The Middle East and Revolutionary Communication

Antonio Negri and Michael Hardt have identified two very important aspects that block the communication of struggles:  1. Clarifying the nature of the common enemy and 2. To construct a new common language that facilitates communication (57).  What kind of communication is at the heart of this matter? The type of ‘communication’ and ‘language’ that Hardt and Negri speak of is not meant to be interpreted as a specific vernacular. This communication is not even necessarily verbal.  The power of revolutionary communication is based in the plurality of the struggle, i.e. the common enemy being translated within all political struggles in a universal manner in which a global multitude can react in solidarity. The Middle East and its vast protest movements of the past few months have accomplished this enormous task in both areas. The protestors have identified a common enemy and they have communicated their solidarity against that enemy.

The Middle East protestors have communicated their struggle to each other (and the world) without even sharing a single word of the fact amongst one another. Yes, the protestors have used the internet as a tool to arouse global support but that support has not physically crossed national borders (Egyptians were not joined by Bahrainis and Bahrainis were not aided by Libyans, etc). That support has been ignited within national borders and against a national enemy (dictatorship, autocracy, etc). Of course, the economy transcends borders and this is where the real power of the protests has found strength – the critique of political economy transcends the nation and the state and it is able to travel amongst global ctizens. The point to be made is that this revolutionary communication has become global. There are millions of people that feel akin to what is happening in the Middle East even if they will never meet with those that are directly participating in the protest. This type of communication is on a non-verbal surface. It is felt and not spoken. The communication is a dialectical understanding and it is one that is spreading the world over.  

The communication has spread like fire and is encompassing many different revolutionary movements in the Middle East. Tunisia was first, then Egypt, and now it is Bahrain, Libya, Jordan, Gaza, Iran, and growing. Communication is at core of this solidarity. The protestors in Egypt never met with those in Bahrain, or Tunisia, etc, but the unspoken dialectic of revolution (i.e. political and social freedoms) is the universal ideal that is catching the attention of the multuitude. The dialectic is spreading. The dialectic is an ongoing discourse.

The communication of the Middle East protest movements have existed in a very interesting political reality. The protestors have united in their idealism with no references or basis in: a political party, religion, ethnicity, gender, or within any state institution and/or organization. The protestors of the Middle East appear to have transcended basic sectarian representations and have organized under the basic pretext of ‘freedom’ (maybe this is just an ‘appearance’ but for the time being it seems more than that). The struggle for freedom has, at this moment, trumped all sectarian and socialized biases among these multitudes. The multiplicity of the multitude has resulted in a powerful singularity of struggle.  There are many backgrounds that are united for one cause.

The critique of political economy is a strong under-current in the communication of these protest movements. Young workers are angry and the time has come for their voices to be heard. I will explore this point further in the future

 Reference:

Hardt, Michael and Negri, Antonio. 2000. Empire. Cambridge: Harvard University Press

The Egyptian Revolution

As I write this I am watching several videos on the Al Jazeera English network and I am overcome with feelings of solidarity for this political movement. I could write a wonderful text on proletarian struggle and the power of the multitude within this Egyptian revolution but that might just be self-serving to my agenda so I will refrain from that, even though I believe it to be true.

The multitude of the Egyptian protestors is made up of mostly young peoples who share one common idea: they are disillusioned with autocratic power and are ready for a realized democracy in both name and deed. The time has come for this multitude to realize their role in history.  The outcome is not for sure at this point but the intent is: radical democratic change. The old regime and its authoritarian control are preparing their own death knell. And as Slavoj Zizek states: ‘Mubarak and his party elites are like a Tom and Jerry cartoon, in that when one of the characters runs of a cliff they are suspended in air and it is not until they realize they have no solid foundation that they drop off the cliff’. Mubarak has yet to look down and see that he has no foundation to stand upon and when he does he too will drop off the cliff.

Real ‘democracy’ is being won in the streets against the ruling ‘National Democratic Party’, in which  Hosni Mubarak is the leader. ‘National democracy’ is the chicken that has finally come home to roost; the irony is beautiful.

It is amazing how this movement has spread so quickly and with serious intent for radical change.  Egypt is proving all the Western sceptics wrong in terms of the Muslim understanding of modern democracy. Egypt is a contagion of democratic hope in this day and age. The Egyptian protestors are proving that their collective belief in the power of democratic change is much more actual and potent than any of the major proponents who claim to be the ideological bearers of democracy, i.e. Israel, Europe, and the US.

It was quite shocking seeing the approach that US political power has taken in regard to an actual home-grown Egyptian democratic revolution. Fear was the first response rather than support. Israel and its outright support for Mubarak accompanied by taunts of those that support the protestors, has been deplorable. Israel holds Mubarak as an ally and the leadership of Israel are tremendously frightened to witness what true Egyptian democracy will foster in the years to come; they are completely in fear of true democracy. Fear is the ruling ideology among those ‘true bearers’ of democracy and this demonstrates their contempt for the actualization of democracy.

This revolution is based upon the very simple ideological thought of ’freedom’. Is this not the realization of true democracy?

Here is a great video of the protests and the responses from power. It is called “Egypt Burning” and it is beautifully shot and it tells a wonderful story with its images.

http://www.youtube.com/v/w3FQXYdyHCg