is strength in numbers, and aim to retrieve power in America from the hands of the few wealthy, and restore it to all members of the American community at large. Their platform includes plans for democratic, accessible education, immigration reforms, and climate change and justice. It offers ways in which students can get involved with a movement that is of their interest and will be impactful.<ref name=SDS />

SDS acknowledges that struggles will be faced because of the numerous oppressive, racist, white supremacist, capitalist, heterosexist, and patriarchal institutions that are currently engrained in American society. However, the SDS promises to take “on these systems by nourishing interconnected and mutually sustaining struggles of liberation.”<ref name=SDS /> Issues that arise throughout the country are handled by chapters who are affected by the issue.

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Leaders of SDS highlight the difference between being an organizer and an activist, and stress that members of SDS are organizers. The document “Who We Are, What We are Building”<ref name=mission>Students for a Democratic Society. "Who is SDS?." SDS: Dare to struggle, Dare to win!. Students for a Democratic Society, n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.newsds.org/who-sds?q=node/4 >.</ref> acts as the mission statement for the organization, and defines organizers as “activists who also work to bring many other people into movements.”<ref name=mission /> Currently over 150 chapters exist throughout the country, and these chapters come together to create a powerful, impactful student movement in America.

Accomplishing Social Justice

The goals of SDS are consistent with the ideals of social justice discussed in the ECON223: American Capitalism and Social Justice Course. SDS aims to create a more equitable, cohesive society that involves all members of the American citizenry, and minimizes difference amidst these people. This is in line with the theories and visions of social justice outlined throughout the semester in the course. While SDS platform does encompass many issues, it does focus on education reform in all chapters throughout the country, as SDS believes that education is a gateway into the future and into society, and thus should be accessible to all Americans.

SDS and Authors

SDS and Alperovitz

SDS makes extensive efforts to maintain a broad platform that addresses the wide variety of issues in society. In doing so, the SDS successfully attracts a myriad of students to get involved with issues they are passionate about. That being said, the SDS does publish a national campaign platform to ensure cohesiveness between the numerous chapters throughout the country. SDS national platform zeroes in on the American education system, and advocates intensive reformation to garner an atmosphere in which education is a societal right, not an economic privilege.<ref>Students for a Democratic Society. "Who is SDS?." SDS: Dare to struggle, Dare to win!. Students for a Democratic Society, n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.newsds.org/our-campaigns>.</ref> SDS aims to lower the costs of higher education to make it more accessible to the majority of American youth. SDS does not protest the faculty and professors of higher education institutions, but rather joins with them to fight the rising student tuition costs and simultaneous employee lay-offs. Class sizes also continue to increase, despite the fact that the faculty is not expanding, thereby creating more work for professors for less money.

This initiative is connected to the reforms and ideals advocated by Gar Alperovitz because it supports the restoration of power in the hands of the masses. Acquiring an education is essential in obtaining a self-supporting job in adulthood, and to be able to act as an informed, conscientious citizen of America. Alperovitz emphasizes the importance of “move[ing] the nation as a whole toward[s] greater equality,”<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 71.</ref> and proposes ways in which America can achieve this through his Pluralist Commonwealth model. His model proposes increasing the efficiency and use of human resources, and Alperovitz points out that America “currently throw[s] away literally millions of productive people whose contributions to the economy could be enormous…minority and other low-income students with high test scores are five times as likely not to attend college than high-income students with comparable scores.”<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 77.</ref> This is simply because higher education is not affordable, and thus creates large differences between those who can afford attendance and those who cannot. The protests, marches, and pledges sent to Congressmen by SDS are all initiatives that not only call attention to the unfortunate realities that Alperovitz explores, but also proposes solutions to correct these societal disparities.

SDS initiatives to reform the American education system will allow Americans to reclaim their wealth because it will level the competition for good jobs that offer security, benefits, and a comfortable wage. This will expand the upper class population, and increase the accessibility of opportunities for Americans. Reforms will also restore liberty and democracy by highlighting that the right to acquiring an education should not be a privilege, and should not be deprived of someone simply because they cannot afford it. Alperovitz reiterates that everybody can contribute to society in his or her own way, and education is a valuable gateway in helping to recognize one’s talents and career path. <ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 73.</ref> Lowering the costs of education will give people the liberty to make informed decisions regarding their future, and create an atmosphere that is both equitable and democratic.

Protesting for Reform at Pace University<ref>SDS. "Next Left Notes - Photo Album." Next Left Notes: A News Magazine Devoted to Participatory Democracy and Direct Action. Next Left Notes, 12 03 2006. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.antiauthoritarian.net/NLN/photo-gallery/2006_sds_pace/>.</ref>

SDS and Domhoff

G. William Domhoff published a book that analyzed the largest power structures in America, and the various networks that they control. He defined and detailed the superiority and authority that corporate communities, power elites, corporate officials, and members of the upper class have over the military, economic, and political systems in America. Domhoff addresses that social cohesion within these wealthy groups lead to the development of policies and institutions that protect the interests of these groups. Despite the fact that upper classes hate to discuss their upper-class status, this superiority is maintained in numerous subtle ways that subsequently perpetuate stratification in American society.<ref>Domhoff, G. William. Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2010. 3.</ref> SDS reforms to make higher education more accessible to Americans of the lower [and consequently, larger] classes are in direct accordance with Domhoff’s analysis. Maintaining such steep costs of education excludes capable Americans from lower classes because they cannot afford attendance, thereby favoring the wealthy and equipping them with opportunities and resources that will make them superior candidates in competitions for jobs, promotions, and pay increases. SDS notes these unjust occurrences, and directly attacks the power elite at college/universities that justify these inequalities. Domhoff’s book highlights the concentration of power in America in the hands of the wealthy, and explains the necessity of deconstructing these communities. In doing so, benefits (such as higher education) produced from enacted policies will impact the lives of all Americans, and not just the wealthy power elite that dominates the government.<ref>Domhoff, G. William. Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2010. 180.</ref>

SDS and Yates

SDS reforms and visions can also be directly linked to ideas conveyed by Michael Yates. Like SDS, Yates asserts the strength in numbers when working to implement change.<ref>Yates, Michael D. Why Unions Matter. 2nd ed. New York: Monthly Review Press, 2009. 33.</ref> He advocates the unionization of workers, which is simply the banding together of people under a cause in which people feel passionate about. Yates comments that a variety of passions and beliefs is pivotal in developing a strong bargaining structure. A bargaining structure is the group of people that proposes change, and is thus responsible for the presentation of the argument and the communication of the desired changes.<ref name=Y>Yates, Michael D. Why Unions Matter. 2nd ed. New York: Monthly Review Press, 2009. 93.</ref> Yates orients his statements around labor unions, however his theories are applicable to SDS actions, as well. Yates comments “if the workers in the bargaining unit all do the same type of work (for example, teachers), the structure is narrow, as opposed to a broad structure in which the unit consists of many different types of jobs (janitors, assembly line workers, packers).”<ref name=Y /> An interdisciplinary bargaining structure reaches out to a broader audience, and becomes relatable to different groups of people. Gaining wide support is instrumental in achieving goals of the organization and effecting change. SDS attracts a diverse group of people to the movement because of the variety of issues in which they advocate at the local level. Thus, this assortment of opinions and personalities of people in SDS lends to the strength of the organization and its reforms.

SDS and Bowles, Edwards, & Roosevelt

As stated by Bowles, Edwards, & Roosevelt, the goal of a capitalist society is to employ laborers to produce goods with the intent of maximizing profit.<ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 4.</ref> In the quest to make and maintain a profit, numerous events occur that jeopardize the efficiency of production, fairness of the process, and the democratic system. In a broad sense, these shortcomings of capitalism are pinpointed and combated by SDS efforts at education reform.

Efficiency within capitalism is defined as “the production of useful goods and services.”<ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 63.</ref> This definition can be directly applied to SDS goals of lowering the costs of education to increase access for additional members of the American citizenry. In lessening the cost to obtain a higher education, more Americans will become useful, contributive members to the national society. Their services will be beneficial for the commonwealth, and the lazy, shiftless, incompetent people will be diminished from the population.

SDS initiatives will also lead to increased fairness within America. Fairness means “that people in an economic system suffer the burdens and enjoy the benefits of that economic system equitably.”<ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 64.</ref> With reforms in higher education, more people will have an opportunity to apply for well-paying jobs. A more intelligent, prepared population will increase competition for employment, and this increased employment will yield a productive citizenry. Higher levels of wealth for more families in America will allow an increased percentage of the population to participate in the American economic system, and consume goods that will stimulate the economy.

Finally, it is important to ensure that changes to policies and institutions within America do not hinder the democratic ideals that are embedded within our governmental declarations. Changes proposed by SDS directly engage higher education institutions, and advocate for “accountability of power, respect for civil liberties…and equal opportunity for effective political participation.”<ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 66.</ref> Extending opportunities for higher education is an action that embodies the ideals of democracy, as power is restored to the majority of the American citizenry. The acquirement of higher education equips a citizen with the knowledge and capability to participate, engage, and challenge power structures and policies within America, an opportunity that is distinctively democratic.

United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS)

What is USAS?

USAS Logo

Established in 1997, United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) is a youth and student-run organization based in Washington, DC. While its name implies a struggle specifically against sweatshops, it broadly defines sweatshops as encompassing all violations of worker rights in the global economic system. <ref>United Students Against Sweatshops. usas.org</ref>

Goals of the USAS and How They Will be Achieved

The grassroots organization works by utilizing five principles to reach their goal of shifting a competitive world to a more cooperative world, and to free workers from oppression and exploitation to fulfill profit and productivity goals.

-Solidarity -Collective Liberalism -Grassroots Democracy -Diversity of Tactics -Pluralism

Solidarity ensures collective agreement towards the ideas behind the USAS. Through a movement based on solidarity among students, the collective force therefore has greater resonance throughout society. The movement to end labor injustices utilizes this strategy and places its strength within it. As students, the identity connected with higher education allows for a unique perspective within the community, only made stronger through collective influence.

Collective liberalism is connected to solidarity, but ensures equal values of members of the movement. Through ideas such as the fight against oppression in society, whether it be racism, classism, etc, the collective liberalism of the organization helps its legitimacy and makes it more effective. Global justice is the basis of the organization, and it is important that all members value the same goals.

This student-led organization is grassroots, rising from the bottom up. Through utilizing the power of the people, the values en masse are reflected in the movement. It is self-organized, showing the commitment and capability for the development of an effective movement for social justice.

Peaceful Protest

Tactics for change resolve around "nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience." Together as a movement, such campaign tactics become noticed and can be effective to bring attention to social injustices and the need for change.

Pluralism ensures that many perspectives are included in the dialogue towards the broad societal goals, and while disagreements may occur, support of one another ensures that despite differences, a common goal prevails. <ref>United Students Against Sweatshops. usas.org</ref>

Accomplishing Social Justice

The USAS seeks social justice in the campaign towards freedom from oppression for workers around the world. Through the spread of liberal values emphasizing the importance of equality for all and the need to stop oppression of workers, the organization attempts to move to the goal of more social justice in the world. These values have been reflected in the Dickinson course, "American Capitalism and Social Justice."

USAS and Authors

USAS and Alperovitz

Chapter One of America Beyond Capitalism is entitled "Equality: Beyond Tax-and-Spend." It describes concern for inequality in regards to recent changes in the system due to globalization, which relates directly with the USAS concerns for worker oppression due to forces caused by globalization.<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 14.</ref> When capitalist corporations take advantage of workers abroad, especially through outsourcing and exploiting workers with poor working conditions and low wages, the negative effects of globalization become clear.

Chapter Six is entitled "The Pluralist Commonwealth," and clearly relates to one of the main strategies of the USAS. Alperovitz notes that if the sheer numbers of citizens are more aware and concerned for social issues such as worker oppression and exploitation, then the current structure (which can be generalized as corporate capitalism) can be criticized and changed.<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 70.</ref>

USAS and Domhoff

Peace

William Domhoff's book Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Relations outlines the construction of American society and how class relations affect policy. He breaks down what he calls the "power elite" to explain how the wealthy upper class, corporate community and policy-planning network come together to control policy in America.<ref>Domhoff, G. William. Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2010. 115.</ref>

The idea that these groups not only control policy but exploit outside individuals and groups is aligned with the values and goals for change in the USAS. Due to the exploitation of the corporate community who only act in self-interest, workers are taken advantage of and oppressed. In order to change this cycle, groups such as the USAS hope to empower students and the community by raising awareness and bringing these concerns for worker oppression to policy makers.

USAS and Yates

Michael Yates' book Why Unions Matter describes the history, function, and structure of unions in the United States.<ref>Yates, Michael D. Why Unions Matter. 2nd ed. New York: Monthly Review Press, 2009.</ref> His explanation of their importance directly relates to the values and goals of USAS, as while not only do the organizations have similar goals in common, they also utilize strategies such as collective force and solidarity to achieve these goals for social justice.

USAS and Bowles, Edwards, & Roosevelt

The book Understanding Capitalism describes the structure of the political economy and how it behaves. The textbook offers a detailed view at the inner structure of a capitalist society, often pointing out weaknesses and negative effects of the structure. As the USAS focuses on oppression and inherent inequality due to the system, this book dedicates Chapter 14 to the "Mosaic of Inequality"<ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 143.</ref> and describes how class discrepancies occur, and gaps in income distribution sometimes grow due to the focus of corporations on profit maximization that takes advantage of workers.

Campus Activism

What is Campus Activism?

Campus Activism is an organization that was started in 2001. In 2002, campus activism established their website campusactivism.org which is now their primary means of operation. Since its’ inception in 2002, the website has grown to become the largest open online database of activist related information.<ref name=CA>Kreider, Aaron, and Nick Lally. "Campus Activism." Campus Activism. Web. 2002. <http://www.campusactivism.org/index.php>.</ref>

Campus Activism Database Homepage Logo<ref>Campus Activism. Tools for Activists. N.d. Graphic. Campus Activism. 2 May 2012. <http://www.campusactivism.org/>.</ref>

Goals of Campus Activism and How They Will be Achieved

The goal of the campus activism website is to strengthen progressive social movements. They plan to do this through their website; by sharing contacts, event information, ideas and resources that are related to activist movements. The website is open to the general public and anyone can register to become a member. Once registered as a member, users are able to upload and download files to the site. This allows people to easily share information over the web in the form of posters, graphics and pamphlets. Also provided on the website is a list of upcoming events. This allows users to view events in their area and determine if they would like to participate in the movement. Groups can also be established on the website so students with similar ideologies can remain in contact and share ideas openly within the group. Campus activism is funded through private contributions and the money collected from ads run on their website. Campus activism primarily targets student demographics from the United States and Canada, however, a sister website has been formed to facilitate activist of all ages and all regions of the globe.<ref name=CA />

Accomplishing Social Justice

Although the website may not effectively eliminate all of the problems associated with capitalism it is certainly a step in the right direction. Throughout the semester we have discussed various flaws with the capitalist system, however, very few solutions were proposed. At least not very many solutions that are practical in the 21st century. With technology and computers becoming less expensive every year, more people will be able to own computers in their homes; this combined with the fact that campus activism allows people to connect over the internet will allow for much larger masses of people to be connected than was possible in earlier time periods. This will aid the democratic process and ensure that more people’s voices are heard. Campus activism and websites like it may be the next step to take society beyond capitalism.

Campus Activism and Authors

Campus Activism and Alperovitz

The ideals represented by the Campus Activism organization go hand in hand with Alperovitz’s views. The online database, blog and directory are all ways in which campus activism helps us to reclaim our wealth, liberty and democracy. In Alperovitz’s book, America Beyond Capitalism, there are several instances where Alperovitz claims the first form of action that needs to be taken in a social activist movement is that “local residents themselves have to take the lead.”<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 99.</ref> The website provided by campus activism aids locals in this process by allowing them to become better organized. Locals can register for campus activism and then post events on the blog or directly on the website to raise awareness for the event. In an attempt to explain a society beyond capitalism Alperovitz claims that the first thing that needs to be done is to “develop a robust vision of community democracy as the necessary foundation for the renewal of democracy in general.”<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 70.</ref> Campus activism promotes greater community democracy by connecting large groups of people over the Internet. Using the Internet to connect large groups of people, as campus activism has, has the potential to be one of the first steps to creating a new community democracy. Alperovitz also argues that greater amounts of free time are necessary for proper democratic participation.<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 71.</ref> By bringing the democratic process into peoples homes so they can access it on their computers, many people will be able to devote more time to democratic participation.

Campus Activism and Yates

Much like the views of Alperovitz, Yates and Domhoff would support campus activisms ideals and actions. Yates, who is heavily focused on unions would see the campus activism website as beneficial to the unions. Yates claims “no amount of education and training, no cut in taxes, and no rise in productivity can do for workers what their unionization and political organization can achieve.”<ref>Yates, Michael D. Why Unions Matter. 2nd ed. New York: Monthly Review Press, 2009. 29.</ref> Again, the website provided by campus activism would be a potential way in which unions could become more organized. Not only could they reach workers within the union, but they could also call the general public to their cause. Yates says “Some unions have decided to organize unions outside of the National Labor Relations Act” <ref>Yates, Michael D. Why Unions Matter. 2nd ed. New York: Monthly Review Press, 2009. 59.</ref> Unions wishing to do this could register with the campus activism website for a convenient way to organize themselves and involve other members of the local community.

Campus Activist Members<ref>College Campus Trips. 12 Most Politically Charged College Campuses. N.d. Graphic. College Campus Chatter. 2 May 2012. <http://collegecampustrips.blogspot.com/2011/09/12-most-politically-charged-college.html>.</ref>

Campus Activism and Domhoff

Much like Yates, Domhoff would be interested in the websites ability to organize people. Throughout Domhoffs book, Who Rules America, he argues that there are far too many connections between members of the upper class. However, the ways in which members of the lower and middle class can organize themselves are too few. Proper use of the campus activism website could help solve the problem of lower and middle class organization.

Campus Activism and Bowles, Edwards, & Roosevelt

Even with the support of Alperovitz, Domhoff and Yates it is difficult to say whether the campus activism website could overcome the shortcomings of capitalism as outlined by Bowles, Edwards and Roosevelt. Although the website provides some ways to try and lessen these shortcomings, they may be to grave for a simple website fix. Problems such as capitalist concentration of ownership, alienation of workers from their products, worker discrimination, uneven wealth distribution and a necessity for unemployment are all problems of capitalism that need to be overcome. <ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 63.</ref> While the website is effective at organizing people to make claims against these shortcomings, there is a mass amount of political and financial power protecting these issues. It is also hard to deal with problems such as unemployment, which seem to be ingrained into capitalism at its very core.

Democracy Matters

What is Democracy Matters?

Democracy Matters Logo<ref>Democracy Matters. Democracy Matters Logo. N.d. Graphic. SDSWeb. 2 May 2012. <http://www.democracymatters.org/>.</ref>

Democracy Matters is a non-partisan student organization that consists of high school fellows programs and college campus chapters throughout the nation. Democracy Matters partners with the organization, Common Cause, and works to strengthen the true democratic ideals of America. Democracy Matters supports the involvement of people in politics, and aims to remove the “big private money”<ref name=USA>Democracy Matters. "Mission and History." Democracy Matters: Change Elections. Change America. Democracy Matters, 2010. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.democracymatters.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111:mission-and-history&catid=40&Itemid=70>.</ref> from political campaigns. The organization was founded in 2001 and focuses on training students to be efficacious grassroots organizers, and fighting for public financing of election campaigns. Democracy Matters hopes to profoundly change the way in which elections are financed. In deconstructing the relationship between politics and money, Democracy Matters aims to restore the power of politics and government to the people of America. <ref name=USA />

Goals of Democracy Matters and How They Will be Achieved

Democracy Matters is a student organization working to strengthen the people's position in politics by removing large private funds from politics. Through internships to both university and high school students, the youth of society become mentored such that the future of the nation has a generation with strong democratic values.

Other issues that are important to the organization include the environment, civil rights, education, healthcare, and foreign policy, among others. Through training the youth and supporting more public financing in political campaigns rather than private financing, the grassroots organization attempts to achieve its main goal of getting private money out of politics and restoring the true democratic ideals that our cited in the nation's Constitution.<ref name=USA />

Accomplishing Social Justice

Democracy Matters is an organization with values that directly relate to the course, "American Capitalism and Social Justice." The shift from private, wealthy donors giving large sums of money to politics in order to influence policy towards a more fair, democratic influence of publicly raised funds for campaigns shows that the organization values the power of the people and the true definition of democracy. Through this, social justice is attained with the fair influence of regular citizens on politics rather than having the power elite in control.

Democracy Matters and Authors

Democracy Matters and Alperovitz

Democracy Matters initiatives align on a basic level with Alperovitz’s visions of extensive reform of the American federal government. Alperovitz explores notions of a “regional devolution”<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 67.</ref> in which power on the state level would be vastly increased. Alperovitz points out that far too much power is concentrated within the hands of a few people, as their decisions and policies impact a geographical space “that is larger than all the other advanced industrial (OECD) countries taken together.” [66] Alperovitz acknowledges these repercussions: “the extraordinary cost of modern campaigning in large areas has added to the advantages that scale gives to wealthy elites and corporations, thereby further undermining democratic possibilities.”<ref>Alperovitz, Gar. American Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005. 66.</ref> This is exactly the issue that Democracy Matters is working to resolve. Politicians rely on financial donors to fund their campaigns, and subsequently repay these wealthy backers through the implementation of policies that benefit this exclusive portion of the population. Democracy Matters recognizes this unfair reality and promotes the reform of campaign finance laws to ensure that desires regarding national legislation outside of the affluent circle are heard.<ref name=Dom>Democracy Matters. "Why We Need Reform." Democracy Matters: Change Elections. Change America. Democracy Matters, 2010. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.democracymatters.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65:why-we-need-reform&catid=36&Itemid=66>.</ref>

The Democracy Matters platform will help to reclaim wealth for the American people through implementation of policies that outlaw campaign funding from private benefactors. Without exclusive sponsorship, politicians will feel less inclined to pass policies that favor a small piece of the population, and will instead be reminded of their civic duty to the people as a representative of the people. This will result in policies that do not unfairly safeguard upper class wealth, but rather spread wealth throughout society. Additionally, Democracy Matters initiatives will restore liberty and democracy to the citizenry by garnering an atmosphere in which anyone can run for a political position. Without the need to gain substantial financial backing for campaigns, the election process will become more democratic and safeguard the liberties of individual Americans.

Democracy Matters and Domhoff

Protesting for Campaign Finance Reform<ref>Tumblr. "Democracy Matters." Field Organizer - Democracy Matters. Field Organizer, 30 08 2011. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://dmfieldorganizer.tumblr.com/>.</ref>

Domhoff devotes an entire chapter in his book “Who Rules America?” to discussing the dangerous relationship between wealthy, power elites and American political processes like elections and campaigns. Domhoff acknowledges that elections are an opportunity in America for the citizens to effect change within the government by voting for candidates whose policies they support.<ref>Domhoff, G. William. Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2010. 149.</ref> However, upon election into office, the elected representatives of the people abandon their campaign promises. Newly elected politicians instead conform to corporate community needs and desires because members of those corporate communities funded the political campaign.<ref>Domhoff, G. William. Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2010. 159.</ref> This reality is reason that Democracy Matters was founded, and is the driving reason that the organization continues to exist today. American people have begun to “distrust the government because they believe that wealthy special interests have more influence in Washington and in state capitols than do voters.”<ref name=Dom /> Despite the fact that policymakers face a number of pressing issues on a daily basis, Democracy Matters strives to push campaign financing policies to the forefront of political issues, as they believe that once change is effected in this realm, all other policies will be approached in a more positive, less biased manner.

Democracy Matters and Yates

In the book Why Unions Matter, Yates describes the merits of unions and solidarity in order to have the working class attain more equality and influence within the workplace. Even within specific unions, democratic ideals are maintained, and great lengths are undertaken to ensure "that the members actually control the union, from the national convention to the daily operations of every level of the union."<ref>Yates, Michael D. Why Unions Matter. 2nd ed. New York: Monthly Review Press, 2009. 81.</ref> This relates to the grassroots student-led organization Democracy Matters' goal of giving more influence to the general public within politics through the elimination of private donations to political elections and campaigns. By instituting democracy at every level, Democracy Matters is not only upholding the ideals of America, but they are also generating a more equitable environment that involves Americans in all aspects of the political process. In this regard, Yates and the organization have similar ideas of how social justice can be achieved. Through giving a voice back to the American people, policies will contain the perspectives of the people, and will reflect the true needs of the majority rather than only that of the power elite.

Democracy Matters and Bowles, Edwards, & Roosevelt

Bowles, Edwards and Roosevelt highlight that the election results from 1992 to 2000, showed that people in the top fifth of the income distribution were more than twice as likely to vote for Republicans than were people in the bottom fifth. <ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 517.</ref> This increase in polarization has come about as more people begin to vote based on their financial standing rather than ideologies. Democracy Matters works to overcome this shortcoming of capitalism by raising awareness to the fact that those who fund elections reap the benefits from those who are elected. This kind of mentality makes a minority of people extremely wealthy at the expense of the advancement of society as a whole. Democracy Matters argues that “Corporations not only control our economy, but through their huge campaign contributions they also disproportionately influence our political system, its legislation, and the lives of all of us.”<ref name=USA>Democracy Matters. "Mission and History." Democracy Matters: Change Elections. Change America. Democracy Matters, 2010. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.democracymatters.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111:mission-and-history&catid=40&Itemid=70>.</ref> As far as overcoming these flaws in society research by Bowles, Edwards and Roosevelt suggests “that the ability of voters, even in large majorities of them, to alter the course of economic events is quite limited so long as the economy remains capitalist”.<ref>Bowles, Samuel, Richard Edwards, and Frank Roosevelt. Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command, and Change. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 519.</ref> This indicates that in order for the Democracy Matters organization to be fully successful in their mission society would have to transition out of a capitalist economy.

References

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