[p2p-research] Fwd: A Better Way to Make Money [Fwd: spme more inspiration...]
Michel Bauwens
michelsub2004 at gmail.com
Sat Jan 24 06:59:48 CET 2009
the first link, an article by george monbiot, making the case for
complementary currencies is a very good explanation for beginners, more
down: us solidarity economy convention,
Michel
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Robin <robokow at gmail.com>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nina Smolyar <zeamoondreamir at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 6:09 AM
Subject: Re: spme more inspiration...
To: bostonbean at googlegroups.com
Hello,
here's a concise article for this group's work
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/21-3
take care,
nina
On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 2:23 PM, Susie Husted <susie_husted at yahoo.com>
wrote:
> FYI-
>
> --- On Fri, 1/16/09, Emily Kawano <emily at populareconomics.org> wrote:
>
> From: Emily Kawano <emily at populareconomics.org>
> Subject: [USSF-NE] Forum on the Solidarity Economy
> To: ussf-ne at ussf2007.org
> Date: Friday, January 16, 2009, 1:25 PM
>
> Please circulate as widely as possible. Thanks!
>
> The U.S. Solidarity Economy Network
>
> invites you to the first national
>
>
>
> Forum on the Solidarity Economy:
>
> Building Another World
>
>
>
> March 19-22, 2009 w Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst
>
>
>
> Co-convened with Universidad de los Andes (Venezuela) & RIPESS-N.A.
> (Intercontinental Social Solidarity Network-N. America)
>
> The first U.S. Forum on the Solidarity Economy aims to bring together a
> diverse array of people and organizations to share ideas and practices, to
> forge new connections, and to build a more powerful and cohesive movement
> for a just, democratic and sustainable economy. This four day conference
> will include an inspiring range of solidarity economy tours, workshops,
> plenaries and cultural events. We invite solidarity economy practitioners
> and resource organizations, social movement activists, workers, academics,
> students, researchers, cultural workers, journalists and other fellow
> travelers, to come and be part of the growing global movement to build
> 'another economy' and 'another world'.
>
>
>
> What is the solidarity economy?
>
>
>
> The Solidarity Economy (SE) is an alternative framework for economic
> development that is grounded in principles of solidarity, equity in all
> dimensions, participatory democracy, sustainability and pluralism. The
> solidarity economy framework seeks transformation rather than band-aid
> solutions, yet rejects one-size-fits-all blueprints. It isn't abstract
> theory nor pie in the sky utopianism. Rather, it pulls together and builds
> upon the many elements of the solidarity economy that already exist. Some
> are new innovations, some are old. Other elements have yet to be realized
or
> even imagined, and the journey of creation is ongoing.
>
> Growing Movement
>
> A vibrant movement for another economy is growing in the U.S. and around
the
> world. People are working together to build an economy that is grounded in
> principles of social solidarity, cooperation, egalitarianism,
sustainability
> and economic democracy.
>
> Indeed, we need not build a new economy from scratch; the seeds of a
robust
> solidarity economy are already planted. Many features of existing
economies
> are likely 'keepers', for example, environmental protections, minimum wage
> and labor regulations and public education. Other elements of the
solidarity
> economy could be characterized as 'economic alternatives' such as worker,
> consumer and housing cooperatives, land trusts, social currencies,
community
> supported agriculture, social investment funds, participatory budgeting,
> green technologies, and the commons movement. Solidarity economy practices
> are also powerfully rooted in social and economic justice movements that
are
> organizing against the oppression of women, people of color, poor people,
> people with disabilities, workers, immigrants, indigenous peoples and
> against the destruction of the planet.
>
> Taken together, all of these elements offer stepping stones toward a new
way
> of organizing our economy that social movements around the world are
calling
> the "solidarity economy." There is a growing global movement to advance
this
> framework as an alternative to the failed model of neoliberal,[1]
> corporate-dominated globalization.
>
> While some elements of the solidarity economy have existed for hundreds of
> years, the framework itself is young and still evolving. Defining the
> solidarity economy is an ongoing process of practice, research,
reflection,
> discussion, and debate, and we look forward to engaging with all of you
with
> open minds and spirits.
>
> Why a Forum on the Solidarity Economy
>
>
>
> We face today an historic opening to create and push for a new framework
for
> social and economic development – one that puts people and planet before
> private profits and power. There are serious cracks in the ruling model of
> economic globalization that we call neoliberalism. Its policies that
> privilege big corporations and Wall Street have contributed very
generously
> to the crisis that we currently face: a world sliding into a serious
> economic downturn, greased by a teetering financial system, an obscene
> divide between rich and poor, deepening poverty, growing unemployment,
> rising food and energy prices, and climate change.
>
>
>
> Its global promoters - the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and
> the World Trade Organization are dogged by protesters and beleaguered by
> criticism from outside and inside their ranks. In Brazil, Venezuela,
Chile,
> Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Bolivia, left-leaning
governments
> have been swept to power under the banner of anti-neoliberalism.
>
>
>
> Ironically, the global penetration of neoliberalism has created conditions
> of misery and poverty that are fueling the growth of the solidarity
> economy. In the midst of growing inequality and corporate power,
government
> cutbacks, privatization and de-regulation, many people and communities are
> building pieces of the solidarity economy. These may be acts of
resistance,
> idealism, practicality, survival or desperation. In Brazil and
Venezuela[2]
> the government and grassroots are working together to foster the social
> solidarity economy with remarkable success.
>
>
>
> In the context of the current economic crisis and the possible death
throes
> of neoliberalism, we have an opportunity to push for a fundamental
> transformation in our economic and social system, one in which the very
> assumptions about 'what the economy is for' are challenged and
transformed.
> Is the economy about maximizing profits and growth, producing and
consuming
> ever more and more, and a rising stock market? Or should it be about
people,
> our communities, connecting with family, friends, neighbors, kindred
spirits
> and fellow humans; decent healthcare, jobs, education, and a healthy
> environment; opportunities to realize the best of our human potential;
and
> the ability to have a say in how we achieve all of this? The solidarity
> economy is a global movement to push for the latter kind of economy.[3]
>
>
>
> While the U.S. has many solidarity economy practices and institutions, the
> term itself is almost unknown in this country. This Forum on the
Solidarity
> Economy seeks to remedy that. In the midst of what has been called the
worst
> economic crisis since the Great Depression, it is time to build the
> solidarity economy in the U.S and link up with the global movement for
> economic and social transformation. The Forum will be a space to meet,
> network, learn, discuss, debate, share, strategize, tour the local
> solidarity economy, celebrate and join the movement.
>
>
>
> Aims of the Forum
>
>
>
> 1) Raise awareness and understanding of the solidarity economy among
> the general public, practitioners, support organizations, labor,
academics,
> and social movements.
>
> 2) Strengthen cross-national linkages between all social solidarity
> economy sectors, practitioners, academics, and social movements. This
> includes strengthening linkages through RIPESS (see co-convenors below)
and
> its continental networks.
>
> 3) Build up the U.S. Solidarity Economy Network and strengthen
linkages
> between all solidarity economy sectors in this country.
>
> 4) Identify concrete strategies to advance the solidarity economy and
> where possible lay the groundwork for implementation.
>
> 5) Celebrate the solidarity economy.
>
> 6) Publish a book of the conference proceedings.
>
> 7) Publish a special issue of the Cayapa (Venezuelan journal on the
> social solidarity economy) focusing on the social solidarity economy in
the
> U.S.
>
> 8) Seed a cross-national research working group on the social
solidarity
> economy.
>
>
>
> Co-conveners
>
>
>
> The U.S. Solidarity Economy Network (SEN) has convened this Forum as the
> first such conference on the solidarity economy in the U.S. SEN emerged
out
> of a series of solidarity economy meetings at the U.S. Social Forum in
June
> 2007. This Forum will be our inaugural meeting and we have interspersed
> several SEN organizational meetings in the schedule where we will make key
> decisions about structure, strategy and priorities. These meetings are
open
> to anyone and we welcome input from all, although only members will be
> allowed to vote. Individuals and organizations will be able to join SEN at
> the Forum.
>
>
>
> We are delighted that the Universidad de los Andes in Venezuela is
working
> with us to convene this Forum. It just so happened that they were planning
a
> conference in the U.S., focusing on the social solidarity economy in both
> the U.S. and Venezuela around the same time that we were planning to have
> ours. It made sense to combine the conferences and work together.
Venezuela
> is engaged in some of the most innovative and wide-reaching initiatives to
> build the solidarity economy, in large part due to the serious support of
> the Venezuelan government. At the same time, we want to be clear that this
> is one model among many, and while tremendously important and inspiring,
it
> is not the only path.
>
>
>
> We are also happy to have RIPESS (Intercontinental Network for the
Promotion
> of the Social Solidarity Economy) on board. This global network of
networks
> connects solidarity economy networks that exist in North and South
America,
> Europe, Asia and Africa. RIPESS was instrumental in SEN's founding
meetings
> at the U.S. Social Forum, and brings to this conference great knowledge,
> experience, and international connections regarding the solidarity
economy.
> RIPESS will be having its Fourth International Forum on the Solidarity
> Economy in April 2009 in Luxemburg. We plan to organize a delegation from
> the U.S. to attend the Luxemburg conference and will dovetail this effort
> with the organizing and outreach for our Forum.
>
>
>
> Forum Participation
>
>
>
> The program will kick off on Thursday March 19 with a tour of the
solidarity
> economy in the Pioneer Valley. The rest of the program will include
> plenaries, concurrent workshops, and cultural events. We are working hard
to
> integrate a process in which participants get to meet each other,
brainstorm
> and strategize. Our hope is that people will take away some concrete next
> steps.
>
> We currently have 10 broad tracks for workshops. Workshops can be cross
> listed under multiple tracks.
>
> 1) Solidarity based finance, complementary currency
>
> 2) Commons movement, social welfare programs, housing
>
> 3) Solidarity based production, jobs, labor, unions
>
> 4) Solidarity based distribution, marketing, consumption
>
> 5) Solidarity Economy (SE) & the environment, sustainability, climate
> change
>
> 6) SE & food sovereignty, food security, agricultural sustainability
>
> 7) SE & democratic participation/ local economies
>
> 8) SE research, measurement, collaborations
>
> 9) SE networking, organizing & social movements
>
> 10) Housing, land and community
>
> If you are interested in organizing a workshop, please send in your
> Registration and Workshop Proposal Form by Jan. 23rd. We will try to
> accommodate as many proposals as possible while maintaining a balance in
> terms of what (issue), who (race, class, gender, age, academic, SE
> practitioner, SE support organization, activist), and where (geographical
> base).
>
> Support the Forum on the Solidarity Economy
> Co-sponsorship: Support the Forum on the Solidarity Economy by
co-sponsoring
> the event. This means including your organization's name in our materials,
> providing a sliding scale contribution and helping with outreach. For more
> details, see FSE Co-sponsorship.
>
> Buy an ad: Support the Forum by taking out an ad in the FSE Program
Booklet.
> For rates and deadlines, see FSE ads.
>
> Join us!
>
> Mark your calendars! Save the date! Spread the word! Another world is
> possible and the foundation exists all around us. Come and build the
> solidarity economy together.
> For more information or to get involved in a working group, please
contact:
> Emily Kawano, Coordinator, U.S. Solidarity Economy Network, www.ussen.org,
> 413-545-0743, emily at populareconomics.org
>
> U.S. Solidarity Economy Network Coordinating Committee
> Carl Davidson, Global Studies Association, N. America
> Tanya Dawkins, Global-Local Links
> Jessica Gordon Nembhard, Eastern Conference for Workplace Democracy
> Melissa Hoover & John Parker, U.S. Federation of Worker Coops
> Emily Kawano, Director, U.S. SEN & Center for Popular Economics
> Julie Matthaei & Jenna Allard, Guramylay: Building the Green Economy
> Michael Menser, Amer. Fed. of Teachers, City Univ., NW
> Ethan Miller, Grassroots Economic Organizing
> Cliff Rosenthal & Dan Apfel, National Federation of Community Development
> Credit Unions
> Neelam Sharma, Community Services Unlimited
> Dan Swinney & Erica Swinney, Center for Labor and Community Research
> Elandria Williams, Highlander Research & Education Center
> ________________________________
>
> [1] Neoliberalism is currently the dominant global economic model which
> favors the corporate and financial elite by pushing for an agenda of
> privatization, de-regulation, lower taxes, 'free' trade and markets, and
> minimal government.
>
>
>
> [2] In Venezuela the term "social economy" is often used instead of
> "solidarity economy" to refer to transformative economic institutions and
> organizing efforts. In other countries, most notably Canada and the E.U.,
> "social economy" refers to enterprises with a social aims and doesn't
> necessarily embrace broad economic transformation.
>
> [3] More information about the solidarity economy framework, including
> articles and in-depth papers, can be found in SEN's Resource Library at
> http://www.ussen/node/resource_library
>
> --
> Emily Kawano
> Exec. Dir., Center for Popular Economics
> 413-545-0743
>
>
> --
> Emily Kawano
> Exec. Dir., Center for Popular Economics
> 413-545-0743
>
> _______________________________________________
> USSF-NE mailing list
> USSF-NE at ussf2007.org
> http://ussf2007.org/mailman/listinfo/ussf-ne_ussf2007.org
>
> >
>
--
A human being is part of the whole, called by us "Universe," a part
limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few
persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
creatures and the whole [of] nature in its beauty. ~Albert Einstein,
1950
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