By Robin Hahnel
In this article, Hahnel analyzes the historical reasons of the successes and fails of both democratic and libertarian Socialisms along the XX century, as well as the role played of the new social movement activism, as a current successor of the later one. Then, the author establishes some clues or advices related to several current progressive actors like the different economic, social, community and human rights issues, proposals, related movements, unions, and others.
Hahnel maintains a consensual perspective by deploying several arguments concerning a mutual need between reformists and radicals. They should not isolate one from the other, if they really want to constitute a plural, strong and serious alternative to the current system.
The author states that it is more important to build what is popularly known as the anti-globalization movement correctly than to have the "correct" analysis or the "correct" set of demands. Organizing opposition to corporate sponsored globalization "from the bottom up" is the right approach. Organizing all constituencies negatively affected to fight for their own interests while they learn why their own success necessarily hinges on the successes of other constituencies against whom global corporations will constantly pit them is the right approach. Working closely with third world organizations in the campaign against the global "race to the bottom" is the right approach. Adopting the "Lilliput strategy," where each constituency struggles to tie its own string to contain the "Gulliver" of global capital knowing (correctly) how weak and vulnerable its own string is without the added strength of tens of thousands of other strings, is the right approach.