Thursday, October 3, 2013

A Brief Take on Social Justice


It came out recently that one of the organizations targeted by the Internal Revenue Service that was suing to gain 501(c)(3) status it had been denied had reached a deal with the IRS.  The organization would get its 501(c)(3) status if they would agree to drop the lawsuit.

This, of course, sort of begs the question.  It allows the IRS to get off scot-free by allowing it to hand over what they should not have withheld in the first place, and receive a definite benefit (withdrawal of the lawsuit) without being penalized or paying in any way for wrongfully withholding something.

That, however, is not the issue we’re addressing here.  This is in response to a comment that someone made: “Now . . . for those who haven’t got a lawsuit going, who is going to act on their behalf?”

To that we answer, You are — and they are.  The proper course of action when faced with social injustice and individual helplessness is not to give up, but to organize with like-minded others, thereby gaining the “people power” essential as a first step in social change.

From there, there are two possible courses to take.  One (and this was how the civil rights movement got as far as it did . . . but no further) is to act directly on specific institutions, e.g., segregation laws, voting practices, fair employment, etc., etc.

This is very effective — in solving specific problems and addressing specific issues.  It does not, however, solve the underlying problem, which is lack of the economic power that supports the political power that ultimately validates the people power.  This, in turn, is due to an entire faulty system that needs restructuring.

Thus, the other way to address social problems is to target the system, the real underlying cause of this sort of social problem: the institutions that cause the lack of economic power resulting from lack of access to the means of acquiring and possessing private property in capital. Capital Homesteading is a systemic approach designed to address this underlying problem.

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