Rethink, Renew, Rebuild: Building People’s Power in an Era of Crisis

Abstract Mark Heywood is a South African social justice campaigner whose activism spans 40 years, from fighting for freedom and democracy in the dying days of apartheid to ongoing struggles for human rights to health care, sufficient food and basic education. This 40-year period coincides with a chapter in global politics that encompassed rising hope in freedom, democracy and human rights, to the present period of rising authoritarianism and democracy in crisis. In this special essay, drawing on his own experience, he contrasts the successes of organising and building people’s power to advance human rights to aids treatment in the early 2000s, with the difficulties and threats activists face today. He draws on evidence that shows that, in the context of a social and environmental ‘polycrisis’ the coming years are going to be characterised by deepening social strife and even an existential threat to humanity. In this context, the essay critically analyses the strengths and weaknesses of civil society organising and ends by making some suggestions about why and how activists will have to rethink activism and rebuild mass social movements if a progressive human rights-based politics is to become powerful again.