Where do we go from here? - What to do?

So what to we do?

We know what to do. The green movement has a slogan, think global and act local. We just have to double down. Build networks and work through local community organisations - from tenants support (like Acorn) all the way to allotment associations. Start thinking about local fabrication, community house building, look towards community land banks and community ownership…empowerment radicalises. Look at the rural communities running shops and pubs who’d run a mile if you said they were socialist.

Reject the right's framing of the debate, insist on seeing things as they are - call a rip off a rip off, let failiure happen to companies, let the shareholders take the loss but re-train people who are displaced and help them find new work. The government should start with removing friction in the labour market by making moving easier.  People deserve to have the basics, they are capable and should be trusted - we do it on juries, we should do the same with oversight of the executive. The right way should be the easy way. Insist that life at the so called bottom is rewarding and fulfilling - that is a minimum for a social contract that treats us as citizens rather than as consumers, as people not as sources of rent extraction (I use rent in the sense that parasitical economic behaviour is called rent seeking).  [Philosopy]

Start thinking in systems terms. Look at Donught Economics and Wellbeing Economy Alliance, find a workers coop near you and visit (I got job envy at Suma, there was a delegation from Nepal there at the same time), learn how cooperation actually works…

We invented coops (read about the Rochdale pioneers). Mondragon is the 4th biggest industrial conglomerate in Spain, 30% of GDP in Emilia-Romagna comes from cooperatives. We have forgotten.

Thomas Paine said  “Mankind, as it appears to me, are always ripe enough to understand their true interest, provided it be presented clearly to their understanding, and that in a manner not to create suspicion by anything like self-design, nor offend by assuming too much. Where we would wish to reform we must not reproach.” [Paine]

To be presented clearly it must be fact based, non-ideological and in plain language. I’m fed up with people who won’t even countenance PR because they say people are stupid. No they are not. But they may be misinformed, mistaken, frightened and worried, some are angry - but so am I. We need to be crystal clear - anything for us, without us is against us. Work accordingly. Make common cause.

And finally "You must realize that I am far from feeling beaten…it seems to me that… a man ought to be deeply convinced that the source of his own moral force is in himself — his very energy and will, the iron coherence of ends and means — that he never falls into those vulgar, banal moods, pessimism and optimism. My own state of mind synthesises these two feelings and transcends them: my mind is pessimistic, but my will is optimistic. Whatever the situation, I imagine the worst that could happen in order to summon up all my reserves and will power to overcome every obstacle." [Gramsci]

Keep the faith.