Blog PostsParecon Reform Campaign
By Tyler Tarwater at Mar 30, 2009 |
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If you haven't already, please read Michael's Demand, Don't Succumb. Earlier tonight, at our weekly Atlanta Parsoc meeting, our group discussed this article. We agreed that organizing around these radical demands seems like a great idea, and we are eager to start working on it. Here is a summarized list of demands that Michael suggests as a response to the economic crisis:
- A moratorium on foreclosures (excluding houses valued over $1 million). Allow homeowners to refinance their mortgage to an amount and rate that they can afford.
- A moratorium on layoffs, and no cuts in workers total pay. If workers hours are cut, they must receive an increase in their wage to maintain their total pay.
- Owners of any business with over 20 employees or $5 million in assets must continue operating, despite any reduction in profits or losses, OR hand over their business to the workforce and surrounding community.
- To reduce unemployment, all workers have their work week cut by 10%, without reducing pay- creating an incentive for firms to hire more workers.
There are more details in the essay, including an idea about how communities can use participatory meetings to determine how mortgage write down amounts will be allocated throughout the community.
The point is that we are eager to actually work towards these demands because we think they are great reforms, and we think we can struggle for them in the context of also raising awareness of our alternative economic vision, parecon. We also think that this campaign could be more effective than many people might think, as we suspect working people across the country are ready to make some radical demands.
I'm writing this post to see who else out there in the Z community wants to organize around these demands, or perhaps a similar set of economic demands that we prefer? Such an ambitious plan must be a nationally organized campaign-- are there others out there who are interested? Please comment or e-mail me. We need to discuss how to move forward.
Re: Parecon Reform Campaign
By George, Justin at Apr 10, 2009 05:12 AM
Hi Tyler,
We're meeting tomorrow, so I'll present this as an idea for a potential project for the Australian/Melbourne group to possibly look at. I know it's not the national campaign you envision. I'll let you know what/if we decide anything.
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By Rendon, G.l. at Apr 03, 2009 06:06 AM
I enjoy the idea but my concern is maybe the demands are a bit too large is scope. I think a moratorium on foreclosures are is a great idea and one that resonates with a lot of people and organizations right now, and I particularly like this demand:
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Re:
By Mayka, Revolution at Apr 05, 2009 14:12 PM
how do you mean too broad? do you mean too radical? i think it's good to make it broad cuz then we're helping set the parameters for debate right? reforms with a radical change in mind are good right?
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Re: Re:
By Rendon, G.l. at Apr 08, 2009 07:05 AM
I mean it may be too broad, too large. Again, it's a concern, something I could be right or wrong about. I think if there's too many demands, all pretty radical, then the whole think could become irrelevant.
"reforms with a radical change in mind are good right?" They are, but millions have been trying to reform things since the rise of capitalism - the question is how best to execute reforms (or radical changes) at this point.
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