As I arrived at Northampton’s Women’s March, a passionate speaker was exhorting the crowd to go beyond electing the right people, or standing for social justice. The fight had to be “anti-capitalist” with the goal of “smashing the system.” At that point I had to walk away. To be a big tent movement, the Women’s March needs willing supporters, however imperfect. To be an effective and disciplined movement, however, the Women’s March cannot give voice to every idea espoused by those supporters.
The call of the speaker, to my view, fails on three counts. It is bad tactics. Trump supporters were not exclusively motivated by oil and coal economics or the loudly blowing dog-whistles of racism and white supremacy. They were also alienated by perceived insensitivities, and intellectual elitism of Trump’s opponents. To capture the political high ground, progressives must capture and nurture all voters. An “anti-capitalist” agenda will not do that. It is bad strategy.
The situation for children, women and disenfranchised minorities is best in countries with capitalist economic systems. Capital that flows where it is most likely to appreciate produces wealth to benefit all. Intervention is needed to make sure that wealth is distributed ethically. Regulation is necessary to keep producers from shifting ecological, sociological and political costs to others. Anti-capitalist agendas that smash the system will bring poverty, not equity.
Finally, it is dangerous. However maligned, Donald Trump is not the greatest threat to our nation. A generation of uncompromising winner-take-all politics has made it impossible for moderates to counter the White House. The speech that I heard as I arrived at the march fuels this problem, rather than depriving it of oxygen. In 1964, progressives recognized demagoguery in Barry Goldwater’s statement, “extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.” We must equally recognize it in our own ranks today. I believe that the arc of modern history genuinely does bend toward justice. We must restore and maintain that bend, not cause it to break. Passion notwithstanding, let’s not talk about smashing anything.
Stephen C. Boos
Northampton