By Artemis Swanson
To talk about elections or primaries as a leftist is difficult for a multitude of reasons. It’s a fairly well accepted view of most left ideologies that electoralism is, at best, a painfully slow method of combating capitalism, and, at worst, actively counterproductive to a socialist cause. However, this election has a bit more meaning for the left than previous races have, not because of any desire for a leftist president, but because of what this primary represents for the future of left wing movements in America.
While it would be incorrect to call candidates like Bernie Sanders leftist by any standard, it is undeniable that there has been an increased level of attention in this race to unions and labor organizations by the candidates, and that this acceptance of worker solidarity strengthens the positions of leftist advocates in the future.
That being said, there are multiple strategies which leftists are employing this election season, rather than just voting, to help build a movement. First, there is the aforementioned labor organization. There is no better way on a micro level to empower workers than to advocate and organize for union membership and formation. It’s relatively easy, and something you can do pretty much anywhere in the country.
Secondly, you can either help support local leftist organizations to distribute informational materials, or work to form a local organization if one doesn’t already exist. This is an excellent way to get the left narrative out there, demystify what leftists believe and also allow you to brainstorm how anti-capitalist politics can benefit your community in particular.
Finally, leftists can reach out to offer a counter-narrative to the reactionary politics that lead to people like Trump, and work to rehabilitate people. It’s important that we understand that the various myths about rural Americans being dumb or inherently bigoted and hopeless are misfounded. All working class people deserve a better life, and we don’t get to dismiss them or write them off just because they live in the wrong place or occasionally vote Republican. Now more than ever, leftists can show Americans that their voices matter, and that they can do so much more for the country than just showing up at the ballot box. It would be wrong to promise that leftists will vote or guarantee that any one candidate win, but what the left can and will continue to do is work to care for and empower workers. We may not vote for anyone, but we will continue to fight for everyone.