Australian Left Review
Article Title
Disarming Directions
Abstract
The international upsurge in the peace and disarmament movements has been strongly reflected in Australia. But, as the recent election showed — the Australian movement has not developed sufficient political clout to impose disarmament as an issue for our major political parties. But the movement’s experiences themselves suggest ways that can lead it towards becoming the irresistible force necessary to rid the world of the nuclear threat. Movements will always be pluralist by nature and cannot be confined to any one set of slogans. Between the slogans and their realisation there will be many partial measures if existing opportunities, even limited opportunities, are not taken up and acted upon, the movement will condemn itself to ritual. The greatest challenge lies in convincing people that they can take effective action against the threat of nuclear war as part of a movement to gain control over their own lives.