Leaderless: from Syria to Philadelphia

During PBS coverage of Wednesday’s Democratic National Convention proceedings, I again heard a critique of both Black Lives Matter and Sanders or Bust delegates; that these groups had come to Philadelphia to present a message, but that the protests were disorganized and leaderless, and that these shortcomings rendered them ultimately politically ineffectual.

Perhaps so, and at this nationally televised and carefully choreographed pageant that is, until recent events in Cleveland, the norm of our political ritual, it should not be surprising that the established order of things came to pass. It is a common criticism, leveled at groups from Egypt to Occupy Wall Street. But what is more interesting to note, and what is missed entirely in the political coverage of the day, is the pattern that is emerging and is not going away, despite brutality, repression and dismissal.

Throughout the world, more and more, there are “leaderless” people in the streets, making protest, shaking the foundations of states. Or “leaderless” social media storms that blow through, forcing corporations to change course faster than their lobbyists can track. In Syria, where the original revolution against authoritarian rule survives, it is mostly “leaderless”, inspired by the work of Omar Aziz. The emerging threat of terrorism that is “leaderless” is a force powerful enough to cause fear and political upheaval within the well-heeled G20 nations.

Of course, none of these groups are without leadership. But a change in how we communicate has changed how we express political and organizational will, and none of our existing political systems or institutions are yet capable of providing meaning for this expression. It’s likely that none will without being profoundly changed themselves.

This is the true political story of the day, and one that the leaderless protest groups, in their leadership, provided to us.