Nina Leger: France: With Nuit debout, a new mass movement rises

Nina Leger reviews recent events in France: With Nuit debout, a new mass movement rises.

How do we create a democratic space that would involve as many people as possible?

It is important to highlight that things have never been that easy on the technical front. Citizens who are competent in the field are currently trying to create digital tools in order to extend the debate online. A few have already been set up.

In the square, people are talking about how to bring these discussion spaces together. We can also be certain that Nuit debout has a lot to teach us on this subject.

How do we create a democratic space that would involve as many people as possible in its tangible construction as well as its actions and decisions? This is the question that needs to be answered.

Admittedly, not being able to see past structural issues can seem like an obstacle. But beside the fact that this issue is not unusual for a mobilisation that has lasted only two weeks, this question can actually be seen as preliminary to all others that follow. The content of discussions will depend on the importance given to each and every one of us, and creating a framework together is the only way to ensure the greatest possible involvement.

This new, horizontal way of debating and taking action and the coming together of thousands of people to think collectively is something worth learning from as much as it is worth participating in.

Because this is where we belong; because these goals are the reasons why we decided to become involved politically; because we are fighting precisely in order to give a voice and power back to the people — and, lest we forget, we too are the people.

That is the reason why we can say “us” when we talk about the citizens gathered on the square, and we will not be able to reinvent the world without this plural “we”, which encompasses a large group of diverse and creative individuals.

Emphasis Mine

Nuit Debout is a worthy successor to the Occupy Movement. It has taken some important lessons from the latter:

• Horizontal decision-making — still a work-in-progress
• General assembly
• Occupation of public places — although more as a guerrilla tactic

Leger also makes a very important point that activists should involve themselves in such movements in order to learn over that of preaching. Lenin was continually interested in knowing the mind of the people as accurately as possible in a timely manner. Without this, the 1917 Revolution would have failed.