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POLITICAL CONSUMERISM 285

The theoreticians of new social move- both within movement and between move-
ments had already identified this relative dis- ments. This allows for the generation of ‘new
affection with political institutions and the ethical forms, new moralities, that are seep-
restructuring of collective action in the cul- ing into the smallest crevices of society and
tural space in order to fight institutions from are becoming the ways in which we think the
the outside (Kriesi et al., 1995; Melucci good life can be lived’ (Jordan, 2002: 23). He
1989, 1996; Offe, 1987). They concluded shows how concrete and immediate experi-
that collective action increasingly assumes ence of change has become a focal point of
intricate and shifting forms, which are more the new ethics, which is being woven within
supple, and sometimes submerged and inac- the range of progressive thought. According
tive. The issues are increasingly removed to him, the ‘new activism’ places respect for
from those of the world of work and class difference and solidarity among those who
struggles, touching instead on personal con- respect these differences at the centre of its
ditions of existence and the recognition of ethic. Furthermore, disillusioned by both
social and political rights. Klaus Eder (1985, reformism and revolution, an increasingly
1993) even speaks of the moral crusade of a significant activist fringe is involved in con-
very broad ‘middle class’, quite well inte- crete (experimental) activities that create,
grated into the economic system, that tries to sometimes only fleetingly, the social rela-
influence the development of societies in tionships which they envisage for the society
terms of its cultural and economic ‘post- of tomorrow. This partially explains the multi-
materialist’ interests. plication of direct actions, experiments with
Jacques Ion (1997a, 1997b, 1994) has direct democracy, occupations, and alternative
identified an important alteration in the practices for production, distribution and con-
process of civic, social and political engage- sumption. Thus, the significance of political
ment since the 1970s. His thesis is that, in action is no longer limited to Policy, with a
industrial societies, the individual belonged, capital P, but also concerns policy as expressed
often on the basis of class identity, to one outside institutions, in daily social relation-
hierarchical, centralized, federated organiza- ships between groups and between individuals.
tion, where he or she was lost in the masses. The individual form of this type of politi-
Today, particularly since the 1980s, the indi- cal involvement would be what Miguel
vidual negotiates a more ‘selective’ or ‘flexi- Benasayag and Florence Aubenas (2002)
ble’ commitment to some organizations or describe as ‘dissenting subjectivity’ (subjec-
1
some causes. Therefore, rather than belong- tivité contestataire), a reflexive mode of
ing, we associate with organizations. This being that seeks to maintain a psychologi-
form of commitment is less restrictive than cally satisfying equilibrium (reducing cogni-
total commitment; it allows people to define tive dissonance) between personal beliefs
their level of commitment themselves and to (moral, ethical and political positions) and
express their selves. Over time, not only is the the social conditions of existence that go
mode of belonging changing, but so too are beyond what the individual can control. In
the modes of organization and the process of this concept of being, coherence can only be
construction of public issues. attained through the search for lifestyles
Tim Jordan (2002), in a study of radical which are consistent with one’s beliefs. In
forms of activism, also notes that current rad- this sense, daily acts of consumption may
ical political action is taking on more subjec- acquire political significance if they persist
tive forms, and is increasingly oriented over time and if the individuals participate in
towards actually experiencing the desired the social networks that develop counter-
society. For him, contemporary social move- hegemonic discourses and practices.
ments, in addition to fighting institutions, are In L’écologie au quotidien (Ecology in
engaged in discussion and experimentation, Everyday Life), Michelle Dobré (2002)