[WSF-Discuss] Roy/Sen

[Karl-Heinz Thier]

To our Indian comrades

Your problems are our problems in Europe. Some alternative to capitalism has to be based on our experiences since Karl Marx. No doubt, the alternative is democracy  and the free development of each as the condition of the free development of all. No doubt, this goal can only be achieved by masses who are deeply convinced of their stance because of their individual experiences.

There is, however, some doubt on sole reforming capitalism, sole welfare state. As you see, this strategy led to the widening gap between the poor and the rich, national and international. That's Arundhati Roy's fear, that's her legitimate motif. But - apart from the military imbalance - military solutions aren't solutions because they lack the consent of the mass, of the enlightened mass. This is Sukla Sen's legitimate motif.

How to come out of this dilemma? By leaving capitalism aside, leaving barter, money, market aside because this necessarily ends up in capitalism. By initiating und supporting global movements that are currently underway:

  1.. "We don't want to become rich. We just want to have a good life. We don't want to exercise power on other people."
  2.. "Everybody has a right to live (without anything in return beforehand). Everybody has the right of some Unconditional Basic Income (UBI), i.e. 1500 € net per month in Germany."
  3.. "In this region, we provide our living by a net of agricultural cooperatives sharing their produce. Self-sufficiency is our economic level."
Thus you are instigating people's self-confidence which is the key to some alternative to capitalism, and you cut the ground from under capitalism which is barter. Suddenly, two developments are competing in the history of mankind, and capitalism will be debunked as uncapable of free competition. You no longer have to rely on state, social welfare, market, money, government, Arundhati Roy. And you have the consent of the enlightende mass, Sukla Sen.

It is true that UBI is a demand to governments in office. But it's most likely to be realised because capitalism regards it as cost-saving and promoting efficiency. Culturally, however, it's a historical change because it's instigating people to self-production and self-government without the need of barter and money. In the end, they will say to their state and government: "Thank you, you've met your obligations. We no longer need UBI. You may go."

The cultural turn: It's a stop to fatal economic competition, to fragmenting communities, to the alienation of man. Encouraging people to be more creative and productive than in capitalism. Every income beyond UBI is regarded as obscene. The Western standard of living stays with that of Germany in 1969, not the technology though. The surplus is given to the Third World for supporting their UBI. People govern themselves by Round Tables at each level (neighbourhood, district, town, region), members of which can be voted in and out any time. No need for political parties, nor for trade unions. No desire of power over somebody else. They have compassion and solidarity with other people on earth who feel likewise. Everybody is free to labour or not to labour. Each step a voluntary step. Picking up people who already live like this, attracting people who yearn for it. Only masses who have gone through this culture will not relaps into bourgeois culture.

The main agent of social change is providing opportunities (by the UBI) to the people to reflect on their basic needs and on their right to live.



Karl-Heinz Thier
www.kthier.de
K.Thier at gmx.com
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