[p2p-research] [ox-en] Project / Book

Thu May 28 03:47:50 CEST 2009

Dear Mathieu,

I am no longer following the Oekonux and won't for the foreseeable future,
since I could not accept Stefan's behaviour in regard of debates.

As for the book, I think there must be several ones going round, and there
is one where I'm working with Phoebe and Athina, which you can see here:
http://p2pfoundation.net/P2P_Theory_Books. Your book is certainly a good
idea as well, and I'm happy to collaborate. Our book covers some of the same
ground, but is not Marxist, but a pluralist set of foundational readings on
P2P Theory.

Stefan was originally involved, but as he attempted to impose a similar
diktat to the Oekonux list, i.e. no discussion on financial issues, it was
something I could not accept, so I preferred to continue without him on that
particular project. I really can't work with people who have intellectual
taboos on such an important aspect of the transition. A part from that, I'm
open to all kinds of collaboration where open debate can be maintained.

I'm happy to engage with some of your topical discussions, I will respond to
them, from my own perspective, in a separate message,

Michel

On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 6:50 AM, Mathieu O'Neil <mathieu.oneil at anu.edu.au>wrote:

> Hi Michel
>
> Not sure if you are still following debates on the main [ox] list?
> Since the following proposition concerns you directly i thought i should
> forward it to make sure you have a chance to see it...
> Best,
>
> mathieu
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mathieu O'Neil <mathieu.oneil at anu.edu.au>
> Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 12:50 pm
> Subject: [ox-en] Project / Book
> To: list-en at oekonux.org
>
> > [Converted from multipart/alternative]
> >
> > [1 text/plain]
> > Hi all
> >
> > The recent posts about the "social economy" have led me to
> > consider some issues that I have not seen discussed on [ox] or
> > P2PF for that matter. For example, where does the [ox] community
> > stand on the issue of growth? There is a recent push to rebrand
> > capitalism as "green" (see Obama in the US, Sarkozy and Cohn-
> > Bendit in Europe). But this green capitalism - from the Left or
> > Right - is still based on the unlimited accumulation of stuff.
> > An alternative to growth is what is known in French as "la
> > decroissance" - a-growth, like you could talk about atheism as
> > the opposite of religion. So ecological issues have to be
> > thought about. The alienation of nature, not just the alienation
> > of people. This would help to connect peer production to a very
> > dynamic sector of radical thought.
> >
> > Then there's the question of elitism. Something I mention from
> > time to time in relation to expertise. How to reconcile the fact
> > of being a "big man" in a community because of technical
> > competency with a democratic structure? There is no equality
> > when some people have access to tools and controls which others
> > don't understand. The bigger the technical system, the more
> > technocratic power grows. This is the critique of technology
> > made by Jacques Ellul and others. Something else that needs to
> > be though about. Plus, how do complex technical systems such as
> > hospitals, airports, electricity grids operate in the type of
> > "commonalist" (you know what I mean) society which I see
> > described (for example) by Christian Siefkes? Do we go back to a
> > village structure where specialised tasks are impossible? What
> > happens to neurosurgeons? Do they disappear?
> >
> > In general I have been thinking about what [ox] is for. My short
> > answer: [ox] aims to disseminate the idea that peer production
> > is a valid alternative to capitalism. That's why the points
> > above need to be addressed, at some point.
> >
> > There has been some conflict on the lists about the differing
> > approaches of [ox] and P2PF. Now, I think the theoretical tools
> > of "political economy" or the marxist tradition are highly
> > appropriate for discussing capitalism (I don't necessarily
> > subscribe to this tradition's received conclusions - capitalism
> > will collapse because of its contradictions, certain classes
> > have a revolutionary role, etc.). In any cases references to
> > marxism also raise issues.
> >
> > First, there are many variants of marxist thought - for example
> > until I read [extracts from] Johan Joderbergh's "Hacking
> > Capitalism" I had not detected in too many writings on peer
> > production an acknowledgement of the autonomist current of Negri
> > and others. Johan's text makes the crucial point - already made
> > by the Situationnists amongst others - that free software is a
> > reaction to the quality of life in modern society, i.e. to boredom.
> >
> > Second, I don't see how markets and exchange will disappear very
> > quickly. There are simply too many interests out there for this
> > to happen. At some point we have to face reality: the only way
> > this could happen is through a violent social revolution, which
> > would seem to contradict the peaceful approach of peer
> > production. So I think it is crucially important for [ox] to
> > maintain its engagement with "fellow travellers" such as Michel
> > Bauwens / P2PF who can bring interesting perspectives to bear.
> >
> > Which brings me to current projects in the service of
> > disseminating the idea that peer production is a valid
> > alternative to capitalism.
> >
> > As far as the website goes, I think a consensus is emerging as
> > to what it could be like.=20
> >
> > Concerning visuals, my preference would go to a simpler and
> > uncluttered look, such as what First Monday has. There needs to
> > be an easy way to upload new content.=20
> >
> > Regarding the feed from the list, that sounds like a good way to
> > bring new content in - however not everyone posting to the list
> > may be comfortable with having their posts displayed more
> > prominently? In any case the website needs content.
> >
> > So, I have also been thinking about the book project. There has
> > apparently been some "behind the scenes" action about this.
> > Sorry if what follows is too blatant, I think the benefits of
> > open discussion are paramount. I have come up with a suggestion
> > for possible chapters, i.e. this is what a book exploring the
> > issue - a marxist-theoretical analysis of peer production as an
> > alternative to capitalism - should have at a minimum. It is of
> > course incomplete, to be used as a base for discussion.
> >
> > Following my readings of people in and around [ox] I also
> > suggest possible authors, as if someone has - for example -
> > published a book on a relevant topic it sort of makes sense to
> > have them involved. At the same time in all cases several
> > authors could be involved, or the issues can be discussed
> > onlist, hence the use of "Oekonux" as an author in all
> > cases. Based on previous experience, ideally chapters should
> > have about 6,000 words.
> >
> >
> >
> > PEER PRODUCTION AND CAPITALISM
> >
> > by OEKONUX
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 1: Introduction
> >
> > Content: Short general introduction to book and chapters. Peer
> > production as already existing challenge to capital; but it is
> > also coopted by capital (free content serves to justify the
> > consumption of hardware for example). Need to consider free
> > software / free hardware not just as challenge to copyright but
> > as social / production process with broader potential.
> >
> > Author: Oekonux
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 2: Peer production as a germ form
> >
> > Content: Explanation of free software and peer production,
> > concept of "Selbstentfaltung".
> >
> > Author: Stefan Merten / Oekonux
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 3: Peer production and the Marxist tradition
> >
> > Content: How does peer production relate to different strands of
> > marxist theory today - German tradition (?), Althusser (?),
> > Callinicos (?), Harvey (?), Negri/Tronti (?), etc.
> >
> > Author: ?? / Oekonux=20
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 4: Peer production and labour
> >
> > Content: Hacking as reaction to boredom, "radical role of
> > hackers in preventing labour market from being sole determinant
> > of allocation of programming resource in society".
> >
> > Author: Johann Soderberg / Oekonux
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 5: Peer production and growth
> >
> > Content: Against Left and Right "green capitalism" - need to
> > consider relationship of peer production to productivity and growth.
> >
> > Author: Oekonux / I could contribute some ideas to this.
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 6: Challenges of contemporary hardware projects
> >
> > Content: Overview of current projects that exist today that
> > apply peer production principles.
> >
> > Author: ?? / Oekonux
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 7: A complete social model
> >
> > Content: How could a peer production society work - Siefkes'
> > weighed contributions, d-pool, stigmergic, etc. Other models?
> >
> > Author: Christian Siefkes / Oekonux
> >
> >
> >
> > Chapter 8: Alternative to Oekonux
> >
> > Content: There has been some disagreement with friends in P2P
> > about issues such as the role of money and markets in a non-
> > alienated way. Rather than excommunicating those we disagree
> > with we should have a dialogue with them. In fact this chapter
> > could be in the form of a dialogue between the two perspectives.
> > This would make the book more self-critical, more reflexive and
> > help it to breathe a bit.=20
> >
> > Author: Michel Bauwens / P2PF / Oekonux
> >
> >
> >
> > Other possible chapters could deal with:
> >
> > - expertise / elitism=20
> >
> > - role of "others", such as women in peer production (not sure
> > about that - maybe just needs to be acknowledged in introduction
> > that there can be barriers to entry and that these should be
> > fought wherever applicable)
> >
> > - art
> >
> > - etc?
> >
> >
> >
> > Finally, I did not put in a chapter on organisation in peer
> > production or "peer governance" which I would be qualified to
> > write as this does not directly relate to capital - I'm not
> > against it, just thought it was a bit outside.
> >
> >
> >
> > Some of these chapters are already written in some sense (2, 4,
> > 7 and 8 if you count the list discussions). Others would need to
> > find primary authors. What do people think?=20
> >
> >
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> >
> >
> > Mathieu O'Neil
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > [2 text/html]
> > _________________________________
> > Web-Site: http://www.oekonux.org/
> > Organization: http://www.oekonux.de/projekt/
> > Contact: projekt at oekonux.de
>
> ****
> Dr Mathieu O'Neil
> Adjunct Research Fellow
> Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute
> College of Arts and Social Science
> The Australian National University
>
> E-mail: mathieu.oneil at anu.edu.au
> Tel.: (61 02) 61 25 38 00
> Web: http://adsri.anu.edu.au/people/visitors/mathieu.php
> Mail: Coombs Building, 9
> Canberra, ACT 0200 - AUSTRALIA
>
>

-- 
Working at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhurakij_Pundit_University -
http://www.dpu.ac.th/dpuic/info/Research.html -
http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI

Volunteering at the P2P Foundation:
http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net -
http://p2pfoundation.ning.com

Monitor updates at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens

The work of the P2P Foundation is supported by SHIFTN,
http://www.shiftn.com/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listcultures.org/pipermail/p2presearch_listcultures.org/attachments/20090528/c41ad773/attachment-0001.html>