[governance] On positioning within the left-right political spectrum (was Re: URGENT: Last call...)

[Norbert Bollow]

On Sat, 22 Nov 2014 06:21:29 +0530
Suresh Ramasubramanian <suresh at hserus.net> wrote:

> Canting jargon remains canting jargon.  I also have a bit of a
> problem with groups having a regressively extreme left ideology
> labeling themselves progressive

I'm commenting because I read this slur as being directed towards JNC,
where indeed groups who see themselves as progressive are welcome as
members. JNC is however not in any way adopting an extremist ideology or
extremist positions.

The IGC Charter at http://igcaucus.org/charter which defines this group
here (IGC) speaks twice of “civil society and other progressive groups
or actors”, implying that civil society is supposed to progressive, and
thereby firmly defining IGC as part of the set of groups which see
themselves as progressive.

Whether this aspect of the IGC Charter still has something to do with
the current reality of IGC, or more broadly with the general state of
civil society specifically in the Internet governance space, is of
course a different question.

In any case, in terms of the classical left-right political spectrum,
using the term “progressive” as part of a group's self-image does not
mean that the group's positions would necessarily be strictly leftist,
in the sense of the positions being unacceptable to most of those who
see themselves as being firmly democratically centrist. It however
means that the group claims to work towards aims which are generally
acceptable to those who see themselves as progressives, i.e. those at
least a little on the left.

We define the political identity of JNC as seeking to advance all human
rights, including democracy and economic and social justice, a cause
which unites many who see themselves as progressives and many who see
themselves as democratic centrists.

Greetings,
Norbert
co-convenor, Just Net Coalition (JNC)
http://justnetcoalition,org

-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
To be removed from the list, visit:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing

For all other list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/

Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t