Not to be radical, but anarchism has some valuable lessons to teach us about strong communities, and being a compassionate community member.
In modern democracy governance is generally top-down. This means that policies are made by a high up group of elites, and then tasks are delegated down the hierarchy for implementation. Everything we do as civilians is mediated by state rules, structures, and procedures. Often, this also entails a lot of bureaucratic red tape.
When things don’t run as smoothly as they can, citizens can often be left feeling helpless. People feel afraid when the police are unable to stop crime, people feel frustrated when the municipality doesn’t follow through on service delivery, people feel stuck when they lack skills and opportunities that could uplift them. I believe that people can empower themselves collectively by working together and forming strong communities.
Participation
While my opening statements above are transparently critical of the state and top-down structures, I do believe that while these structures are in place it is beneficial to participate in the so-called “democratic” procedures.
Imraan Buccus, in his article for the Mail and Guardian, advocating for bottom-up development, laments that in South Africa “opportunities are very seldom created for affected groups to obtain information on a proposed policy process…”. It should be noted then that the government has this responsibility to make information about democratic procedures more accessible. Still, it is reasonable to say that if you wish to be informed about, and have a say about policies and implementation, it is a good idea to participate in your local democracy. The information one gains there can then be used to inform others in turn.
The Daily Maverick lists, in their how-to guide to public participation, some ways to participate in democracy: attending public hearing, making written or oral submissions to local government, lodging petitions, attending meetings of the House or parliamentary committees, and several others. However, the same article also admits that “Public participation spaces to which the legislative sector ‘invites’ citizens are not always accessible to those concerned, nor effective.”
Unlearn your prejudice, and use your privilege
In a strong society, everyone should have a good standard of living. It is important then to consider for the context that creates dynamics of power and privilege. People who hold more privilege – be it to do with race, class, gender, sexuality, other factors, and in different combinations – can acknowledge their privilege and use it to help others.
A fundamental part of this process is engagement – talking to, listening to, and spending time with all different kinds of people. This is also a responsibility of the privileged, to challenge their own mindsets and earn the trust of those whose lives have been negatively impacted by the system that favours the privileged. This may require putting aside fear, and adopting greater empathy.
For Huffington Post, Lia Taylor Schwartz writes, “ ‘They could hurt you,’ us white folk tell ourselves as they [black youths] approach on a quiet street. They are telling themselves the same thing – teenage boys swaying and swagging and puffing themselves up out of fear. They do not feel the invincibility that I felt making teenage mistakes. They do not get the benefit of the doubt.” Schwartz encourages people to listen and find out what issues matter and need addressing for the marginalised of our cities, so that everyone can work towards fixing them as a unified community.
Protect and look out for one another
Institutions like neighbourhood watches are a good example of communities taking their best interests into their own hands, instead of relying on the state. After all, it has been said that strong communities make police obsolete.
However, there are many ways for community members to look out for one another. For example, if you have the privilege of a car, and you can afford to, offer people lifts whenever you can. If you drop someone off somewhere, make sure they are safely inside before you drive off. Be as generous with your resources as possible. Deal with people interpersonally instead of involving the police unnecessarily. Treat the people around you with dignity and respect.
The Power of a Strong Community
Oftentimes, when people imagine an anarchist society, they imagine a state of lawlessness, where nobody cares what happens to anyone else and there are no rules, only destruction. But this is a misconception. According to Zabalaza’s publication Freedom For All: An Introduction to Anarchism, anarchism necessarily entails “mutual support and solidarity between community members, as well as collective work and responsibility”.
Now, we are a long way away from the anarchist utopia we anarchists hope for, and maybe your vision is different. However, the crux of this post is hard to argue with: society can be strengthened by fostering empathy and cooperation at a micro-scale, because being good to those around you can only cause positive outcomes. So, let this be an encouragement to us to involve ourselves positively in our communities.
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