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

From: Gerald_A_Levy (Gerald_A_Levy@email.msn.com)
Date: Thu May 24 2001 - 20:41:00 EDT


(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



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