The USA really needs a political party which is completely dedicated to evolving and promoting an agenda based on peace, justice and environment protection, internally as well as at world level.
Instead of looking at what people are likely to vote for or support in the short-term, such a political party would be guided completely by the best possible, mutually consistent program of justice, peace, true democracy, protection of environment and biodiversity, and then devote itself to taking this among as many people as possible, without allowing the most essential components of the program to be compromised or diluted. This political party must also gradually create groups of academics, journalists, women, students, youth, workers, farmers, minorities etc. committed to supporting and helping this political party in various ways.
Evolving such a program can be an extremely creative, participative, even joyful task, but people must prepare themselves to be involved with a spirit of give and take so that smaller difference do not stand in the way of unity for bigger achievements.
It is for people to decide whether an existing alternatives party can be prepared and strengthened for such an important role, or whether an altogether new party must be created with contributions from some of the existing alternative groups and parties. Clearly a communist party cannot provide such an important role in the USA, although it may in some other countries, because for historical reasons people would not be able to link it with an agenda of democracy and environment protection. However the communists, if they choose to, can certainly play an important supportive role in this process.
The new political party should function completely in non-violent and transparent ways. It should also push for reform of the political system to remove several undemocratic and corruptive features and influences.
The new political party should strive to remain outside the influence of the deep state, as without this it is not possible to evolve a true agenda of peace, justice, democracy, environment protection and concern for all forms of life.
Of course evolving and promoting a mutually consistent agenda of peace, justice, democracy, protection of environment and biodiversity is important for all countries of the world, linked to their local conditions, but perhaps it is most important for the USA which is the most powerful country in the world today, and when such an agenda evolves and is constantly discussed in the USA, then this has an important impact all over the world.
It must be admitted and foreseen that attempting such a hugely important task in the USA, important not just for the USA but also for the entire world, also carries grave risks, as evident from the assassinations of President John Kennedy, Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Sr. and civil rights and peace leader Martin Luther King during the 1960s, but this work is too important to be given up just because of the risks. However people walking on this path must at the same take due precautions, and one very creative response which can advance safety along with other important, creative objectives would be to create several places of community living where people can experiment also with alternative life-patterns keeping in view the objective of moving towards a life of peace, justice and equality, true democracy, protection of environment and all forms of life.
There would be several difficulties in the path of such a political party in the USA, and so it may not be in a position of winning elections at various levels for some time, but even without this it can play a very important role by setting an agenda based on what is best from the point of view of mutually consistent objectives based on peace, justice, real democracy, environment protection and concern for all forms of life. Hence if at least viewpoints on several important issues based on such an understanding can be placed before people, then this by itself will be an important achievement at least in the initial stage of such a political party.
Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071 and Man over Machine.
