Social Economy Survey from London LSX October 2011

TOWARDS A SOCIAL ECONOMY: SOME IDEAS FROM THE LONDON OCCUPATION AND WORK IN PROGRESS
(Updated in light of latest survey returns)

What’s radical about the London occupations is not, or not yet, an outspoken manifesto but a common recognition that our ‘social democracy’ is neither social nor democratic and a shared determination to do better. A statement agreed at an early General Assembly outside St Pauls described the current system as ‘unsustainable, undemocratic and unjust. We need alternatives and this is where we work towards them…This is what democracy looks like, come and join us.’

This was not good enough for many press commentators and passers-by. ‘You know what you don’t want, but what DO you want?’ they asked. While groups were forming for the serious work, I took it on myself to list some possible answers. I drew on leaflets, posters and discussions I took part in or overheard. I boiled the list down to nine options and set them out in no particular order on a survey form, with a tenth box empty for suggestions. At the top of the form were a couple of positive aims based on the agreed initial statement:
• to build a just, sustainable and democratic economy, putting the good of the majority and the earth before corporate interests and profit for a few
• to practice and promote democracy, deciding between us how we live and work together.
Respondents were asked to tick, cross or query each of the nine options, add amendments and write their own suggestions in box no. 10. I handed out about 450 forms, of which about 100 went to passing visitors. Fifty completed forms were returned to a box-file marked ‘Social Economy’ in the information tent. That’s about 20% of the camp population.

After collating the results, I reordered the options in order of preference. Most respondents (in this small, self-selecting sample) ticked most of the boxes. All the first nine options won majority support. The results below surprised me by their moderation, especially in the light of latest pay figures for top CEOs. Perhaps I should I have included ‘Smash capitalism’ and harvested the ticks for that.

The following list includes respondents’ amendments (underlined). In joint first place were:
1. Alternative economy: individual and collective food-growing, building, making and mending, recycling and exchange (becoming more important if full employment is no longer possible)
2. Support for unions, co-operatives, mutuals, partnerships, profit-sharing and social enterprise - organizations that challenge or improve on conventional capitalism.*
3. Use our stake in bailed-out banks to build affordable homes, schools, sustainable industry and energy, essential services and foreign aid. ‘Quantitative easing’ (printed money) to go to this program, not back into bad banks. Buy out RBS as a National Investment Bank and put QE into new Green Bank.
4. Tax reforms: a) Land value tax to tap underlying wealth and redress basic inequalities; b) One-off wealth tax to pay off national debt and save interest costs; c) Tobin tax on financial transactions to discourage speculation and raise funds for better use; d) Closure of tax havens.
5. Reclaim unused land for food-growing, empty buildings for living or working in. Fight enclosure, take back commons.
6. Corporate reform: to make companies accountable for social and environmental outcomes as well as profit and loss; tighter regulation of banks, private equity and hedge funds. Companies to lead annual reports with statements of social/environmental objectives, pay-differentials and worker-involvement in decision-making.


7. Take individual responsibility for our own actions, spending and savings. Make banks, pension-funds etc tell us how they spend and invest our money.
8. Citizens’ Assemblies, to bring direct democracy to bear on local government, public services and community action.
9.. Social and Environmental Audit (on a par with current Credit ratings) to inform investors, savers, employees and general public of company performance (an alternative to top-down regulation, and involving unions, NGOs, progressive companies etc)
10. Workers councils and support for workers’ buy-outs (combining two write-ins).

Other write-ins included:
- reclaim bankers’ bonuses, base future payments on long-term performance.
- stop privatization of health and education
- tax and cut from top, not bottom. 90% tax for top 1%,
- general strike
- citizen-volunteer force
- replace capitalism (‘transitional program’)
- boycott banks and stop paying tax
- abolish money
- end unsustainable Growth
- international ‘Declaration rights for Mother Earth’ and law against ecocide
- outlaw food speculation
- promote moral/spiritual debate (interfaith and no-faith, including ‘outspoken socialism’)
- bail out the people, nationalise the banks.
- ban arms trade
- Enforce MAXIMUM wage

Clearly this survey is neither objective nor comprehensive. I am part of the movement I describe and cannot reach the whole of it. This is only a snapshot of some work in progress but I hope it helps to focus discussion in and around the occupation. None of us has the answers, but we can all help find them. Besides this survey, I have been encouraged by comments in the Occupation visitors’ book in the Information Tent). Again, not a random sample, but the views of those who care and dare to step inside. With almost no exceptions the entries are positive:

‘Stay strong, warm, safe… Rock and roll around the world…Keep it up, wish I could join you, from a very worried student nurse…I’m so proud of you young people…Even my nan likes it…Total soutien d’un camarade syndique CGT…I work for a business on its knees, banks want our money now, but the big guys take months to pay…I’ve brought my children to show them how democracy works…So happy I came here…People connecting, about time…Let’s occupy the world…This is the end of the world as we know it. I feel fine…Too little, too late…At least you’re TRYING…Female, 50, fed-up, (and now) inspired…DON’T LEAVE.

The main banner at the entrance to the St Pauls reads ‘Capitalism IS Crisis’ but a recent General Assembly agreed that this, though perhaps true, did not properly reflect the Occupation as a whole. Two other big posters once attached to the railings of the Victoria statue, have now been removed – by bad weather or official good taste? One read RESPECT EXISTENCE OR EXPECT RESISTANCE, the other said REVOLUTION but with the L reversed, pointing backwards to make LOVE.

*NOTE: The initial statement agreed by the General Assembly outside St Pauls 16.10.2011 gave
support to the November 30th union strike against cuts and student action on November 9th