Mailtda's non-commercial use clause, was: Re: [matilda] crisisof consensus

[atw]

All of the arguments against the Art shop have been based on
principles rather than practical reasons (like we don't have the
space, it wouldn't work etc.).

The principle is that we don't want the Matilda space to be used for
private financial gain.

The thing with principles is that for them to mean anything they have
to be applied consistently to all cases. If they're not then they are
worthless.

If Matilda were to agree to the above principle then we have to apply
it consistently. That means anything sold in Matilda where some of the
profits were used for private financial gain should also not be
allowed.

The most obvious activity that should cease as a result of the above
principle has to be the selling of alcohol. Private profits go to: the
shop it was bought from, the distributer, and the manufacturer. In
fact a whole bunch of people from shop assistants to lorry drivers and
corporate directors profit (privately gain) from our selling of
alcohol.

Unlike the artists who might sell their work, some of those in the
alcohol chain are properly exploited in the Marxian sense. Surplus
value goes the owners of the means of production. So we could say that
the selling of alcohol is actually far worse than the selling of
locally produced art. Alcohol entails exploitation, art direct from
artists does not.

Therefore if the Art shop is stopped on the above principle we must
also stop the selling of alcohol too. The only source of alcohol
permissible would be that brewed by people who make no private
financial gain at all - though I admit finding such a source might be
tricky.

Ideally we could make our own. But we don't live in an ideal world. I
like Tequila. I'd need an ethical source of cacti to start with. Maybe
the Zapatistas can send us some.

steve

PS this is basically what Steve was saying in Monday's meeting and has
yet to be refuted.





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