For those in Despair over HCR! 1900 Pamphlet: "Practical Agitation" by John Jay Chapman

[KoKo]

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I spent the better part of the afternoon reading this pamphlet posted in "Comments" over at "Firedoglake" where there is so much angst over the Health Care Bill and how many of the Dems we donated to have sold us out on key parts of the bill. It's incredible how much Chapman's Pamphlet talks about the times of corruption we NOW live in and this was written in 1900! It's a guide for how PROGRESSIVES and DEMS OF CHARACTER...so upset over what's going on, might work for change. It's an excellent read. Bookmark and Weekend read. It does help ease the pain some of us are feeling right now as Democrats to read it and since it's "Google Books" it's an easy online read and it does draw you in as to how creepy his times in 1900 are to the enormous corruption we are dealing with these days.


Hat Tip to Firedoglake Posters, "Watt4Bob" and "leowong" at Firedoglake for this post and the link to Chapman's Pamphlet:


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This pamphlet was published in 1900, a time when Robber Barons controlled the government much as they do now.

As I read it, I hear echos of everything we discuss here, and I hear good solid advice on how to proceed.

Much of what I’m reading, I interpret as indicating that the people’s commitment to reforming politics is the leading trend, and the politicians must follow, they have no real intent to provide us with the relief we so badly need from the predation of the rich and powerful interests that control our government, but they will follow our lead nonetheless, if we can organize ourselves properly, persist, and avoid despair.

"Practical Agitation:"

When you began you did not say:

“ I stand for a readjustment of political interests. There will be a continuation of many abuses under my administration, to be sure; but I hope they will not be quite so bad as heretofore. I shall not insist on the absolutely unselfish conduct of my office. It is not practical.”

If you had said this, you might have got the friendly support of a few doctrinaires. But you would never have got the support and approval of the great public. You would not have been elected.

And therefore you did not say it. On the contrary, what our reformers do is this: They begin before election, by promising an absolutely pure administration. They make proclamations of a new era, and after they have secured a certain following they proceed to chaffer over how much honesty they will demand and how much take, as if they were rescuing property.

These men are, then in their desires a part of the future, and in their practices of the past.


"Watt4Bob" SAYS:
This pamphlet was published in 1900, a time when Robber Barons controlled the government much as they do now.

As I read it, I hear echos of everything we discuss here, and I hear good solid advice on how to proceed.

Much of what I’m reading, I interpret as indicating that the people’s commitment to reforming politics is the leading trend, and the politicians must follow, they have no real intent to provide us with the relief we so badly need from the predation of the rich and powerful interests that control our government, but they will follow our lead nonetheless, if we can organize ourselves properly, persist, and avoid despair.



http://books.google.com/books?id=4ZBJAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=chapman+practical+agitation&source=bl&ots=nzN7lsLxrp&sig=-PbtJtFJ84HVweEd6ZAkcVRX648&hl=en&ei=cSGiS5CQOMSAlAeVm_39CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false

[GinaMaria]

1. Weekend read for sure

Thanks for sharing this.

[boobooday]

2. Bookmarked

Thanks.

[KoKo]

3. I'm hoping this little post had some folks reading it over the weekend.

I did think it was so interesting that I read it to the end. I couldn't get over that it was written in 1900...and applies so much to what many DU'ers are seeing about organizing these days.

Since it was written in 1900 the language seems very repetitive to those of us used to "speed reading" and sometimes it seems the text needs an EDITOR to make it useful for modern views. But, still...it's not a long read that folks would be turned off by. It's an excellent read for those of us so disillusioned by the "TWO PARTY SYSTEM" though who are looking for some insight and some validation of where we think we can go forward and where we need to do more work...imho.