[OPE-L:5662] "The Commoner" e-journal

["Gerald_A_Levy" <Gerald_A_Levy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(Thanks to Michael P for informing others about this site.)

 

Described as a "web journal for other values",

this new electronic journal appears to be the

collaborative work of a group of autonomous

Marxists.

 

The web site for "The Commoner" is:

 

http://www.commoner.org.uk/com_journal.htm

 

 

When one enters the site, one reads the somewhat

cryptic message:

 

"... and the commoners have just a simple idea in

mind -- end the enclosures ..."

 

For this group, the enclosure movement is very

much alive and is a major component of neo-

liberalism. Perhaps we could, at some point,

discuss the meaning of the 'enclosure movements'

-- then and now?

 

Much of the site is still a "work in progress", but

the May issue has a number of feature articles

of note including:

 

* an article by Franco Barchesi on the struggle

   in Tembisa, South Africa against the enclosures

   and for the 'new commons'.  

 

* an article by George Caffentzis on "shall we kill

  the banks?".  This concerns left and right critiques

  of the IMF and the World Bank.

 

* "Flexploitation Strategies: UK Lessons for Europe"

   by Anne Costello and Les Levidow.

 

* an article by OPE-L listmember, Massimo de

  Angelis, on (another unusual title) "the rat race

  disguised as freedom". The sub-title on "Global

  Capital, Abstract Labour, and the Fractual-

  Panopticon" is (except for the last two words)

  somewhat less enigmatic.

 

* "War is on the agenda" (now there's a depressing

   title!) by Silvia Federic. The sub-title is: "War,

   globalization, and reproduction".

 

Overall, the e-journal reminds me a bit of the now

defunct "Common Sense".   If the first issue is any

indication, this journal has a promising future and

an important role to play in many contemporary

political-economic debates.  Check it out.

 

In solidarity, Jerry