A brief note here: this chapter will sound antagonistic to those who have been brought up to “work within the system.” But if there is an elite that controls most institutions and is using its power to oppress people, while the masses are relatively powerless, then we need to take action to restore a democratic balance. And often that will require conflict and working outside the system. Also it is important to remember that you don’t always have to compete against others to regain a balance of power, and you can always try cooperation. For example, if you have allies within the administration, you are empowered by your good relationship with them.
Setting Goals
Be realistic, demand the impossible. (May 1968)
Don’t begin a campaign without setting a clear goal. Your goal is your definition of victory. You need to be able to look back over it after a set amount of time and answer the question Have we won?” This should be defined as concretely as possible, with long-range, medium range and short-range goals. For instance:
Long range: Reduce our oil dependency.
Medium range: Shift the school to alternative energy.
Short range: Start a solar-power co-op house by the end of this year.
Now winning is great, but how you win is important to your success in the long term. Your campaigns need to accomplish three things:
1) Achieve concrete improvements.
2) Give people a sense of their own power.
3) Change the relations of power in society.
In other words, getting your school to start recycling is great. But you should also give campaign participants a sense that they were able to make a difference and increase the level of student input. If this is achieved, you have changed the relations of power between students and the administration. This is what moves the world closer to true democracy.
Ask yourself how your goal will fulfill these three criteria. Then consider how your organization can conduct a campaign in a way that will best achieve its goals and in the process also empower itself.