[OPE-L] Creating a Caring Economy

[glevy@xxxxxxxxx]

February 28, 2006

New book! Creating a caring economy

NEW BOOK! Edited by Nina Lopez of the Global Women's
Strike, which organized  Nora Castañeda's US & European
speaking tours in 2004 and 2005:

Creating a Caring Economy - Nora Castañeda and the
Women's Development Bank of Venezuela

Women - the starting point of revolution in Venezuela

President Chavez has said: 'To abolish poverty we must
give power to the poor.'  Women, who are 70% of the
poor, have made themselves the starting point of
change.

The extraordinary Women's Development Bank (Banmujer)
is part of the process of revolutionizing Venezuela's
economy: promoting grassroots self-activity backed by
the oil revenue.

Its president, Nora Castañeda, describes how Banmujer
is providing a path-breaking framework for building a
movement which is 'creating an economy at the service
of human beings.'

She also describes what it was like during the reversal
of the 2002 US-backed coup. 'Grassroots women had
gained so much with the revolution that to lose it
would have been unbearable. The coup was like the loss
of a precious loved one: we were in mourning but ready
to fight.'

Castañeda is an economist - with a difference.
Dedicated to grassroots women, to anti-racism and to
Marx, she has been in the movement all her life.

Castañeda is an advocate of Article 88 of the
Bolivarian constitution which recognizes housework as
an economic activity that produces wealth and welfare:
'the most important work humanity does.'

As Selma James says in her introduction: 'Those of us
immersed in the movement need to know how they're doing
it in Venezuela so we can learn from them what we have
to do wherever we are. She is a fantastic spokeswoman
for the revolution and for women everywhere.'

Order online:
<www.allwomencount.net/Publications/Forsalepage.htm>

Prices: $10 + $2 postage; £4.50 + 50p postage in the
UK or £1.20 other countries; discount for 6+ copies.