The Accumulation of Freedom: Writings on Anarchist Economics

by Anthony J. Nocella II (Editor), Deric Shannon (Editor), John Asimakopoulos (Editor), Michael Albert (Contribution by), Iain McKay (Contribution by)

Overview

The only crisis of capitalism is capitalism itself. Let's toss credit default swaps, bailouts, environmental externalities and, while we're at it, private ownership of production in the dustbin of history. The Accumulation of Freedom brings together economists, historians, theorists, and activists for a first-of-its-kind study of anarchist economics. The editors aren't trying to subvert the notion of economics—they accept the standard definition, but reject the notion that capitalism or central planning are acceptable ways to organize economic life.

Contributors include Robin Hahnel, Iain McKay, Marie Trigona, Chris Spannos, Ernesto Aguilar, Uri Gordon, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849350945
Publisher:	AK PR INC
Publication date:	02/14/2012
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Deric Shannon is a PhD. candidate in sociology at the University of Connecticut, where he studies prefigurative politics and radical social movements. He is a co-editor of the book Contemporary Anarchist Studies: An Introductory Reader of Anarchy in the Academy and the author of numerous articles and book chapters, typically on radical political thought. He is a member of the Workers Solidarity Alliance, Queers without Borders, and co-runs the independent record label, Wooden Man Records.

Anthony J. Nocella, II, while finishing his Ph.D. in Social Science at Syracuse University, he teaches at SUNY Cortland and Le Moyne College in Criminology and life skills at a youth detention facility. He is also an associate of a number of scholarly institutes including the Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts (PARC) and is the Executive Director of the Central New York Peace Studies Consortium and the Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS). His books include Terrorists or Freedom Fighters? (ed.), Academic Repression (ed.), Igniting a Revolution (ed.), and Contemporary Anarchist Studies (ed.).

John Asimakopoulos, Ph.D. is Director of the scholar-activist Transformative Studies Institute (TSI). He also edits the interdisciplinary per-reviewed journal Theory in Action. His work focuses on labor, globalization, and sociological theory. He currently teaches Sociology at Montclair State Universityand has taught Economics, Sociology, and Political Science at many New York and New Jersey Universityies.

Table of Contents

Preface Ruth Kinna 5

Introduction

Anarchist Economics: A Holistic View Deric Shannon Anthony J. Nocella John Asimakopoulos 11

Part 1 History

Examining the History of Anarchist Economics to See the Future Chris Spannos 42

Laying the Foundations: Proudhon's Contribution to Anarchist Economics Iain McKay 64

Part 2 Analysis

Capitalism in the 2000s Abbey Volcano Deric Shannon 80

Fight to Win! Tools for Confronting Capital Jeff Monaghan D. T. Cochrane 95

Escaping Capitalist Hegemony: Rereading Western Economies Richard J. White Colin C. Williams 117

Part 3 Critique

Globalized Contradictions of Capitalism and the Imperative for Epochal Change John Asimakopoulos 140

The Economic Crisis and Libertarian Socialists Robin Hahnel 159

Education's Diminishing Returns and Revolutionary Potential in the United States and Beyond William T. Armaline William D. Armaline 178

Part 4 Practice

Anarchist Economics in Practice Uri Gordon 204

Currency and Café Anarchy: Do-it-Yourself Economics and Participatory Resistance to Global Capitalism Caroline Kaltefleiter 219

Part 5 Resistance

Occupy, Resist, Produce! Lessons from Latin America's Occupied Factories Marie Trigona 238

Call It an Uprising: People of Color and the Third World Organize against Capitalism Ernesto Aguilar 254

Part 6 Vision

Chopping Off the Invisible Hand: Internal Problems with Markets and Anarchist Theory, Strategy, and Vision Deric Shannon 276

Ditching Class: The Praxis of Anarchist Communist Economics Scott Nappalos 291

The Anarchist Method: An Experimental Approach to Post-Capitalist Economies Wayne Price 313

Afterword

Porous Borders of Anarchist Vision and Strategy Michael Albert 327

Postscript 345

Contributor Biographies 349

Index 355