The South African Civil Society Information Service
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
14 Feb 2009
What would make you start a revolution - living under a dictatorship, having your freedom of expression threatened, slavery, hunger, corporate hegemony?
This clip provides some interesting viewpoints making the case for and against revolutions.
"The possibility that it might succeed," is Canadian novelist, Margaret Attwood’s whimsical response to the question.
"Revolutions betray themselves and eat their own children,” says Oxford Professor, Stein Ringen in his stand against revolutions.
"You can have a peaceful revolution," says South African and ex-Robben Island prisoner, Kwedi Mkalipi, offering a somewhat middle of the road perspective.
At the other end of the spectrum, Slovenian philosopher, Slavoj Zizek strongly argues for revolutions and violent ones at that too.
"I want to start a revolution right now. I mean, I want to end all wars. I want to abolish all armies. I want to save the animals. I want to put an end to slavery, cos it's still happening. I want to do all these things. I want to start a revolution right now, but I need some friends to help me and they're all shopping or having sex," says Benjamin Zepheniah, a poet from the United Kingdom.
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