[Campaignforrealdemocracy] Reminder / PA Info | NETWORK X THIS WEEKEND!!!

[Mark Barrett]

    A reminder about this weekend in Manchester!! Also, below the message
I've set out a brief www.peoplesassemblies.org Network summary & a number of
proposals for the gathering.

In solidarity

Mark

Our first gathering is to be held at MMU – Manchester Metropolitan’s
Student Union – on the 15th and 16th of January from 10am to 6pm each day.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Almost all the details are on our wordpress site.
networkxuk.wordpress.com
We would  love it if you took a little time to check over everything there.
 We
have information on food, accommodation, travel, proposals, the agenda and
the
organisational process and other important bits.

A couple of practical notes for the e-mail though.
•       We are providing food, but are short on cutlery, if you can bring
your
own bowl and fork, spoon and or/knife that would be wicked.
•       If you would like to have a stall at the gathering please let us
know
(or just bring your stuff), e-mail knightrose.geo at yahoo.com. There is plenty
of
space and we’ll accept donations of what you think is reasonable.  We can
probably even accommodate you on the day, but please mail ahead.
•       There will be an info desk, if you have info on local/national
groups
that you are in and wish to share please bring it along, we want these to be
a
space to share and find other like minded souls.
•       Please, please, please contact us if you want crash space, we have
it,
but are unsure how many are coming. ninjaction at riseup.net – title CRASH
SPACE
•       If you have confirmed yourself on facebook but can’t come can you
de-confirm yourself, or vice versa – for cooking and crash space it would be
great to get an accurate number of attendees.

It has been astounding to hear from everyone that is coming, from Scotland
and
South Wales, Bristol, Birmingham and Brighton, to sunny Sheffield and so
many
other places, and from so many diverse groups.
We know the time is now to make a change and we know there is a hunger to do
it
in a different and better way.  As such we hope that weekend will be an
awesome
experience for all involved and that together we can build something
special.

--------------------------------------------------
**
*PA Network Summary*

(1) To briefly summarise the views of the PA network meeting that met on Dec
11th, and other comments from comrades overseas
(2) To put forward some concrete proposals for Network X
(3) To supplement, and include the submission on Peoples Assemblies by A
World to Win

*(1) Views*

Coming out of Dec 11th ( see notes at www.peoplesassemblies.org ) there is a
sense that PAs (radical, "peoples assemblies") have the capacity to work as
a new organisational form, aswell as operating as sites of power in and of
themselves. Such Assemblies are not parties, nor are they unions, they are
an organisational form which, by avoiding bureacracy and staying solidly at
the grassroots, embody inclusive, autonomous democratic practices. Popular
Assemblies have a strong revolutionary history, and appear to hold
contemporary resonance in both South and North America, Africa, Asia and
Europe. We have heard of Peoples Assemblies forming internationally in
recent months, in various sectoral contexts eg education (UK and France)
workers power (Canada), Climate Justice (Europe and Canada with a strong
interest also in West Africa).

Broadly speaking, in political terms the Dec 11th meeting put forward that
Assemblies are democratic forums for decision making and for communities to
change the status quo / take power from the ground up, and that they can
happen anywhere. They are an inclusive, grassroots organisational strategy
distinct from unions, parties and other hierarchical forms of coalition
building.

So, how do we help link them up and encourage more of them without
centralising control ?

*(2) Concrete Proposals*

*Utilising/Developing PA site:* an open working group is now developing the
PA URL (peoplesassemblies.org - presently in holding stage) into what we
hope will make it into a collaborative site offered to all interested in
developing radical assemblies, whether in the UK or elsewhere. In the next
few weeks we plan to offer multiple community blog & collaborative
alternative politics (and economics) building spaces, with live feeds to the
front. Additionally we hope to add geomaps and other functions later on, but
to begin with simply on-site blogs and / or feeds from PA orientated blogs
already going. The basic aim of site is so we all learn about and publicise
each other's struggles and ideas and help build a movement of PAs.

Do Network X-ers think this makes sense, and would they be interested in
participating ? We want to the site to be collectively owned and run by the
movement..! Also, a tech request: we are looking for someone with DRUPAL
skills so if anyone has them and fancies helping take the site forward,
please say so.

*Encouraging PA Formation:* In order to build resilience and horizontal
decision making into the anti-cuts resistance in the UK, while also making
links internationally, we propose that Network X activists encourage their
local anti-cuts groups to form themselves into Peoples Assemblies. This will
mean they retain complete autonomy about what they are trying to achieve
while also connecting up with others internationally across the UK who feel
the same way. It also means they will be establishing a greater resilience
into what they are doing, as PAs have the capacity to include short as well
as long term movement and we hope even the capacity of building a new
society. And ideally also to then utilise the www.peoplesassemblies.org site
( contact via info at peoplesassemblies.org ).

*Town Hall Militant Peoples Assemblies:*
One idea that people seem to like is that of holding PAs outside Town Halls
(on budget, or other cuts sensitive local days) or other relevant local
institutions being asked to implement the cuts, with the possibility of
occupation (see also Dual Power idea below for March 26th). During the next
few months target days will be fragmented, as different local institutions
make decisions on cuts implementation on different days. But one future
suggestion following on from this is for a rolling series of common days of
action, with calls for work and school walkouts, and marches to Town Halls
to occupy, and basically ideally make the country ungovernable with
Assemblies being the new form of decentralised, community based, but also
globally resonant form of organisation through which 'the below' can rise to
power in the vacuum.

*Direct Action: Peoples Assembly Bloc and Dual Power on March 26th*
 It is being proposed that an anti-capitalist Peoples Assemblies bloc takes
part in the TUC March on the 26th. Also, last week a Peoples Assemblies
direct action working group met to discuss mapping possible targets for
'detonator' occupations on the day. Occupations setting up 'dual power'
Peoples Assembly occupations in key London spaces. See also
http://meltdown.uk.net/election/Dual_Power.html

[Please also note that March 25th is the anniversary of the founding of
modern Europe (Treaty of Rome) so is a potentially European-wide mobilising
day / weekend.]

*Encouraging PA politics and economics:* we want to develop content, debate
and discussion about alternative political economy in a broad sense, but
also on single issues relevant to Assemblies that have either formed, or
that are in the process of forming. Any interest in developing ideas on
this, please get in touch!

*(3) A World to Win
*
Am also forwarding the following in the one document, as it is relevant to
whole PA idea:

Proposal on creating People’s Assembles for the Network X strategy strand.
Submitted by A World to Win.

We support the view put forward in the call for this weekend that it is not
just the cuts but capitalism itself that is the problem, and we think this
challenge can be addressed by a strategy based on creating People’s
Assemblies.

People’s Assemblies can become a democratic alternative to the failed,
undemocratic political and economic system.

Delegates to Assemblies will represent ordinary people’s interests, whether
they are young or old, in work or unemployed, in the public or private
sectors, trade unionists, women, students, anti-capitalist political groups,
minorities and community groups.

Communities whose services and living standards are being attacked by the
Con-Lib coalition as part of their rescue package for the capitalist
economic system, need a way of moving beyond resistance towards a direct
challenge to the state.

A network of People’s Assemblies can facilitate a transition to a democratic
society based on cooperation and self-determination in place of profit and
corporate power.

People will want to decide the way forward for their own local assembly, but
the main thing is to challenge the lie that there is no alternative to the
capitalist system. Some of the things they could do are:
     defend communities against closures, evictions, and job losses
     campaign against the transfer of services to corporations and charities
     fight for democracy and a charter of rights
     campaign for action on climate change
     oppose war and the secret state
     struggle against racism and attacks on minority communities
     build international links with movements and people in other countries
     make plans for  not-for-profit economic and financial models
     develop models of democratic power to replace the present state.

Local and regional People’s Assemblies would aim to democratise British
society as a whole in new ways:

Co-ownership of resources. The key areas of the production and financial
process, including land, power, transport and mineral resources would
transfer from private shareholder ownership into forms of co-ownership.
These resources would be held in trust by locally-elected bodies and placed
under democratic control.

The workplace. All workers should have the right to democracy at work,
whether in a factory, hospital, call centre, in public transport, civil
service, local government, offices, shops, schools, colleges or university.
All major decisions would require the consent of the workforce.
Self-management would be encouraged in place of hierarchies.

Education. School, college and university students and staff would have the
right to jointly plan and run  their institutions.

*Liberation Beyond Resistance AWTW film on the crisis, and strategy of PAs
(11 mins):
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcnrEAwNgFo&feature=player_embedded
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