Rowenna Davis, journalist at the Guardian and Councillor, asked Paul Mason, BBC Economics Editor, various questions, related to economics, on the nature of austerity. The answers provided are not precise words, and I have no responsibility for the accuracy of my reporting of them. However, I have conveyed the answers simply in good faith, and I hope that they are very largely accurate.
1. Why has protest against tax avoidance taken off as a campaign in the way that austerity has not?
First of all, I should like to emphasise that I do not take part in any activism campaigns. I simply report on them in a non-partisan way, trying to form a big picture of what is happening. Austerity is back-loaded. It’s something that the right-wing is vocal, about there is in truth there is not “austerity” in the UK. It’s not like Greek or Spanish austerity. There are various circles. One group are horizontalist, and they involve a ‘veteran army’ of experienced protesters who know what their project is (i.e. able to put a coke can on the perimeter fence of a nuclear power station). #Uncut was a group including much newer people, ranging from Union activists, social democrats, and even anarchists. A new bunch of people came along for #OccupyLSX, but these tended to be generally the dispossessed. The veteran army maybe do not share the other interests.
2. Is the activism movement socially diverse?
City people, bankers, libertarians, and a diverse group of people together. Black youth have been going to the streets in America. In comparison, there is a stable labour movement here in the UK.
3. How UK activism has changed in more recent years? The generation that is protesting now wants to be ‘in the club’, but does not wish a radical revolution?
The problem is that capitalism cannot actually deliver the goals of the protesters. Individual choice can be an anathema to socialism. People who are younger can be the products of relentless bullshit about personal choice; however for 1:2 people in Spain the choice is nothing. We are dealing with different kinds of individuals. The increased network of footprints is something you have to live with.
4. Given we are living in an individualistic culture, where is this movement going?
I’ve been covering Greece a lot in the last few years. There is now a rise of a social democrat-left party, and there is nothing like that. Since there isn’t, even for 38 degrees, which are successful, there are issues which no amount of anarchist squats or barracades can solve. You have to be in power, and then you have to consider what parties can deliver. You cannot stop the austerity without being the party in government? The challenge for the left is: can social democracy do the things that you want to happen?
