America needs it badly and needs it now, this progressive power at scale. If things in America are not making sense, or you are left out or even scared, this is for you.

This is an introduction to progressive power. All you are being asked to do is think. To start, here are a couple of important basic truths.

• The democracy basics laid out here are not new, but we in America have never had them.
• When capitalist extremists say that liberalism, progressivism, or socialism have already been tried and failed, they are wrong (or lying).
• We the people are not an “enemy within” to be targeted by out-of-control extremists.

In heart and words, people are hungry for progressive change. We have not felt or seen desire like this in our lifetime. Progressive power can only come from the people; it is the people, of the people. Democracy is supposed to be progressive. Democracies the world over hope America can make the change.

Progressive power at scale is attainable. Peoples’ readiness for change is in the air. Progressives, liberals, and others on the left must work to a shared vision that can capture the imagination of the American groundswell. 

Who says so? Where did you get your data?

Common sense and simply paying attention brings you to the conclusions set forth in this article. However, these two books give depth and confirmation.

Nayar explains why capitalism is currently going fascist, worldwide. Nayar looks at history and lays out the ‘big liberal myth’. Understand this: the longstanding widely-promoted belief that capitalism unleashes ‘social and economic forces’ that lead societies to better democracy simply does not hold water. Think trickle-down tax scam, on steroids. Capitalists purposefully misuse the idea of liberalism. There is good liberalism, but we don’t have it. Instead, we have right-wing nationalism.

John Rawls published his profound political philosophy in 1971. It is still vital and timely. It is the nuts and bolts of what is wrong and how to fix it. Essentially, he provided the definition of progressive power. Rawls hammers neoliberal economics and spells out the folly of identity politics. Part of the beauty of his work is his anchoring to ethics and justice. With progressive power, the author strives to take his philosophic orientation to practical application.

The two guiding principles of progressive power, per Rawls

The following two principles are not ideas; they are more than demands. They are absolutes to restore America. They need to be embodied in our political and economic institutions. In a functioning democracy, these principles are not extreme. Society structured around these principles would be fair and stable.

• All citizens are free to live according to their own beliefs and to participate in politics as genuine equals.
• The economy is organized to achieve equal opportunities and widely shared prosperity, where the only inequalities tolerated are to improve quality of life for the least advantaged.

In practice, these reinforce a political version of the Golden Rule — “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

What then, is progressive power?

Progressive power is a democratic movement to substantially change economic and governmental structures to directly support all people as free and equal. Progressive power envisions greater opportunity and material equality for everyone, while emphasizing dignity and self-respect for the least among us.

So, how will you know progressive power?

• Society is humane, egalitarian, and inclusive. People and groups are not subjected to disdain and technologic pragmatism.
• Pro-worker efforts restore the working class featuring strong unions, where unions are antifascist; pre-distribution will prevent rather than fix problems later, by setting expectations and providing good job opportunities.
• Society enables well-being through reciprocity and cooperation over self-interest and competition. People derive self-worth through more than income level.

What does “at scale” mean?

Think of the thousands of pussy hats that sprang up after Trump’s first election. Then Black Lives Matter and back to Occupy Wall Street. These noble groups showed the level of energy needed for progressive power. Today, there are so many problems that a broad democracy-saving movement is required. “At scale” means all such peoples are together as one, under one banner, and not so easily isolated and discouraged.

Communications and learning are key to achieving progressive power at scale. As right-wing denial and suppression comes further and further down on the people, there will be more and more appetite for group understanding to resist.

Like-minded progressive people must organize and act as one. Consider this. Extremists are planning to act against the people. Some one of the extreme acts might be too much to bear and could trigger some sort of uprising. However, if we have been communicating and educating before hand, it has a chance to go better. So, people need to think deliberately about what they will do, how they will handle it, if heavy-handed extremism comes to their neighborhood. Note: marches and rallies are actions that have not been delivering sufficient results and are causing frustration. Maybe the people can come up with novel more effective ways to get results. In any case, voices and voting still matter.

A most important factor to achieve power at scale

There are so many good progressive organizations. There is a theme through all their messages and efforts. They might say it in different ways using different words, yet it comes back to the same basics. Everybody from Chris Hedges to Reverend Barber. The same warnings and need for change. However, an important point in terms of achieving power at scale is this: establishment politics are playing a simple successful game of divide and conquer.

The bipartisan duopoly will have their way, they will be able to ignore the people, until we sufficiently get ‘all the wood behind one arrow.’ This will require lots of cooperation and some compromise. For example, the idea is here expressed as progressive power and there is confidence its convictions. However, the name is but a way to think about it and get traction. We need more than the garden variety coalition.

Finally, on the nature of change

Socio-economic, climatic and geopolitical challenges are shaking the planet. Still, progressive change starts with individual people. Key point: people will not change until they feel psychologically and physically safe to do so.