Responding to Neoliberalism - A Positive Response to Last Week's Discussion

I know we all felt some variety of angry, discouraged, oppressed, or helpless after our reading and discussion last week, so I wanted to share something positive and reactionary to hopefully direct our conversation towards what could be and is being done. In my initial blog post for last week I brought up the Occupy movement, a conversation I would like to return to, but here is something else to consider along the same lines from Professor Noel Ignatiev, author of How the Irish Became White. The concept of Jubilee, like Occupy, may seem extreme or impractical - but maybe that's what's required. I don't have the text right in front of me, but Duggan calls for creative, radical, solutions. Take this under consideration, I'd be interested to hear y'all's opinions.

Jubilee!

Jubilee!

Proclaim liberty throughout the land—Leviticus 25:10

In ancient times there existed a tradition of periodically canceling all debts. It was known as Jubilee. In the face of the deepest crisis the country has faced in close to a century, we call for the renewal of that tradition.

Cancel all debt, including mortgages, medical bills, credit-card debts, car notes and student loans!

“If debt is wiped out, won’t the banks fail?” Yes, and the buildings could be used as palaces of culture or to house the homeless.

“If the banks fail, won’t people lose their savings?” People whose debts exceed their savings will gain more than they lose.

“What about the economy?”

“What about jobs?”

“Can there be a world without bankers?”

Building a new world will require imagination, experimentation… and the willingness to destroy what exists.

From Mexico to Greece, from Egypt to China—a world crisis demands a world solution: Cancel all international debt, as a step toward replacing the system of hostile states and permanent war with a global community.

Beware!

Political figures seek to use the occupation movement to build support for programs that will solve nothing and condemn future generations to debt!

End foreclosures and debt slavery!

“Be realistic: Demand the impossible.”—Students in Paris, 1968

globaljubilee@gmail.com