ACFM ACFM Trip 55: Parties
Oct 19, 2025
The discussion delves into the intriguing connections between political and social parties. The hosts explore whether political parties still hold relevance in fostering unity or if they inevitably create exclusivity. They also reflect on the historical evolution of partisanship and the impact of modern digital platforms on political organization. With a nod to the Paris Commune and personal anecdotes about dance parties, they contemplate the fundamental functions that parties should serve in today's society. Ultimately, they advocate for a blend of political and social spaces to rebuild community trust.
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Party Means Both Gather And Separate
- The word “party” links political grouping and festive social gatherings through shared roots of separation and gathering.
- Parties simultaneously include and exclude, shaping identity by defining who is in and who is out.
Mass Parties Need Mass Society
- Mass political parties emerged with mass suffrage and industrial society, linking social life to formal political organisations.
- The formal membership party is historically recent and relies on shared social institutions to thrive.
Platform Capitalism Rebuilds Masses Online
- Fordist mass parties depended on homogeneous workplaces and local social hubs like clubs and dances.
- Platform capitalism reaggregates masses digitally but breaks inherited institutions that previously supported party life.
