Weekly Roundup: December 7, 2022

Check out the latest content from Democracy at Work.

New this week: Economic Update, Anti-Capitalist Chronicles, All Things Co-op & Ask Prof Wolff LIVE...

Check out the latest content from Democracy at Work!

Economic Update: Instability - Capitalism's Constant

Prof. Wolff presents updates on the Twitter-Musk scandals, critique of profit as return to risk, mass European union-led strikes against inflation, economic crisis of 54 poorest nations today, US General Assembly vote against US embargo (sanctions) against Cuba, and an analysis of crypto-currency collapse.

Wolff: “As a social institution upon which our society relies, it is a very serious challenge to democracy if one individual is controlling [Twitter], deciding it, deciding what we can and cannot communicate how, when, where, and at what expense. And when you realize that Mr. Musk has absolutely no particular qualifications to do any of that, having made money developing an electric automobile, you realize what a strange society we live in.”

Anti-Capitalist Chronicles: Pedagogy of the Emancipated Laborer

As more and more people begin to recognize the pitfalls of the systems we're entrenched in—capitalism, neoliberalism, consumerism, and more—we are often left without clear directions for instilling change. In this episode of Anti-Capitalist Chronicles, Prof. Harvey addresses the question he is so often asked, and often asks himself: “What should we do?” Harvey urges us to begin by looking at our individual situation, particularly five aspects: quality of life in the household, nature of the labor market, experience in the workplace, experience as money manager, and experience as buyer in the money market. The pedagogy of the emancipated laborer involves situating ourselves in those five aspects of society, connecting with others on the local level who are situated around us, and building collectively.

Harvey: “One of the things that the pedagogy of the emancipated labor will be about will be trying to get people to think through what it is and what are the issues that most concern them.”

All Things Co-op: Cooperative Socialism with Ben Burgis

Cinar, Larry, and Kevin talk to philosopher, podcaster, and Jacobin contributor Ben Burgis about his views on cooperatives and their relationship to socialism. Burgis and the ATC guys discuss the value of co-ops under a capitalist economy and in a socialist future, the need for political victories to advance socialist ideals, the role of debating those who don’t share your views, and possible paths forward towards a new cooperative society.

Burgis: “So the tension is between, on the one hand, one goal socialists have always cared very much about…is democracy at the workplace and people sort of having control on that immediate level, and then another goal that socialists have always cared about is having this overall shape of the economy, of the kind of larger forces that impact all of our lives be brought under some kind of collective, societal control.”

Ask Prof Wolff LIVE: Understanding Fascism

An audience member of Ask Prof Wolff LIVE asks: "Fascism is when the state and corporations merge, so why isn’t the system that China has considered fascist? Is it fascist, is it not?" Prof Wolff answered this question during a live Ask Prof Wolff event.

Wolff: “The real difference is: in fascism, the closeness with business is with the employers. Whereas in socialism, the closeness of the government is with workers organizations like unions, socialists and communist parties. And that makes them different across the board.”