In the wake of hurricane Katrina global fuel prices have risen dramatically. As they do in the wake of any disaster, it seems. Far be it for me to even hint that there might be a little profiteering going on here, so I won’t…
In the UK we are heavily taxed on fuel – of the 90 odd pence we currently pay at the pumps, around 60 pence goes straight to the exchequer. This is a legacy of the accelerated tax brought about by the previous administration in an attempt to persuade us to use less. And didn’t that work a treat?
Five years ago the farming and road haulage lobbies joined forces and blockaded oil refineries and outlets, thereby starving the nation of fuel. In their attempts to persuade the government to accede to their demands, they blackmailed ordinary users – preventing us from going about our daily business. So, while many supported their stance, I like many others, abhorred it. While I sympathize with their position, I do not approve of their methods and never will. Tomorrow, it looks like starting all over again, although they tell us that this will be protest rather than blockade. If that is so, all well and good – and I wish people would resist panic buying; it helps no one.
Protests are a good thing. Look at organisations such as Greenpeace. Through decades of protest they have – rightly or wrongly – influenced public opinion and government policy. For protest to work, you need patience and persistence.
Civil disobedience is a good thing in the right circumstances – Mahatma Ghandi used it to great effect.
“Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes lawless or corrupt.”
It is arguable that such a situation now exists in the UK whereby the government is waging war on our liberties in the name of public protection (why am I reminded of the reign of terror?). Civil disobedience finished off the poll tax and precipitated the demise of Margaret Thatcher’s premiership – so, little people can have an effect. It is a matter of choosing one’s battlefields and fighting those conflicts where there is a reasonable chance of success.
For the first time in my life, I am bracing myself to engage in civil disobedience. I will not register for the national identity register and flatly refuse to carry an identity card. The difference between my actions and the fuel blockades of 2000, is that enough ID card refuseniks will disrupt the process of government – we hurt no one else.
The difference here is twofold. Given the matter in hand; cost of fossil fuels; the fuel lobby is already starting off on the back foot. Protesting for cheaper fossil fuels that will pump yet more hydrocarbons into the atmosphere is not going to win friends and influence people. I know, I know, there’s rank hypocrisy going on, but that’s the reality and the protesters will have to work within that. Also, while protesting outside refineries is fine – it’s peaceful protest – blockades amount to blackmail and no government in its right mind will concede to that. I certainly wouldn’t. Also, should they want to, the authorities can invoke the civil contingencies act to keep the refineries open. This is not a battle that the little people can win.
As I said earlier, we must choose our battlefields. I’ve chosen mine.
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