Ecosocialist School 2012

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Arrivals, introduction
Saturday 24/11

1. The systemic crisis of capitalism, consequences for the exploited and the oppressed

Introduction to our critical Marxism - Alex Merlo
Sunday 25/11

  • Marx's materialism: The Theses on Feuerbach
  • Introduction to historical materialism: The image of base and superstructure.
  • Introduction to the marxist critique of political economy: use value, exchange value, surplus value, exploitation.


The global economic crisis - Nacho Álvarez
Monday 26/11

  • The neoliberal answer to the crisis since the 1980’s
  • Marxist analysis of the current crisis
  • The responses of the bourgeoisie to the current crisis and their solutions


Imperialism today – Alex de Jong
Tuesday 27/11

  • The classic theory of imperialism (origins, Lenin’s analysis, first world war)
  • Imperialism under US hegemony (post Second World War)
  • Geopolitics today, emerging imperialist powers and declining imperialist powers


The new working class - Dan La Botz
Wednesday 28/11

  • The working class as a revolutionary class
  • The transformations in the structure of production worldwide and in the composition of the working class (“postfordism”, delocalisation rise of the service sector, precariousness, migrants, youth, women, etc.)
  • The current situation of the labour movement and class consciousness,challenges.


Women and the crisis of the capitalist system - Marijke Colle
Thursday 29/11

  • The nature of women's oppression/exploitation under capitalism
  • Women in the current crisis: attacks on women ( as workers, reproductive rights, influence of reactionary ideologies , violence against women, prostitution as a global system)
  • Women and the climate crisis; ecofeminism
  • The need for an autonomous women’s movement :some examples past and present


A Marxist-feminist view on gender - Nadia De Mond
Friday 30/11

  • Origins and different aspects of women’s oppression
  • Patriarchal attitudes and mechanisms that influence our way of looking at the family, reproduction and gender in society at large.
  • Sexual identities, the LGBT movement, homophobia and heterosexism


Day off
Saturday 1/12


The crisis and specific identities - Peter Drucker Sunday 2/12

  • National identities, right to self determination
  • Religious identities, the roles of religion in different societies and contexts
  • The problem of intersectionality of different identities


2. The crisis of civilisation and our ecosocialist alternative

Climate crisis - Marijke Colle
Monday 3/12

  • Technical explanation of the global warming and consequences
  • The impossible green capitalist solutions
  • Climate change and social justice


Food crisis - Jamie M
Tuesday 4/12

  • The origins of the current food crisis and a Marxist explanation
  • The concept of food sovereignty as opposed to agribusiness and to ‘food safety’
  • New peasants and indigenous peoples struggles, the fight against global agribusiness and capitalist agriculture


Ecosocialism - Daniel Tanuro
Wednesday 5/12

  • A criticism of the concept of linear progress
  • The fight for another ecosocialist society,linked to the characteristics of the current combined economic and ecological crisis;
  • Use value and human needs; the commons and public services;


Our socialist project - Catherine Samary
Thursday 6/12

  • The problem of bureaucracy before and after the overthrow of capitalism
  • Democracy and political representation; democracy and the Law; importance of self organisation before and after the revolution
  • Socialist democracy and political pluralism


3. Strategic questions and situation in the different world regions

Revolutionary strategy in the 21st century - Pierre Rousset
Friday 7/12

  • Balance sheet of the 20th Century experiences
  • Rebuilding class consciousness and rebuilding mass organisations
  • Mass mobilisation and united fronts, new movements
  • The conquest of power in the 21st century.


Day off
Saturday 8/12


Dynamics of the left forces in Asia - Pierre Rousset
Sunday 9/12

  • The economies of the emergent countries, the role of China
  • Ongoing conflicts: workers movements, peasant movement, indigenous peoples movements
  • The dynamics of the left, new parties.


The revolutionnary processes in the Arab region - Christian Varin
Monday 10/12

  • Socio-economic roots of the Arab spring;
  • Dynamics of the processes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria;
  • The fight for dignity and democracy; role of Islamic forces; religion; women’s liberation.


Perspectives of the left in Latin America - Franck Gaudichaud
Tuesday 11/12

  • The left governments in Latin America: Where are they going?
  • The role of the Indigenous movements in different countries
  • Lessons from the Brazilian experience; new broad parties, Mexico?


The crisis in Europe - Alan Thornett
Wednesday 12/12

  • The current economic crisis in different parts of Europe;
  • The debt crisis and transitional demands, action program;
  • The crisis of the current European project and of parliamentary democracy; our answers.


The current transformations in Africa
Thursday 13/12

  • Sub-Saharan Africa, economic trends; different neo-colonial regimes; role of former colonial powers;
  • Role of South-Africa, role of China and Brazil;
  • Agriculture, land grabbing, climate change; struggles by social movements


Internationalism and the Fourth International - Penny Duggan
Friday 14/12

  • Our conception of a revolutionary party
  • The recent history of the Fourth International
  • Current challenges in the different regions


Balance sheet, Cleaning up
Saturday 15/12