Anarchist Discussion Forums

It sure did. :)

It worked to stop the poll tax.

We also made a few butchers shops, and a fox fur farm to shut down from direct action.

Didn't it get the British out of India?

[quote="Guest"]The progressive leftist marches in a circle chanting "the children are hungry! the children are hungry!"

They hold signs that say "Money for food! Not for bombs!" and "The government sucks! Give us some bucks!"

The direct actor plants seeds in the ground. She or he tends them as they turn into little plants... waters them and feeds them...until they produce food...

But the direct actor also builds a community around the farm, ensuring its survival... making theft or vandalism less likely... without the government's help.

The progressive leftists chant "Stop the war! Now!"

The direct actor says...if the war is not stopped... then society will not be allowed to function normally.

And if there were more direct actors, there would be no war.[/quote]Couldn't have said it better myself.

The progressive leftist marches in a circle chanting "the children are hungry! the children are hungry!"

They hold signs that say "Money for food! Not for bombs!" and "The government sucks! Give us some bucks!"

The direct actor plants seeds in the ground. She or he tends them as they turn into little plants... waters them and feeds them...until they produce food...

But the direct actor also builds a community around the farm, ensuring its survival... making theft or vandalism less likely... without the government's help.

The progressive leftists chant "Stop the war! Now!"

The direct actor says...if the war is not stopped... then society will not be allowed to function normally.

And if there were more direct actors, there would be no war.

Personally I think either peaceful or aggressive direct action works. It all depends on what the person is more comfortable with. Myself, I don't see a corporation getting a window broken as violence. I don't consider buildings to be the same as people.

Not sure if the video below will help answer your question but here it is:
[youtube]kQR5iPu0IuQ[/youtube]

The problem I see with direct action (both peaceful and aggressive) is that it can be only done when people can gather freely or all agree on doing the same; but for societies like the one we (are forced to) live in, we have common concerns on which we don't have the same views, and it's usually the greater collective who wins the match. If I protest peacefully, I'm likely to receive little or no attention. If my group and I manage to act and do any harm to X, anyone else is likely to repair what we have just done if they or the people who hired them find it harming for their own interests.

I could send a letter to my congressman, I could demonstrate peacefully, I could riot, I could even kill for a fair cause. But for what it's worth when what I do is going to be ignored or fixed?