The game of Monopoly has its origins in a game meant to demonstrate the principles of Georgism.
“Veblen put forth a basic distinction between the productiveness of ‘industry’ run by skilled engineers, which manufactures real goods of utility, and the parasitism of ‘business,’ which exists only to make profits for a leisure class which engages in ‘conspicuous consumption’. The only economic contribution by the leisure class is ‘economic waste’, activities that contribute negatively to productivity. By implication, Veblen saw the US economy as being made inefficient and corrupt by men of ‘business’ who deviously put themselves in an indispensable position in society.”
Free trade is not free, money is debt, and people do not prefer to be wage labourers.
Kevin Carson weighs in on the controversy over the legitimacy of violence in protests: "The state is simply a group of human beings cooperating for common purposes — purposes frequently at odds with those of other groups of people, like the majority of people in the same society. And violent actions by an association of individuals who call themselves ‘the state’ have no more automatic legitimacy than violent actions by associations of individuals who call themselves ‘the Ku Klux Klan’ or ‘al Qaeda.’"
I was there. I wrote about it! (http://americancynic.net/log/2012/5/6/my_may_day_2012.html)
A cute story made up of photographs of little plastic people. I like how the ducks are wearing the red square… and how the anarchist saves the day :)
Good article about Montreal’s Anarchopanda. It turns out he’s a philosophy professor.
The best essay I’ve read on the purpose of breaking windows as a form of propaganda of the deed: “when an activist tamely busts some window they’re obviously not trying to win by depriving the state of glass surfaces. This too is outreach of a form. But you are not the target audience … That’s why politicians and police consistently go apeshit over things like measly storefront windows. Their control is dependent in no small part on being seen in control. Certain boundaries to what’s considered feasible must be secured at all cost lest they begin to loose the illusion of invulnerability that dissuades the subjugated from rising up. No one in power gets hysterical when a common thief, for example, breaks a window because thieves are perceived as part of the same ecosystem of exploitation in which cops and CEOs position themselves as the apex predators. Political vandalism is potent in part precisely because it risks much for no personal gain. It announces a violation of the established rules"
Zakk Flash responds to Chris Hedges' criticisms of the black bloc tactic.
A good rundown of several of the new and proposed anti-camping laws aimed at the homeless and the Occupy movement.
Although the charges and disputed facts in his case are different than mine, this is encouraging!
Give us this day our daily bread Ⓐnd forgive us our trespasses
Pancho was arrested while meditating at Occupy Oakland and nearly deported. As far as I know after his release he has not been deported to date. See also his interview on Democracy Now! (http://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/18/occupy_oakland_protester_pancho_ramos_stierle)
