<
https://www.meditationsinanemergency.com/the-nature-of-our-power-a-conversation-with-political-scientist-erica-chenoweth/>
'"The best study on the subject in my opinion suggests that in the long term,
institutions really can’t save us; that civil society and mass mobilization are
a more potent check on a backsliding democracy in the long term than relying on
institutional checks and balances alone." That's what political scientist Erica
Chenoweth told me when I asked them if we could have a conversation (by email,
below in full) about the current constitutional crisis/coup attempt and what we
can do about it. Chenoweth is a hugely influential scholar of nonviolent social
change, best known for their empirical research that not only documents what
makes civil resistance work but demonstrates that it works, often extremely
effectively. They direct the Nonviolent Action Lab, which studies how people
have built movements and developed strategies to resist authoritarianism
successfully and documents how nonviolence can be effective. There's no one I
wanted to hear from more in this constitutional crisis, and I'm grateful I can
share their insights with all of you.
Rebecca: When you look at what Musk and Trump are doing that is illegal because
it’s beyond the powers granted to the administrative branch, and damaging
longstanding institutions and relationships, what does that tell you about
their understanding—or lack of understanding—of these systems and entities and
the nature of power?
Erica: It tells me that they believe—and fear—that they cannot implement their
policies and plans without the cooperation, obedience, and help of people in
various pillars of support. This is a key insight about the nature of power
repeated by Hannah Arendt, Gene Sharp, George Lakey, and others, and which
underpins many theories of nonviolent action and civil resistance. Indeed, what
Trump and Musk seem to have learned during the first Trump administration is
this: subverting institutional checks and balances, subordinating key agencies,
ignoring Congress’s law-making authority, dominating the media and information
environment, and eliminating oversight and accountability—in other words,
pulling off a power grab—is required to achieve their agenda. When you see what
autocratic leaders try to eliminate, you get clearer on what constrains or
threatens them—and why these systems, procedures, institutions, and the
dedicated civil servants within them are so important to protect.
Rebecca: What powers do you see to oppose and shut down this coup attempt, in
the legislative and judicial branch of the federal government, states, but
especially in civil society? What do you hope to see civil society do in
response? Are there particular tactics of civil resistance that seem useful or
relevant in this moment?
Erica: Among the most urgent work in a moment of potential backsliding is to
both protect the most vulnerable people from direct harm, while also upholding
the rule of law. If you don’t defend the rule of law, you lose it, and the
terrain becomes much more uncertain and treacherous. Most urgently, this means
filing suit against every move that appears to be illegal and/or
unconstitutional. We are seeing some of this happening already with regard to
the executive orders and some of the firings of inspectors general, etc., but
many more such cases would be needed for the federal courts to fully exercise
their authority to contain executive power.'
Via Kenny Chaffin.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
