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Summary
In the beginning of November 2008, the Escanda collective along
with others will be hosting a four-day radical economics gathering.
We will analyse why the current economic system has failed and
we will learn from the possibilities and experiences of those
working despite capitalism to build autonomous networks of production
and circulation from a basis of sustainability, self organization,
solidarity, respect and solcial/environmental justice.
The gathering will focus both on the theory of radical economics
and the practice: working towards creating and building radical
economies within and between our own movements and collectives.
We will provide a space for networking and there will be our very
own radical marketplace for participants to bring, exchange, barter
and give away goods as well as services etc.
Why economics?
Over the last 5 years the Escanda collective and friends have organized
a number of different gatherings and seminars. Ranging from popular
education to renewable energy, from social change to radical
women's politics. This year, we want to provide the space for
skill-sharing, learning, discussion and debate around economics.
Within the different movement we discuss politics - what is wrong
with the system and how we build our own networks, we discuss ecology
- climate change and how we can live more sustainable lives, relations
- how to avoid hierarchies and power relations amongst ourselves,
consumerism, culture, direct action, health, education... but what
about economics?
We all agree that economics is at the very heart of an oppressive
system we live in – but for many of us the very economic
concepts and functioning remain to complex and abstract to deal
with so that our understanding is often being limited to simplified
and populist ideas. During the gathering we hope to radicalize
and deepen our knowledge and critique of both the current economic
system and the various alternatives floating around. We want to
approach this in a self-critical yet constructive way – by
building on existing models and networks of production and circulation,
and by establishing new links within and between communities, be
it on a local or global level.
What?
We want to plan the programme participatively - so please get involved!
We encourage you to add workshops, discussions, documentaries
or any other dynamics (role plays, theatre, etc) that you would
like to see, or that you can help organize. We will keep the
Escanda website (www.escanda.org) updated as content is confirmed.
Please get also subscribed to the economics seminar Email list
by sending a request to <lifedespitecapitalismo@gmail.com> to
get involved in the process.
The following is a breakdown of the main themes of the programme:
Day 1: Economy – The Basics
A day dedicated to deepening our understanding and critique of
the current economic system:
• Definition and clarification of concepts, to include
for example: globalization, neoliberalism and the political economy.
What can we learn from Marxism, how do we define value, labor,
money and exchange, and how does this affect our lives. Market
responses to environmental problems, currency markets, futures
trading!
Day 2: Life Despite Capitalism – What
are the Alternatives?
Day 2 is a chance to review how we manage our needs without money:
e.g. in our families, social centres, shared flats and international
networks. We will also question self-critically how real and
sustainable different proposed alternatives really are:
• Global examples: Zapatistas, Argentina, Spanish civil
war, etc.
• Local examples: cooperative movements, collectives, networks
of consumption, freeware communities, etc.
• Different models: Solidarity Economics, Participatory
Economics, the commons, Anarcho-syndicalism, LETS schemes, etc.
Day 3: Where Do We Go From Here?
The final day of the main programme will bring together participants
to discuss concrete next steps, such as:
• How can we build on already existing autonomous networks
of production and circulation?
• How can we create news links between our communities
to provide for ourselves outside the capitalist marketplace?
• How should we react to the current economic `crisis´
• How can we participate in real alternatives to the current
system?
Day 4: Open Space
An informal and open space day for follow-up work, additional meetings
and networking for participants who are able to stay on a little
longer.
The Autonomous Marketplace
We want to add some substance to discussions and spice to the debate
by running an actual marketplace in parallel to the main programme.
There will be a dedicated space for participants to bring and
display any products they want to exchange! We hope to see not
only goods on offer such as self-grown produce , freeware, printing
presses, power tools, but also services and skill-sharing such
as e.g. bio-construction, plumbing, renewable energy, etc. There
are no rules for exchange! We hope this practical exercise will
help launch discussions about how we value and exchange, barter
etc. and how this market could provide for ourselves seeing it
as permanent space. Please let us know what you will be able
to bring and offer.
Where?
The seminar will be held from the 31st October – 4th November,
2008. It will take place in Escanda, Asturias, in the North of
Spain. Escanda is an autonomous collective – we provide a
space for interaction and cooperation between groups of people,
networks and movements. We aim to practice and experiment with
alternative and radical structures of how to live and work together.
The common thread is non-hierarchical, anticapitalist grassroots
movements, with an emphasis on social change and the environment.
As such Escanda organizes meetings, seminars, courses, trainings,
skill-sharing events and provides space for projects on a wide
variety of different issues.
Interested?
If you are planning on participating in the meeting, please try
and answer at least the following questions:
– What issues and themes would you like to see represented?
– Can you offer a workshop?
– Can you think of any groups or individuals that would be
useful to invite?
– What networks and groups are you involved in and (briefly)
what do they do?
Due to time restraints, it will be hard to have a deeper look
into all the proposed issues if people come to the gathering totally
unprepared. Therefore, we think it would be helpful to get some
communication going about the contents beforehand via the seminar
email list. That means that we will ask people to send information
about their workshop, or other related stuff, before the seminar
begins so we can post it on the Escanda website and sent it to
everyone involved. Please get subscribed at the seminar Email list
by sending a request to <lifedespitecapitalismo@gmail.com>.
Please inscribe yourself, via email or by telephone before 15th
October. We have limited space and facilities for up to 100 participants.
We don’t have funding for the seminar yet, so as it stands
we cannot refund travel or other costs and we will have to ask
for a minimum participation fee for food. The seminar will be bilingual
(Spanish and English). So please let us know whether you are able
and up for translating one or another session.
It is going to be a self-organised gathering, so everyone will
have to help out with the daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning,
logistics, etc. If you are bringing children or have any special
requirements (diet, health etc) please let us know in advance.
For more information please contact lifedespitecapitalismo@gmail.com,
or www.escanda.org
Tlf: 0034-985493696
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