[p2p-research] Update: Participatory Socialist International

Sun Mar 7 10:38:56 CET 2010

I endorsed the message below, on a individual basis, despite  initial
misgivings, believe it or not, under the recommendation of Ryan, but also
because of the list of names already present, I would consider Chomsky as
sufficient caution here, and the stress of the document on the
'participatory' character. I do not characterise myself as 'socialist' in
any particular way, I consider a historical tradition that carries too much
weight to be of use. In particular, this initiative carries a possible
stigma in the funding by a well-known Latin American caudillo with possible
authoritarian leanings ... to be continued. But if the existing socialist
forces, particularly in Latin America, can be pushed in a participatory
direction, then this initiative will have been worth it,

Michel

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <no-reply at zcommunications.org>
Date: Sun, Mar 7, 2010 at 2:30 AM
Subject: ZCom Update: Participatory Socialist International
To: michelsub2004 at gmail.com

 [image: zspace] <http://ruby.zcommunications.org/>

Hello,

A few weeks ago we wrote you about a Proposal for a Participatory Socialist
International.

That proposal, and some explanations of its origins as well as displays of
its 1320 endorsers, etc., appear online at the following link, and are also
included at the end of this email:

      http://www.zcommunications.org/newinternational.htm

Our intention in posting the proposal was:

(1) offer a means for people to express support for or at least interest in
the project which has been prominently on the table since President Chavez
urged it a couple of months back - but even more,

(2) to try to provoke broad discussion and even contribute some ideas to
that discussion, as part of any effort to create a new International.

The proposal has already been a large success, as indicated by the leap from
120 initial endorsers listed on the site, to about 1320 in all, so far. The
site displays all the endorsers by country.

We knew there would be considerable support since the broad features we
propose for discussion are well known and generally highly regarded by
leftists around the world. What is unexpected however, is not only that
endorsing the statement, rather than simply nodding in assent, seems to
resonate with so many people and engender so little resistance, but that the
proposal seems to have also found support among people working on the
planning for a gathering in April in Caracas.

Still, the number of endorsers will be critical to the extent of attention
the ideas ultimately get, as deliberations commence and unfold. A new
International, an umbrella movement of movements, projects, parties, etc.,
is not something to take lightly, rather, it is something we should all
participate in.

So - it would be very helpful if you could take a look at the proposal,
either via the link immediately below or as it appears at the end of this
email...

     http://www.zcommunications.org/newinternational.htm

If as we hope, you will like the proposal, it would be wonderful and
important if you would endorse right from the online page. As sign ups go,
is an unusual case. Every endorsement will matter!

And so, finally, here is the proposal itself, in case you don't want to web
click to read it. And thanks for giving this some time...

*Proposal for a Participatory Socialist International*

We, the undersigned, endorse the idea of a new International and urge that
its creation include assessing, refining, augmenting, and then implementing
as many of the following points as the International’s participants
themselves, after due deliberation, decide mutually agreeable:

1. A new International should be primarily concerned (at least) with:

   - economic production, consumption, and allocation, including class
   relations
   - kinship nurturance, socialization, housekeeping, and procreation,
   including gender, sexuality, and age
   - cultural community relations including race, nationality, and religion
   - politics including relations of law and legislation
   - international relations including matters of mutual aid, exchange, and
   immigration
   - ecology including relations with the natural environment and other
   species

And that the new International should address these concerns without
elevating any one focus above the rest, since (a) all will critically affect
the character of a new world, (b) unaddressed each could subvert efforts to
reach a new world, and (c) the constituencies most affected by each would be
intensely alienated if their prime concerns were relegated to secondary
importance.

2. Our vision for a Participatory Socialist future should (at least) include
that:

   - economic production, consumption, and allocation be classless - which
   includes equitable access for all to quality education, health care, food,
   water, sanitation, housing, meaningful and dignified work, and the
   instruments and conditions for personal fulfillment
   - gender/kinship, sexual, and family relations not privilege by age,
   sexual preference, or gender any one group above others - which includes
   ending all forms of oppression of women while providing day care,
   recreation, health care, etc.
   - culture and community relations among races, ethnic groups, religions,
   and other cultural communities protect the rights and identity of each
   community up to equally respecting those of all other communities - which
   includes an end to racist, ethnocentric, and otherwise bigoted structures
   while simultaneously securing the prosperity and rights of indigenous people

   - political decision making, adjudication of disputes, and implementation
   of shared programs deliver “people’s power” in ways that do not elevate any
   one sector or constituency above others - which includes participation and
   justice for all
   - international trade, communication, and other interactions attain peace
   and justice while dismantling all vestiges of colonialism and imperialism -
   which includes canceling the debt of nations of the global south and
   reconstructing international norms and relations to move toward an equitable
   and just community of equally endowed nations
   - ecological choices not only be sustainable, but care for the
   environment in accord with our highest aspirations for ourselves and our
   world - which includes climate justice and energy innovation

3. The guiding values and principles informing internal strategic and
programmatic deliberations of an International highlight at least the
following values which includes implementing whatever structural steps prove
essential to organizationally embody the values as well as possible in the
present:

   - solidarity, to help align worldwide movements and projects into mutual
   aid and collective benefit
   - diversity, to spur creative innovation, respect dissent, and recognize
   that minority views thought to be crazy today can lead to what is brilliant
   tomorrow
   - equity, to seek wealth and income fairness
   - peace with justice, to realize international fairness and fulfillment
   - ecological sustainability and wisdom, to seek human survival and
   interconnection
   - “democracy” or perhaps even a more inspiring conception of “people’s
   power,” “participatory democracy,” or “self management,” to foster
   participation and equitable influence for all

4. That a new International be the greatest sum of all its parts, including
rejecting confining itself to a single line to capture all views in one
narrow pattern. To achieve this the new International should:

   - include and celebrate “currents” to serve as vehicles for contending
   views, help ward off sectarianism, and aid constant growth
   - establish that currents should respect the intentions of other
   currents, assume that differences over policy are about substance and not
   motive, and pursue substantive debate as a serious part of the whole project
   - afford each current means to openly engage with all other currents to
   try to advance new insights bearing on policy and program.
   - guarantee that as long as any particular current accepts the basic
   tenets of the International and operates in accord with its norms and
   methods, its minority positions would be given space not only to argue, but,
   if they don’t prevail, to continue developing their views to establish their
   merit or discover their inadequacies

5. Members of the new International would be political parties, movements,
organizations, or even projects, where:

   - members, employees, staff, etc., of each new International member
   organization would in turn gain membership in the International
   - individuals who want to be members of the International but have no
   member group that they belong too, would have to join one
   - every member group would have its own agenda for its separate
   operations which would be inviolable
   - at the same time, each member group would be strongly urged to make its
   own operations consistent with the norms, practices, and agendas of the
   International, establishing solidarity but also autonomy.
   - member groups would have a wide range of sizes - but since the
   International’s decisions would not bind groups other than regarding the
   collective International agenda, a good way to arrive at decisions might be
   serious discussion and exploration, followed by polls of the whole
   International membership to see peoples’ leanings, followed by refinements
   of proposals to seek greater support and to allow dissidents to make their
   case, culminating in final votes of the membership

6. Programmatically, of course what a new International chooses to do will
be contextual and a product of its members desires, but, for example:

   - a new International might call for international events and days of
   dissent, for support campaigns for existing struggles by member
   organizations, and for support of member organizations against repression,
   as well as undertake widespread debates and campaigns to advance related
   understanding and mutual knowledge...
   - more ambitiously, an International might also undertake, for example, a
   massive international focus on immigration, on ending a war, on shortening
   the work week worldwide, and/or on averting climatic catastrophe, among
   other possibilities. It might prepare materials, undertake education, pursue
   actions, carry out boycotts, support local endeavors, etc.
   - general program would be up to member organizations to decide how to
   relate to, yet there would be considerable collective momentum for each
   member organization to participate and contribute as best it could in
   collective campaigns and projects since clearly one reason to have an
   International is to help organizations, movements, and projects worldwide
   escape single-issue loneliness by becoming part of a larger process
   encompassing diverse focuses and united by agreements to implement various
   shared endeavors.

There are 1320 signers so far. Here is the list of 130 or so, that we would
like to add you name to, if you are willing...

*Some Initial and Prominent Endorsers*

Ezequiel Adamovsky <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/ezequieladamovsky>
Michael Albert <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/malbert>
Ronnie Almonte <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/ronniealmonte>
Jessica Azulay <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/jessicaazulay>
Omar Barghouti <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/omarbarghouti>
Michel Bauwens <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/michelbauwens>
C.R. Bijoy <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/c.r.bijoy>
Bulent Bilmez <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/bulentbilmez>
Aura Bogado <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/aurabogado>
Carl Boggs <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/carlboggs>
Peter Bohmer <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/peterbohmer>
Patrick Bond <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/patrickbond>
George Burchett <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/georgeburchett>
Leslie Cagan <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/lesliecagan>
Daniel Chavez <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/danielchavez>
Hee-Yeon Cho <http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/hee-Yeoncho>
Noam Chomsky <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/noamchomsky>
Tony Christini <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/tonychristini>
Jason Chrysostomou <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/jasonchrysostomou>
David Cromwell <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/davidcromwell>
John Cronan <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/johncronan>
Steve D'arcy <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/stevedarcy>
Ben Dangl <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/ben_dangl>
Marcus Denton <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/marcusdenton>
Xavier Dias <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/xavierdias>
Chris Dixon <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/chrisd>
Brian Dominick <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/briandominick>
Cliff Durand <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/cliffdurand>
Steve Early <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/steveearly>
David Edwards <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/davidedwards>
Haidar Eid <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/haidereid>
Eric Eingold <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/eric%20eingold>
Hester Eisenstein <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/hestereisenstein>
Jill Soffiyah Elijah<http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/jillsoffiyahelijah>
Joe Emersberger <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/joeemersberger>
Laurel Evans <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/laurelevans>
Mark Evans <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/markevans>
Ann Ferguson <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/annferguson>
Bill Fletcher jr. <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/billfletcher>
Richard Franke <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/richardfranke>
Jerry Fresia
<http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/jerryfresia>Zeynep
Gambetti<http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/zeynepgambetti>
Heather Gautney <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/heathergautney>
Susan George <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/susangeorge>
Justin George <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/movingpast>
Neve Gordon <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/nevegordon>
Bruno Gulli <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/brunogulli>
Richard Greeman <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/richardgreeman>
Peter Hall-Jones <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/peterhall-jones>
Shabnam Hashmi <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/shabnamhashmi>
Howie Hawkins <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/howiehawkins>
Edward Herman <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/edwardherman>
Marcus Hill <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/marcusalexanderhill>
Pervez Hoodbhoy <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/pervezhoodbhoy>
Francois Houtart <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/francoishoutart>
Caragh Iles <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/caragh>
Boris Kagarlitsky <http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/boriskagarlitski>
John Kane <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/j.kane>
Brian Kelly <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/briankelly>
Dimitri Konstantinou<http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/dimitrikonstantinou>
Pat Korte <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/patkorte>
Saul Landau <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/saullandau>
Gar Lipow <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/garlipow>
Meaghan Loughley <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/meaghanl>
Michael Lowy <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/michaell%C3%83%C2%B6wy>
D. Maheshvarananda<http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/dadamaheshvarananda>
Mandisi Majavu <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/mandisimajavu>
Dave Markland <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/davemarkland>
Yotam Marom <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/yotammarom>
Raoul Martinez <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/raoulmartinez>
Wangui Mbatia <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/wanguimbatia>
Michael McGehee <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/truthaddict>
Francine Mestrum <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/francinemestrum>
Trevor Ngwane
Leo Panitch <http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/trevorngwane>
Ilan Pappe <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/ilanpappe>
Cynthia Peters <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/cynthiapeters>
John Pilger <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/johnpilger>
Francis Fox Piven <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/francis%20foxpiven>
Justin Podur <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/justinpodur>
Milan Rai <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/milanrai>
Badri Raina <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/badriraina>
Nikos Raptis <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/nikosraptis>
Michael Ratner <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/michaelratner>
Marla Renn <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/marla>
Matt Rothschild <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/mattrothschild>
Anders Sandstrom <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/anderssandstrom>
Lydia Sargent <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/lydiasargent>
Ali K. Saysel <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/ali.saysel>
Stephen Shalom <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/stephenshalom>
Teodor Shanin <http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/teodorshanin>
Devinder Sharma <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/devindersharma>
Vandana Shiva <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/vandanashiva>
Paul Singer <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/paulsinger>
Keith Harmon Snow <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/keith.harmon.snow>
Alfred Sola <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/alfredsola>
Chris Spannos <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/chrisspannos>
Paul Street <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/paulstreet>
Nicholas Stylopoulos<http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/nicholasstylopoulos>
James Suggett <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/jamessuggett>
Joseph Sweetman <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/josephsweetman>
M. Szczepanczyk <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/mitchellszczepanczyk>
Michael Tanzer <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/mtanzer>
Doug Tarnopol <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/dougtarnopol>
Marie Trigona <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/marietrigona>
Pius Tumangger <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/piustumangger>
Fernando Vegas <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/fernandovegas>
Andre Vltchek <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/andrevltchek>
Peter Waterman <http://ruby.zcommunications.org/zspace/peterwaterman>
Greg Wilpert <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/gregorywilpert>
Stephen Zunes <http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/stephenzunes>

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