OWS: Socialist Anarchy, or Anarchistic Socialism?

RE: Socialism and the state of the Occupy Wall Street movement as of May Day [WaPo], it strikes me (no pun intended) as extremely ironic that the "anti-institutional" core beliefs of a movement, which invokes "V for Vendetta" and Guy Fawkes-inspired images of anarchy at every turn, would suddenly throw its weight behind a socialist message - the most naturally institutional cause of all, as an artificially-induced redistribution of capital. Indeed, besides the effects of winter and getting kicked out of protest spaces by law enforcement, OWS failed to capitalize on any meaningful policy gains despite international media attention because it lacked centralized leadership or central figures around which the movement could coordinate and focus its impact.

http://boston1775.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-political-meaning-for-guy-fawkess.html

The idea of no centralized leadership and the destruction of institutions is so fundamental to anarchy that it stands in complete conflict with any idea of an institutionalized social compact between the state and its people, and history shows that the possibility of an alliance between anarchism and socialism is logically impossible. Yet as Stephen has already alluded in his morning update, political socialism is once again on the march around the world and in the United States, even if many social welfare policies are precisely what have bankrupted Europe and sent America spiraling into debt. It's also what is most politically feasible [WaPo] given the harshness of existing economic conditions and future austerity measures: In a world with zero or negative growth and stagnating employment, capitalism quickly loses its luster. 

Hit the jump to read more on how OWS can revive itself in 2012...


Thus, the move today by OWS towards the socialist cause, besides the obvious fact that it's May 1st, is clear: The only way for Occupy to recover from the fallout of Zucotti park is to distance from its anarchistic motivations and embrace the idea of institutionalized re-distribution to effect socialist outcomes (tax on the wealthy and corporations, welfare, unions, import tariffs, export subsidies, etc.) Even political science has argued that anarchy itself can never exceed its role as a fringe political player, since the alternative to bad rule (i.e. Pakistan) is generally far worse than no rule (i.e. Somalia, parts of Afghanistan, parts of Iraq during the Iraqi civil war, much of the former Soviet Union from 1991 to the present). If OWS can co-opt - or be co-opted by - the socialist agenda, then we are likely to see an entirely new "American Spring." 

Ditto for the Libertarian agenda, and the need for OWS to co-opt certain components of the ideology that won't turn the movement into another army of class warriors and "hippie socialist" revolutionaries. I've always seen libertarians as self-glorified anarchists, hiding behind the veil of "fiscal conservatism" and all partying like it's still 1775. Still, the argument that we shouldn't be spending money we don't actually have is a good one. 

So, an American Spring? Except for the fact, of course, that summer begins in about a month...and if the relatively mild winter is any indication, it's going to get hot. Damn hot. 

- Phil Hsu

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May Day PM Updates:

3:54 PM - Some more interesting articles on the origins and evolution of the Guy Fawkes mask, from J.L. Bell of "Boston 1775":

http://boston1775.blogspot.com/2011/11/moore-and-lloyds-vendetta.html
http://boston1775.blogspot.com/2011/11/processions-of-guys.html

4:00 PM - More news on your friendly neighborhood anarchists from the Washington Post:
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/ap-source-law-enforcement-authorities-arrest-5-self-described-anarchists-in-alleged-bomb-plot/2012/05/01/gIQARgb1tT_story.html?hpid=z2