A Post-Election Message from Richard Wolff

WHAT_NOW-.png


Friends--

It appears we have entered the eve of a Trump administration. What now?

Trump rode workers’ anger at capitalism’s last 40 years: record profits from lost jobs, incomes, security and public services. For change, they voted down GOP and Dem establishments. But the system won’t let Trump bring change. There lies our opportunity.

The endless election effort is finally over (even as the next one begins to be planned by the candidates and their monied supporters). Now the nation confronts its fundamental problems after so many were swept under the rug by the “major candidates” in this election’s long exercise in mass distraction. The time lost, like the campaigns’ billions, could better have gone toward solving those problems. They just got worse during that time.

The world still remains in the aftermath of the crash of 2008 - the second global capitalist crash in 75 years - and most economists expect another downturn within the next 6-18 months. Especially because the current post-2008 crash originated in the US with the sub-prime mortgage collapse, the US has special responsibilities to deal with its economic instability and its global ramifications. Yet during the campaign, neither candidate addressed the issue. Why?

The inequality, instability and money-dominated politics besetting the U.S. all originate in basic economic decisions made by the major shareholders and corporate boards of directors they elect. These folks comprise the (in)famous 1% and their positions atop contemporary capitalist economies gives them extraordinary power, and hence responsibility for, economic conditions. What alternative organization might better serve democratic purposes? An economy of democratized, cooperatively organized enterprises is growing around the world. Yet the candidates in this presidential campaign - except for Bernie Sanders - ignored the issue. Why?

Let’s remember that elections these days are integrated parts of a system. The dominant power is intertwined with the dominant wealth. The corporate system -- and the individuals it makes rich -- normally buy the political process. That’s how systems work.

Only when massive oppositions of the people get aroused do they relearn the first of the great old lessons, that ultimate power resides with the people. When that happens, the question arises: will the people relearn the second of the great old lessons, that the power of the people becomes effective when it is organized? I believe we have already begun.

@profwolff

The Occupy Wall Street, Bernie, and Black Lives Matter movements are milestones along the way as people today grasp the first of the great old lessons. Building on all they accomplished as well as on the prior efforts to go beyond capitalism, we at Democracy at Work focus on that second great lesson. Our task is to help inform, focus, and, above all, organize an aroused and rising people. That’s what we do and what we invite you to do with us.

As always, thank you for supporting Democracy at Work.  We would love to hear your thoughts and reflections on how we can build this momentum together, and please know we are glad to have you as a part of this movement.

Richard D. Wolff
Co-Founder & Contributor
Democracy at Work
 

 


Showing 62 comments

  • Christina Karlhoff
    commented 2016-12-03 09:09:23 -0500
    I began making my own list of objectives to consider, until i reviewed the comments; whole-heartedly concur with Deborah Andrew’s list. The primary objective is to get money out of politics. Perhaps [email protected] could work alongside organizations such as Wolf-PAC and Move to Amend in the effort to abolish the idea that corporations are people and that money is free speech. On reforming the voting system: There are many folks who have worked out ingenious ways to accomplish this. It can be addressed in the wake of getting money out of politics. The secondary objective is to educate the public at-large: Millions of people are disempowered by myriad sources of false information every day. We must work to attenuate the distractions of identity politics and social division by amplifying the message that deep-down, people already know – that economic inequality exists because it’s always been about the Haves and the Have-Nots. Yet If I had a nickel for every person who used the term communism or socialism like a dirty word…Once and for all we must crush the principle of rugged individualism from the mindset, and demonstrate to them the power of putting people above profit using real-world examples.
  • Rafael Perales
    commented 2016-11-22 02:00:40 -0500
    Trump win exposes Media’s Smug Failures. The media took this as a comment about press freedom rather than its own failure to read the zeitgeist. In fact, it largely failed to tell any story other than its own. It what’s the day the data died. All of the money poured by financially challenged media Industry into polls and polling analysts was for naught. It profoundly misinformed. It created a compelling and powerful narrative that was the opposite of what was actually happening. There may be a few instances, excerpt perhaps under authoritarian regimes, where the media has so successfully propounded a view of events not only of its own making but at such odds with reality. It all washed away. Beyoncé. The tax returns. The theoretical Blue wall. Trump as a sexual predator. Putin. His shambolic debate performances. Hispanics. Indeed, every aspect of the media narrative, dust. This narrative not only did not diminish him, it fortified him. The criticism of Trump defined the people who were criticizing him, reliably giving the counter-punch something to punch. It was a juicy target. The Media Party not only Fashioned the takedown narrative and demanded a special sort of allegiance to it- Twitter serving as a orthodoxy echo chamber-but, suspending most ordinary conflict rules, according to the center for Public Integrity gave lots of cash to Hillary. The media turned itself into the opposition and, accordingly, was voted down.
  • Mike Johnson
    commented 2016-11-21 22:24:39 -0500
    Lee; I can’t speak for others… but I recommend the creation of small investor, democratically controlled, investment funds… to be used for start-up seed loans for local coops… for instance, Nursing Homes and Senior Housing are often sold between Venture Capital Funds… they re-finance… cut services… cut staff… overtime… cut corners… and then file bankruptcy… with leadership and financing, the staff could buy their place of employment…
    Schools… the incoming Republicans LOVE to pay private schools with public money… why not let teachers organize their own school, where they have a vote on the curriculum, as well as all the other decisions currently made by the layers of administrators and charter school corporate boards…
    of course change won’t occur overnight… and there will always be new problems… unexpected consequences… setbacks… but we muddle thru the best we can, and pass the baton we’ve been given…
  • Mike Johnson
    commented 2016-11-21 13:32:33 -0500
    “What Now?”
    Professor Wolff asked…
    Now comes a wave of Privatization of Public Institutions…
    like schools, nursing homes, and public housing…
    Now is the time to take advantage of that trend, and create Worker Owned and Operated services and Institutions, to compete with the Fat-Cats who stand to Capitalize on the Neo-Conservative Agenda…
  • Dick Burkhart
    commented 2016-11-20 00:58:54 -0500
    Dear Lee, The kind of power shift you are talking about normally only happens during war (like WW II) or warlike conditions. To be prepared for this “Shock Doctrine” in reverse, you need not only analysis, but the building of strong organizations and alliances, even of alternative institutions. Plus you need a succession of carefully constructed campaigns with modest goals where you can be successful (raising the minimum wage, public banks, progressive taxes, single payer, shutting down fossil fuel projects, etc.) in order to build organizational strength, alliances, and alternative institutions. At this long stage a great deal can be accomplished by drawing from successful models abroad, even from our own history.

    This is precisely the time, when polarization is at its most extreme and frustration at political gridlock is boiling over, that unexpected progress can be made. Who would have thought 3 years ago that cities and states across the country would be raising the minimum wage, even to $15 an hour like here in Seattle? Or when the Army Corps of Engineers would be shutting down a big coal terminal project in response to a protest led by Native Americans, as at Cherry Point north near the Canadian border? So it’s time to think big, but in a probing, adaptable sort of way.
  • Leonardo Legorreta
    commented 2016-11-19 05:35:39 -0500
    We may be of differing minds, but it seems to me we are of like hearts, which is what matters. IMHO, this is not “degenerating” into a discussion forum but rather is well within the last sentences of Professor Wolff’s presentation. I look forward to looking into the
    Viking way, after all I like their furniture and their architecture very much. However, they have not been fair to Assange. To the wonderful idea of stakeholder ownership may add the ecosystem. Look at the 2008 Ecuador Constitution for example, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Constitution_of_Ecuador.
  • Dick Burkhart
    commented 2016-11-18 22:56:23 -0500
    Dear Lee: Sure, to some of us the way forward may be obvious, but not to the vast majority of Americans. The Scandinavian model of Democratic Socialism (see “Viking Economics” by George Lakey) is a great place to start because we know it works, but it is not well known to most Americans.

    I would go further by advocating for “stakeholder ownership” of all the major means of production (large corporations, key natural resources, etc.) The stakeholders would, of course, include workers and maybe suppliers or customers, maybe some non-profits, and always different levels of government from local to global, and always the citizenry at large. My first features would be those of cooperative, the government feature would resemble a partial nationalization, and the last feature is similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund and to Peter Barnes’ “With Liberty and Dividends for All”. The goal is both full societal accountability and a basic income for all that would vary with the economy at large. With appropriate variations, this could be done even on a regional or global scale. This is my vision to democratize both work and wealth.
  • David Audette
    commented 2016-11-18 17:05:52 -0500
    It seems that this format is degenerating into a discussion forum. It may be helpful to review Professor Wolff’s final sentence in his introductory remarks.
  • frank scott
    commented 2016-11-18 15:58:34 -0500
    thank you thank you..to lee roberts!
  • Dick Burkhart
    commented 2016-11-18 12:50:38 -0500
    Dear Lee,
    Sure, analysis is essential, but so is vision. Just read George Lakey’s book “Toward a Living Revolution”. His first of 5 steps is “cultural preparation”, consisting precisely of analysis and vision. How far do you think Bernie Sanders would have gotten without listing the many things that would be part of his envisioned “political revolution”? Even he said very clearly that he would not be able to achieve his list of new programs without the political revolution, yet the public needed to know what he stands for.
  • Deborah Andrew
    commented 2016-11-18 09:54:43 -0500
    Lee Roberts, you are so right to question the making/submission of my list of the changes I would hope to see. Our power to create change is limited. Even so, from my perspective, I hope it is useful to know what we hope to achieve. Then to find chinks in the armor protecting the status quo, through which can make an effort to create the change we hope to effect. If I do not try, I feel as if I am complicit. So, I do this in spite of knowing the truths you express so well.
  • Leonardo Legorreta
    commented 2016-11-17 19:44:06 -0500
    Right! Riders are used pass pernicious usually pro-corporation legislation. If a measure cannot make it on its own, it should not be passed as a rider.
  • Deborah Andrew
    commented 2016-11-17 19:32:39 -0500
    Ban all riders on Congressional bills, a great idea! (McCain had this as part of his platform…let’s bring it back!)
  • Lawrence Gold
    commented 2016-11-17 19:20:46 -0500
    Leonardo Legorreta, I agree. Ban lobbying.

    To that, I add, ban riders in Congressional legislation.
  • Leonardo Legorreta
    commented 2016-11-17 02:13:48 -0500
    Repeal Citizens United. Repeal Buckley v. Valeo (opens the door to super pacs).

    Sue lobbyists in tort whenever they contract our representatives (eg, tortious interference?). If they want to lobby something, they must contact us, not our representatives. Only we should be able to contact our representatives. Ban lobbists from interfering with our democracy. Protect the privilege of having a representative in government. No more backroom deals.
  • Leonardo Legorreta
    commented 2016-11-17 02:02:38 -0500
    We need to bring democracy not only to the workplace, but to politics. Ours is a failed form of Democracy. It is a plutocracy. Ban lobbying.
  • Deborah Andrew
    commented 2016-11-16 22:17:36 -0500
    Dear David,

    An excellent question. In all honesty, I do not have an answer worthy of the question. I will offer the following as a start, however. My sense is that our entire model of governance is quite worthy of being questioned, discussed, revised and tested. It is also my sense that we would do this best at the local level focusing on re-localization (from banking, to food, to transport, to energy, etc). That communities do this through ad hoc advisory committees with a clear charge, open membership. That communities determine a mutually agreeable region of sufficient size that all the needs of the member communities can be reasonably met from within the region. I think of ‘world cafe’ as a possible model, coupled with Sociocracy. I would advocate making decisions Sociocratically (by consent, which can only be obtained in the absence of any paramount/reasoned objections). Sociocracy also embraces interlocking circles of responsibility with a system of communication/reporting, as one possibility to explore. Doing away with majority rule changes the dynamics and distributes both responsibility and power equally among participants.

    The short answer: to make the needed changes will take time, effort, staying power, commitment, integrity, patience … commitment to the precautionary principle and the principle of do no harm. My sense is that neither the process nor the exact outcome can be predicted.

    I wish I had something far more concrete to offer. It will be in the search that we will find the answers, I believe.
  • David Audette
    commented 2016-11-16 21:07:22 -0500
    That is an excellent list below, Deborah Andrew. What do you see as the concrete steps needed to get to a point where your list could actually be implemented?
  • Deborah Andrew
    commented 2016-11-16 19:17:53 -0500
    Carla, you are absolutely correct. War is profitable for some, but hugely costly and destructive for many. You might be interested in “No War 2016.” I am a pacifist, and would abolish all weapons, all forms of violence whether toward individuals, countries, or the environment…ah well.
  • Carla Cheshire
    commented 2016-11-16 15:36:20 -0500
    I’m not sure where this idea came from that war is not profitable. many. many businesses profit from war. One fact is that the remaining manufacturing jobs in the US are the defense industries. The powers that be will NEVER let them go overseas. It was no coincidence that the auto industry was bailed out, it is easy to retool from consumer vehicles to war vehicles. It was done in WWII. Our largest exports now are the instruments of war. We talk of foreign aid but more than likely the aid is military goods, not medicine or food. W Bush farmed out many of the jobs that the military used to do to private industry. It was a huge boon to Halliburton, Blackwater and others.

    After WWII was when the US was rebuilding Europe that’s why there was a huge industrial boom. Besides many companies sell to both sides of a conflict the oil companies, banks, big pharma are worldwide conglomerates. Capitalism knows no Nationalism! It is about making money and war with its destruction offer a great potential for gain.
  • Lou Rigali
    commented 2016-11-16 14:34:19 -0500
    Lots of good suggestions. On a personal level, remember to smile, say hello and be kind on all transactions. It is contagious and very much needed.
  • Deborah Andrew
    commented 2016-11-16 14:23:50 -0500
    My sense is that it would be useful to consider efforts/dialogue that focus on the following:
    1. Acknowledge fallacies & eliminate electronic voting. Replace with paper ballots.
    2. Acknowledge fallacies & impact of gerrymandering. Outlaw.
    3. Bring back and enforce Glass Steagal.
    4. Bring back and enforce original boundaries/intent of corporate charters.
    5. Break up big banks.
    6. Significant reductions of military, pentagon budget, and close all overseas bases
    7. Eliminate Citizens United.
    8. Federal funding of all elections. No additional monies.
    9. Return League of Women Voters to oversee all political debates. Abolish National Elections Committee.
    10. Emphasize Relocalization, and support with Federal/State funding.\
    11. Consider Sociocracy as an alternative decision-making model and organizational set of tools/protocols.
    12. Examine/critique and possibly abandon majority rule.
    13. Promote worker owned coops.
    14. Reform tax code. Remove welfare for the wealthy.
    15. Legislate CEO salary as 12/1 ratio to that of lowest paid worker.
    16. Significant government support of conservation of energy.
    17. Science based, factual examination of the harm done if politicians, organizations, and prominent individuals continue to promote the manufacture and installation of Industrial Wind Turbines & solar arrays (I can provide well-researched references)

    It is my sense that these concrete steps are necessary.
  • Kevin sHEEHAN
    commented 2016-11-14 16:56:12 -0500
    Can I offer the idea that it is possible with modern technology to influence the outcome of legislation by the substitute for the current system of representative democracy by direct democracy. There is now a system that allows every citizen to vote on every piece of legislature that goes to the parliament. I means that your representative can have their vote and only their vote whilst you the citizen have your individual vote as does every other citizen.
    Legislation is then voted and passed by a simple majority of all citizens.The system is called VOTE-COIN and a full explanation is available if want it by replying to this comment
  • Happy Kt
    commented 2016-11-13 21:23:15 -0500
    Greeting from Jakarta . . . ! Professor Wolff’s remark resonates very well to Indonesia’s so-called “emerging democracy” with its open votes election processes (after the 1998 crisis). Remarkably it follows as a mini-model of the US system — (yet, without its electoral collage, and the country is not a federal republic) — from its very core political economic structure where all main media are owned by big businesses, political parties are owned and run by the rich and/or powerful elites, and money politics (even is forbidden) has become the common currency to get the people’s votes, and recently as shown in the ongoing Governorial election in Jakarta these days, Trump’s bigotry, racism, and propagation to people’s anger have become the rule and rather than an exception. Wolff’s analysis about the “root” of the problem is very true and can be confirmed comparatively, I think the fundamental flaws of capitalist economy can be applied universally. The spread of Western “democracy” that emulates the American model (or any Western capitalist countries) across the globe will be a starting of the global political crisis that we will be witnessing in the near future (and has happening in some countries in the world today). Thank you for having this forum to keep up our human solidarity to build a sane society!
  • donald fletcher
    commented 2016-11-13 19:13:27 -0500
    great job richard! you are one of the heroes of the revolution and one of the few speaking the truth.
  • Carla Cheshire
    commented 2016-11-11 23:09:30 -0500
    Will the people of America ever realize that the enemy of the working people is. . . Capitalism? It is the exploitation of the poor and middle class for the benefit of the wealthy elite. The distribution of wealth is so out of kilter that the capitalism that may have been able to disguise itself as being good for the majority can no longer hide.

    It has matured to the point that we are getting less options in almost every facet of our daily lives. Everything has condensed from office supplies, sporting goods, gas stations, phone companies, TV/internet providers, airlines, to car manufacturers as company after company is devoured to cut costs and supposedly improve efficiency. This has a devastating effect on the quality of life of the average American worker. Less choice, worse jobs. We work two and three peoples jobs because we’re so afraid of losing ours. We don’t dare take time off lest they decide they don’t need us. We put up with psychological and physical abuse by our employers because we have few job choices.

    While companies bring in workers from overseas, HB1 or immigrants have left their countries which have no opportunities due to factory farms and trade agreements, our wages have stagnated and dropped. The companies who closed US factories and moved overseas were encouraged by the US Chamber of Commerce and engage in a race to the bottom to find low wages. These same companies have parked their profits offshore to avoid US taxes. It’s a win-win for them and a big loss to our country, which must rely on a larger proportion of tax revenue from workers who are being squeezed for health care, collage, child care, and everything seems to cost more. $1000 is the new $100 and you cannot get ahead.

    If it weren’t for credit America would be imploding. It keeps the workers working and they have that large screen, high-def, TV that they can scream at even though it’s not paid for! We need fundamental change, a redistribution of wealth and worker co-ops to start. Neither party can provide this type of change because they are all bought and paid for by the wealthy, capitalist elites.
  • Leonardo Legorreta
    commented 2016-11-11 16:44:33 -0500
    I was very inspired by Richard Wolff’s Economic Update this week in which he interviewed Dario Azzellini. Professor Azzellini makes me think that we can all in our own communities look for ways to take ownership of our places of work. Small steps, small wins. As long as we work for others, we are helping the system. Slow from below is the way to go. We must all looks for ways to get off the capitalist grid.

    I am also grateful for what Bernie’s OurRevolution is doing. More than half of the candidates on that website are winning or have won their elections!!
  • Lou Rigali
    commented 2016-11-11 13:11:15 -0500
    This is a country where the majority of its population believes in the fundamental values of freedom, equality, and justice. True, there are different perspectives and these values are not always practiced even seldom in some communities,

    For me this is reason enough to want to find ways to address the concerns of those that are either non believers or experience alienation. The first step is to acknowledge that the opinion of every one matters. Even those that make one cringe or are upsetting. Easier to say than done. It helps when I think that all of us are flawed in some way but not necessarily in all ways.

    That our biology includes self preservation processes that are important but may also be inappropriate for our time. This is an important because in times of fear or crisis our brains see situations in a black or white perspective i.e fight or flight. This made sense 10,000 years ago when we were frightened by a dangerous animal, but is less valuable today when the source of fear or anger is not of an immediate threat.

    Our brains can better analyze situations, see options and solutions when in a calm or reflective state. My own opinion is that a large number of people are in a continuous state of anxiety or fear due either to health, personal, or economic conditions and made worse by a constant flow of negative stories and images. The more we can provide a calming influence on our neighbors the better. Smiles help.
  • Marcelo Mainzer
    commented 2016-11-11 12:37:17 -0500
    The only way to clean up the system to systematically restore the power to the people. I have been advocating for EcoVillage, Makers Districts run as workers cooperative corporations. Places that produce their own shelter, food and energy to subsidize a multitude of other products and services and provide economic and emotional empowerment education. Groups of people organized as legal corporations would have the power that the constitution grants corporations. Below is a linkedin post I wrote outlining how this can be done.
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/anybody-out-smart-enough-get-marcelo-mainzer?trk=prof-post
  • Oscar Orellana
    commented 2016-11-11 07:45:22 -0500
    It is good to know that there are so many people reading and informing theirs self
    about what is going on with the actual economics and political systems (arround the world in general and particulary in the USA) with a critical thinking and also taking actions to make of this a better world. In this sense, I would like thank Profesor Wolff (independent if we agree or desagree with some of the justment he makes related to the current events and the solutions he proposes),for the effords and sacrifices he has been doing along hes entire adult life to be able to come to this moment and resources and means which alloud us to shear our frustrations and ideas of how to come out of the present great difficulties.

    I am not a USA citizen and I do not live there, but I appreciate very much the bravery that have shown Profesor Wolff along all these years speaking the way he does about the political economy of USA, complementing it with a Marxist criticism and solutions of its condradictions. Certainly Profesor Wolff and Bernie Sander among other countless USA citizen (like Stephen Resnick and Noham Chomsky ) have been fighting to opening the actual more pluralistic political-economic space of discusion, which we are enjoging now. But, this is just the begining, there is much to be done. Hence I agree that we sould keep working and organizing our self.

Donate to Become a

[email protected]

Monthly Supporter


Customized by

Longleaf Digital