1 Stop doomscrolling

It seems trite, but while the internet can be a powerful tool to stay informed, passively consuming streams of depressing content is no replacement for connecting with others. Finding a political home, and people to share it with, is vital if we are to resist divisive rhetoric. Learn from those who are pushing back, take energy from working together and find joy in participating in a movement.

2 Join or become active in a trade union

Trade unionism is vital to the fight back against reactionary forces. Workplace organizing helps to combat the disillusionment, which the right feeds off, by improving pay and conditions, while better worker protections are a way to reverse decline in public services. Above all, unions are a powerful way to build co-operation and trust between workers, laying the groundwork for systemic change. Their reach can be hugely threatening to the right – which is of course why they regularly come under fire from it.

3 Think local

All across the world, no matter the political climate, people find ways to work together towards a common goal: be that plugging a gap in public services, protecting their most vulnerable neighbours, or empowering each other in a hostile environment. If you’re lacking a political home, find out about community initiatives in your city or local area. What mutual aid projects are in operation? Are there active anti-raids groups standing in solidarity with migrant communities or is there a queer support network? If not, can you find someone to start one with?

4 Boycott hate

Some of the far right’s most powerful enablers sit in Silicon Valley. Today’s tech giants don’t just host reactionary content, they actively shape and profit from it. Avoiding Big Tech is difficult in a world they dominate, but there are growing alternatives. Signal for encrypted messaging, Riseup for secure mail and decentralized social media platforms all offer ways to reduce dependence on the tools that enable hate. And while we’re on boycotts, refusing to support the wider industries and corporations fuelling war and climate breakdown – crises that feed the far right – wouldn’t go amiss either. Their license to invest in the fossil fuel industry and the arms trade is in the public’s hands.

5 Legal action

Although community and street resistance are key to any movement, legal actions are also playing a crucial role in undermining reactionary attempts to curtail freedoms, monopolize markets and revoke human rights. In the US, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union are working to halt Trump’s war on migrants, while UK organizations like the Good Law Project are fighting against repressive legislation. But this comes at a cost – if you are able, financially supporting these initiatives can go a long way.1,2

  1. Support ACLU’s emergency lawsuit to halt the Trump administration’s mass deportations push here: a.nin.tl/AlientAct
  2. Support the Good Law Project here: goodlawproject.org/donate