7. 'Socialism or Barbarism': The centrality of self-emancipation

Outline

Introductory remarks. More than ever “Socialism or barbarism” today. But a) pb. of language and content - taking in account past experience and failures, opacity of notions, updating past debates ;

b) strategical stakes - behind the notion of "transitional method" (or program) : how to fight within/against the capitalist world order ? 

I- Back to “Socialism” and “communism” : what do we mean ? Lessons from the past and present struggles ; updating notions and debates.

II- What “transitional strategy” to-day ? At what level ? What fundamental demands ?

QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

A) In the recent international context and that of your country (or regional environment), can the words "socialism", "communism" be used by anti-capitalist currents? Or what other words do you use to evoke a non-capitalist future?)

B) Give examples in your own country / region of  concrete issues (private and /or public debt, health, care...- and behind them inequalities)  before and/or since the Covid19,  which could  permit to raise "transitional demands" - with anti-capitalist,  eco-socialist dynamics based on self-organisation, with social and political dimensions.

Catherine Samary : http://csmaray.fr

I) Michael Lowy, Transition, ecological and social planning [1]

II) CADTM For a unite front against the payment of public and private illegitimate debts [2]

III- Via Campesina. Environmental & social justice

a) Site = Who We ARE ? What are we fighting for ? What are we fighting against [3]

b) The right to food sovereignty. 16 October 2020 [4]

c) #Nov25: Peasants in the Struggle for our Rights, against the Virus of Capital and Patriarchy! [5]

IV) EXTRACT from Daniel Tanuro's foreword to his book: "Too late to be pessimistic". [6]/c/cf/Extract_Tanuro.doc