Egypt's popular revolution will change the world (Guardian UK)

Peter Hallward
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 9 February 2011

In one of his last published essays, written in 1798, the philosopher Immanuel Kant reflected on the impact of the continuing revolution in France. Kant himself was no Jacobin, and opposed extra-legal change as a matter of principle. He conceded that the future course of the revolution's pursuit of liberty and equality "may be so filled with misery and atrocities that no right-thinking person would ever decide to make the same experiment again, at such a price". Regardless of its immediate political consequences, however, Kant could at least see that the universal "sympathy bordering on enthusiasm" solicited by the spectacle of the revolution was itself a telling indication of its eventual significance. Whatever might happen next, the event was already "too intimately interwoven with the interests of humanity and too widespread in its influence upon all parts of the world for nations not to be reminded of it when favourable circumstances present themselves, and to rise up and make renewed attempts of the same kind".

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For whatever happens next, Egypt's mobilisation will remain a revolution of world-historical significance because its actors have repeatedly demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to defy the bounds of political possibility, and to do this on the basis of their own enthusiasm and commitment. They have arranged mass protests in the absence of any formal organisation, and have sustained them in the face of murderous intimidation. In a single, decisive afternoon they overcame Mubarak's riot police and have since held their ground against his informers and thugs. They have resisted all attempts to misrepresent or criminalise their mobilisation. They have expanded their ranks to include millions of people from almost every sector of society. They have invented unprecedented forms of mass association and assembly, in which they can debate far-reaching questions about popular sovereignty, class polarisation and social justice.

Every step of the way, the basic fact of the uprising has become more obvious and more explicit: with each new confrontation, the protestors have realised, and demonstrated, that they are more powerful than their oppressors. When they are prepared to act in sufficient numbers with sufficient determination, the people have proved that there's no stopping them.

<snip>

No one can predict the immediate sequence of events, but it is now possible to anticipate an Egypt that chooses to confront, rather than enhance social inequalities, one that prioritises the interests of the many over the privileges of the few. It's possible to envisage an Egypt that seeks to free itself of foreign influence, and thus an Egypt more willing to recognise the difference between a "peace process" and a "surrender process" in the Middle East. It's possible to imagine a scenario in which Egypt's neighbours might follow suit. It's possible to imagine, in short, how the north African revolutions of 2011 might change the world as a whole.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/09/egypt-north-africa-revolution?CMP=twt_fd


I believe too, that this will have an influence on people everywhere who are thinking on these same issues of social justice. Those people everywhere in turn, will impact still more people in their own circles of influence which could be anywhere. Nothing is all positive of course, especially in terms of unintended consequences, but I think the Egypt uprising and the way it is being done by the protesters is a very hopeful event for the world, not just for Egypt.

Thanks for the thread, Waiting For Everyman.

:hi:

:hi:

You can tell by the way the 900 lb. cockroaches are scurrying for the dark corners in the room....