capitalism doesn't work

Zoe Baker traces historical meanings of the word proletariat and it uses by 19th century socialists.

A recording of Zoe reading the essay here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnxpfpXF_es

"Dolge is an anarchist, an atheist and a communist." – Judge Hardin

Somehow I have never heard of Alfred Dolge -- an inventor of musical instruments and an industrial-socialist who built a utopian town in New York around a felt factory. This audio program by Dave Hilowitz tells the story of the the rise and fall of Dolgeville.

Many inspiring quotations in this article (1907):

"it is the very ones who declaim so unceasingly about “law and order” who are themselves the corrupters of the nation’s morals, the buyers of its legislatures, the polluters of its courts, the defilers of its elec-torate, the stealers of its public domain, and the heartless vampires that suck the lifeblood of the people."

"Treason to despotism is devotion to freedom. “Law and order” is a phrase mouthed by hypocrites to command the obedience of cowards."

"The capitalist class buys law, as it does labor, using the one to fleece the other, and what it means by “law and order” is cringing submission to slavery."

"'Law and order' is the wand of the imposter, the mask of the robber. Beware of him who ceaselessly gabbles about the sanctity of the law."

"John Brown, were he living today and saw the slaves in the pits and mills and their babes in the sweatshops, would again don the panoply of battle and swear death to wage-slavery. Were he living today he would be hated and persecuted as fiercely as he was by the chattel slave aristocracy half a century ago. But he is dead. And the ruling class against which he rebelled, the ruling class which put him to death and which he cannot now resist, seizes him as one of its own heroes and insults his memory by en-rolling his name in its calendar of saints."

"the idle owners, by the mere fact of ownership, get most of what the miners produce. The workers have submitted to this exploitation long and patiently, but the limit has about been reached. Why should they have to deliver up to others the wealth they produce? Why not themselves enjoy the fruit of their own labor?"

"Chattel slavery has disappeared. Wage-slavery has yet to be conquered. The struggle has already begun. There can be no compromise and no retreat"

"The wage system has only slavery for the working class and oft-times even that is denied them. It has served its time and purpose and must soon be abolished. The workers do not need masters; they can and must be their own."

I recently discovered Daniel Walden's book reviews on Current Affairs.

"the world at which we aim, the kingdom whose coming Christ proclaimed, will not settle our debts and contracts but abolish them completely; that even those who didn’t join the struggle until the eleventh hour will be welcome at the feast; that the moment at which love appears utterly defeated, when it looks to the world like a victim crucified by state violence, will in the end be revealed as love’s final, all-embracing triumph."

Pete Davis talks to Josh Davis of the newly-founded Institute for Christian Socialism. Together, they talk about the intertwined history of left movements and Christianity.

Charles Monroe Sheldon (February 26, 1857, Wellsville, New York – February 24, 1946, Topeka, Kansas) was an American Congregationalist minister and leader of the Social Gospel movement. His novel, In His Steps, introduced the principle of "What Would Jesus Do?" which articulated an approach to Christian theology that became popular at the turn of the 20th century and had a revival almost one hundred years later.

"Basic income is a real shot at utopia. Basic jobs takes that energy and idealism, and redirects it to perpetuate some of the worst parts of the current system. It’s better than nothing. But not by much."

I don't know anything about this organization, but I like their primer on dual power.

"Dual Power institutions come in two flavors: alternative institutions and counter-institutions. ... The two kinds of Dual Power institutions do this from different (but complementary) angles. Alternative institutions meet a need directly. Counter-institutions challenge capitalism’s way of doing things. Alternative institutions start making a system that’s just, while counter-institutions work against one that’s unjust."

Tim Barker's very good review of a book that seems interesting (especially the COST proposal) but that I'll probably not read.

I was catching up on some Occupy Wall Street drama (because what else to do on a Monday morning in 2018?) and came across this essay by someone who wants leftists to be better at organizing or something. I liked it enough to read the whole thing.

On the origin of the word 'capitalist'

Warren's lessons from his time with the utopian Owenite commune in New Harmony, Indiana. If I ever compile a list of recommended reading for those interested in intentional communities, this will be included.

Some background on Dickens' concern for the plight of English working conditions.

A great archive of works on caring and domestic labour.

NPM's Isaac Schlueter on the obvious solution to Trump and the coming insurrection.

Also, read The Fountainhead: http://blog.izs.me/post/146672376/required-reading-for-web-developers-the

Even anarchists get homesick.

I'm guessing this is the Scenes From Rojava photo blog Guy talked about starting in the article: https://www.facebook.com/scenesfromrojava/

Eric Garner’s murder is not only about the justice system. It’s about how capitalism creates racialized categories of “surplus” people.