If not capitalism, what? [intro]

It ain’t over till it’s made over. The old neoliberal order is in severe crisis, and its leaders in a state of uncertainty and even confusion. But those struggling to help a new order to be born are not prepared.

Preparedness involves organisation and popular mobilisation around proposals that defend people’s living standards and livelihoods against attempts to resolve the crisis at their expense. But it is also about grasping a moment when those with power are wobbling on their back foot, and being politically bold and institutionally imaginative enough to build the necessary self-confidence to construct the basis of a new order as we resist.

So, to refresh and sharpen our imaginations, Red Pepper put the question ‘If not capitalism, what?’ to five people who are working for a new society based on values of social and environmental justice: Leo Panitch, whose Renewing Socialism is reprinted this month in updated form, Robin Blackburn, author of Age Shock: How Finance is Failing Us, eco-socialist writers and activists Martin Ryle and Kate Soper, and Michel Bauwens, the director of the Peer to Peer Foundation.

3 January 2009

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Also on Economics:

Wanted: alternative banking system by Sargon Nissan (May 2009)
Their crisis, our challenge by David Harvey (March 2009)
The world after Keynes by Stuart Holland (January 2009)

Also in this section:

Jill Robinson’s booktopia by Jill Robinson
The first 100 days: a legislative agenda by Bill Fletcher Jr
The world after Keynes by Stuart Holland
Criticism is not enough by Jeremy Gilbert
What kind of crisis? by Hugo Radice
Crisis for Christmas by Hilary Wainwright
Rebuilding banking by Leo Panitch
Pressing the limits by Robin Blackburn
Technological alternatives by Michel Bauwens
The green road to socialism by Kate Soper, Martin Ryle
A rebel with many causes by Sue Himmelweit, Lynne Segal, Tim Baster, Jo Kuper
The oil and gas bank by Kevin Smith
Up in smoke by Derek Wall
Shell to Sea by Andy Bowman
Sunbathing in the nude by Sheila Rowbotham
A fake friend by Andrea D’Cruz
Win one day by Andy Bowman, Amanda Sebestyen
The patron saint of sandal-wearers by Matthew Beaumont
Unionising your workplace by Patrick Smith
After the meltdown by Frances Fox Piven, Naomi Klein, Doug Henwood, William Greider, Arun Gupta

Red Pepper magazine, 1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ. Tel (+44) 20 7281 7024

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	Please support Red Pepper, make a donation today	If not capitalism, what? [intro] It ain’t over till it’s made over. The old neoliberal order is in severe crisis, and its leaders in a state of uncertainty and even confusion. But those struggling to help a new order to be born are not prepared. Preparedness involves organisation and popular mobilisation around proposals that defend people’s living standards and livelihoods against attempts to resolve the crisis at their expense. But it is also about grasping a moment when those with power are wobbling on their back foot, and being politically bold and institutionally imaginative enough to build the necessary self-confidence to construct the basis of a new order as we resist. So, to refresh and sharpen our imaginations, Red Pepper put the question ‘If not capitalism, what?’ to five people who are working for a new society based on values of social and environmental justice: Leo Panitch, whose Renewing Socialism is reprinted this month in updated form, Robin Blackburn, author of Age Shock: How Finance is Failing Us, eco-socialist writers and activists Martin Ryle and Kate Soper, and Michel Bauwens, the director of the Peer to Peer Foundation. 3 January 2009 If you would like to reuse an article from Red Pepper either in print or online, please contact us first. There are many options available, with free usage for non profit campaign groups and activist blogs - just tell us first! Please support Red Pepper, make a donation today Mail a friend about this article, "If not capitalism, what? [intro]" or post it to: Delicious Facebook StumbleUpon reddit Shoutwire newsvine NowPublic Digg	Also on Economics: Wanted: alternative banking system by Sargon Nissan (May 2009) Their crisis, our challenge by David Harvey (March 2009) The world after Keynes by Stuart Holland (January 2009) Also in this section: Jill Robinson’s booktopia by Jill Robinson The first 100 days: a legislative agenda by Bill Fletcher Jr The world after Keynes by Stuart Holland Criticism is not enough by Jeremy Gilbert What kind of crisis? by Hugo Radice Crisis for Christmas by Hilary Wainwright Rebuilding banking by Leo Panitch Pressing the limits by Robin Blackburn Technological alternatives by Michel Bauwens The green road to socialism by Kate Soper, Martin Ryle A rebel with many causes by Sue Himmelweit, Lynne Segal, Tim Baster, Jo Kuper The oil and gas bank by Kevin Smith Up in smoke by Derek Wall Shell to Sea by Andy Bowman Sunbathing in the nude by Sheila Rowbotham A fake friend by Andrea D’Cruz Win one day by Andy Bowman, Amanda Sebestyen The patron saint of sandal-wearers by Matthew Beaumont Unionising your workplace by Patrick Smith After the meltdown by Frances Fox Piven, Naomi Klein, Doug Henwood, William Greider, Arun Gupta


Red Pepper magazine, 1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ. Tel (+44) 20 7281 7024