In spite Lincoln's beautiful rhetoric about "a government of the people, by the people and for the people," here are the brutal facts according to Doing Democracy:
It is worth noting that as a result of the founding father's power elite idea of democracy during the first 20 years of U.S. history, only propertied, rich, white men, who comprised less than 10 percent of the population, were allowed to vote in federal elections. [this means a plutocracy, not a democracy]
How do the 8 stages of a social movement apply today to the issue of economic inequality/oppression? I suggest that as a nation we may have reached point 6 "Majority Public Opinion," i.e.,
"Majority opposes present conditions and powerholder policies." As a part of economic inequality, I would include poverty, unemployment, low-wage jobs and exploitation of women and immigrants. If so, with a strong push from the American church, we could reach point 7 "Success" this year or next. What are the signs of dramatic progress?
The most powerful religious figure in the world, Pope Francis, is prophetically exposing economic inequality and pushing hard for change; if the American Catholic church would follow his lead, there would be hope for success. The most powerful political figure in the world, President Obama, has identified economic inequality as the defining issue of our time, one he intends to address; If he follows through, the movement has a chance to succeed. The most powerful financial figure in the world, Janet Yellen, new head of the Federal Reserve, is at least partly on board, according to the Jan. 13 article in Time by Rana Foroohar; she describes Yellen as compassionate with a deep concern for the suffering of the unemployed; hopefully she will put the unemployed ahead of inflation on her agenda; pray for unprecedented action by Yellen.
Previously, of course, the Occupy movement, brought the issue of economic inequality to the center of public opinion. A recent cartoon by Jim Morin in the Miami Herald highlights their achievement. Pope Francis is pictured along side a huge man carrying a money bag with 1% written on his back. It is implied that Pope Francis has just said that the "Meek/poor will inherit the earth." The 1% man replies, "Oh really? How can the meek inherit the earth if WE own it?" For a cartoon like this to work, the public already has to have some idea of what Pope Francis and the 1% stand for.
Several other events have brought the issue of poverty to the fore. The 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty has brought forth much commentary; the Shriver Report on the large numbers of women in or near poverty often working in low-wage jobs; the Chamber of Commerce supporting comprehensive immigration reform. Now is the time for the American church to come on board to counter the immense wealth the 1% have to put behind a powerful lobbying effort to maintain the unjust status quo. The 1% will try to make minor reforms replace the needed paradigm shift. It would be great to have a comprehensive NT theology of society focusing on oppression/injustice and justice to guide us; any volunteers?
In terms of the mass incarceration social movement, we may be only at stage 3. If so, we have a lot of work to do. Michelle Alexander may be more optomistic than I am. If so, I bow to her judgment. By the way, CCDA is on board as is the Evangelical Covenant church. Economic inequality, racial inequality and gender inequality are interrelated. Success in economic equality would help with racial equality and gender equality.
More on Janet Yellen. Rana Foroohar believes that Yellen is the "right person" for the "right job." She has the perfect blend of personality, values, skills and experience. Yellen wants to rebalance the relationship between finance and society. She believes the Fed has been "too lax on the regulation of the financial system." Yellen is more concerned about the well-being of Main Street than the profits of Wall Street.
Now I will let Pope Francis have the last word:
The Church must be attractive.... a different way of doing things, of acting, of loving. . . . the values of the Kingdom incarnated on this earth. . . . a question of leaving everything to follow the Lord. . . . Religious men and women who are able to wake this world up." Pastor/prophet Francis is calling us to love the poor, not demonize them, not paternalize them. Francis wants us to love and do justice, not criminalize social problems with failed Prohibition strategies.
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