In my previous two blogposts I wrote about the years' old links between big business and politics and I proposed some tools to analyse the current political situation in Malta.
I wish to emphasize that
- One hegemonic formation can be replaced by another. For this to happen, adversaries of the ruling bloc need to set aside their differences and focus on what unites them in the articulation of an alternative hegemonic formation. On a micro-level, such strategies reaped success in various civil society conflicts with the support of political actors, under different goverments. It also explains the construction of hegemonic formations in the form of different PL and PN governments. Conversely, factionalism, sectarianism and puritanism work to the benefit of the ruling bloc.
- The current hegemonic formation can witness internal struggles to maintain power and incumbency whilst removing its political liabilities . The questions here are whether such struggles are taking place within Labour and, conversely, whether the ruling bloc can survive the current situation through its networks of power and the logic of numbers.
- Force majeur should never be underestimated, but it can never be predicted. Some possible guesses: the judicial process can open various cans of worms, possibly leading to implosion; political ruptures may take place beyond the current way of things; conversely the 'invisible' and 'silent' majority may be not primarily concerned with what is dominating the mediasphere.
The future is unwritten, but one can help push history towards certain directions through political encounters. I insist that the bigger picture should precede factionalism, sectarianism and puritanism.
