Comments on: what kind of anti-capitalist organisation is iops?

By: Roy Ratcliffe

Roy Ratcliffe — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:06:30 +0000

In a new article at http://www.critical-mass.net entitled ‘Defending Public Services‘, I have argued that there is more than one reason for anti-capitalists to defend public services and in the present crisis, there are also important reasons for going well beyond any calls for simply replicating past forms of nationalisation. This contribution also has some relevance to the above interview with Michael Albert and the subsequent comments this raised. Regards, Roy

By: Roy Ratcliffe

Roy Ratcliffe — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:00:45 +0000

If the anti-capitalist position is to work for a post-capitalist form of economic society, then this requires envisioning non-profit motivated economic production. We can do this by imagining what this might entail, or we can consider those forms already developing in the womb of capitalism so to speak, with all the distortions, this birth has entailed. It seems to me there have been a number of such forms which offer potential models of what non-profit making economic and social organisation might look like – once these distortions have been eliminated. In this sense Co-operatives, nationalised industries, public services and Parecon offer deformed but potential models which can be improved/debugged and developed further. They are also familiar to 60% of employed workers and those who use them along with a vivid knowledge of their undemocratic and hierarchical structures and practices. I suggest we should not rule out a dialectical relationship with these models rather than a dualist either/or acceptance or rejection.

By: Barry

Barry — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:12:07 +0000

Mike give us a chance. I agree with the general thrust of Lib Coms critique of IOPS and Parecon’( some of the main Lib Com criticisms I outline below) But I will have a further look at the ideas of IOPS another time.

Participatory society is a good idea alongside capitalism, but does not arise out of the dynamic of class struggle between Labour and Capital. Instead,it reflects the present divisions of social life as a given framework. To put this differently IOPS Is a radical vision of communitarian politics. Race, gender, sexuality,nationality, are seem without internal class differentiation.So celebrate diversity and avoid economism or viewing class exploitation and oppression as crucial. But Capital is a social relation that structures society. The economy is is not a separate realm or a machine for the production of things. Again this view accepts the set up of capitalism, but but wants to put a gloss on it of a fairer wage and more participatory democracy. But wages and workers democracy arise from antagonistic class struggle and point towards workers self emancipation and the abolition of wage slavery.

By: Mike.

Mike. — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:22:06 +0000

Disapointed to see this uncritical piece up here and so far without any further comment. To the extent that IOPS is related to anarchism it is primarily in it’s overemphasis on democratic form and rejection of communist content.

There has been much more extensive critical discussion in a number of threads on the libcom website under the headings of Parecon and IOPS worth a search by those interested as well as related threads on a competing international organisation with similar ambitions that goes under the title of ‘Inclusive Democracy’