The Gary Null Blog

Whatever the long-term fate of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement, it has made two major contributions to the warming 2012 political climate.

First, OWS put the concept of economic and social (in)equity, of the haves and have-nots, the 99%-ers, of class, center stage in national political discourse.  This is no insignificant accomplishment.  For the last half-century, there has been an unstated ban on acknowledging the concept of class in political discourse.  It was an agreement shared in politics, education/academia, the media and the labor movement.  “Workers” became the “middle class” and the sins of capitalism forgiven.

OWS’s second contribution has been to recover direct action, particularly mass social mobilization, as a valid form of political engagement.  There is a growing perception that petition signing, marches and voting mean little, rituals confirming predetermined outcomes.  People on all sides of the growing number of political and social issues (including grassroots Tea Partyers) are discovering their voices, mobilizing and getting busted.  Not surprising, activists often use high-tech communications media to accomplish miracles.  Direct action is likely to take still new and unexpected forms as the economic crisis deepens, drags on and social unrest mounts.