Non-Profits define the parameters of what are socially acceptable and effective means of community activism. In our society, the dominant class cannot be reasonably expected to actively relinquish its immense wealth and power. Of course then, the dominant class also cannot be reasonably expected to actively support groups that challenge their wealth and power. Instead, they will support groups that strengthen their socio-economic position. The donor rolls for non-profits - filled with names of millionaires, corporations, trusts, foundations and government entities - should clearly demonstrate whose purpose non-profits truly serve.
Every non-profit that we have encountered, without exception gets a huge portion - if not a huge majority - of their funding either directly from the government or from private donors, trusts, foundations and corporations who receive large tax exemptions from the government. Not only is this unsustainable but it means that in order to insure continued funding, the interests, goals, vision, and actions of the non-profits have to fall somewhere within the spectrum of what is deemed acceptable by the dominant political and economic interests that their funders represent. These political and economic interests are the same interests that created and maintain the inequalities that non-profits are fighting.
Non-profits are the politically correct and encouraged method of affecting social change precisely because they fall within the constraints of the dominant political economy. Only organizations with non-profit status are able to tap certain MASSIVE economic reservoirs. But in order to be legally considered a non-profit, an organization must meet certain requirements and fill out dozens of pages of applications and accompanying forms. This process provides for significant government oversight and intervention.
Why don’t we see more organizations truly rooted in the community, organizations that are not based on money but that share in the trials and tribulations of the community and dedicate their lives to overcome them? Organizations like the one just described find them selves in an extremely precarious position. On the one hand, if they become a non-profit they have the luxury of massive stores of money available to them. On the other hand, that money is tied to the interests of the dominant class and accepting it requires acquiescence to government oversight. Government oversight in and of itself precludes certain organizations from receiving non-profit status. If an organization is fundamentally opposed to the government - and the dominant social class they represent - they are effectively ineligible for non-profit status or they are forced to conform. Most organizations end up incorporating as non-profits because of the economic benefits of doing so and the economic penalties of not doing so. In other words, tax laws are structured in such a way as to define socially acceptable means of affecting meaningful change, punishing non non-profits and supporting non-profits.
Many caring individuals donate to certain non-profits because they genuinely care about and support the issue/s that that organization is addressing and they believe that that organization will use the money in an effective manner. But as earlier illustrated, the non-profit model is inherently incapable of creating fundamental change because they are beholden to certain economic and political interests as well as subject to government supervision. So what does this mean for individuals who want to use their money in support of real social change? We already discussed the government’s carrot and stick methods of weeding out groups that seek systematic change. Even if an individual donor gets linked up with one of these rare, truly community based organizations and he/she wants to donate money, problems arise. First, these types of organization typically get little mainstream press and if they do it tends to be negative and bias (the Black Panthers come to mind). This means that the donor - instead of getting public praise and garnering interest for the cause – receives bad press. Additionally, since the organization is not legally defined as a non-profit, the donor gets no tax breaks, allowing him/her to donate less as well as forcing their support of the government through taxes. All of this is what we mean when we say non-Profits define the parameters of what are socially acceptable and effective means of community activism.
BLESS
LUKE 12:48
