Re: <nettime> The Revolutionary Role of a Transnational Counterparty

[Dmytri Kleiner <dk@telekommunisten.net>]

Thanks Brian, I certainly agree that there would be a lot of commonality
with these movements. However, I think the opportunity here is bigger than,
we need to have a Mass movement, which the radicalism of OWS, etc, as much
as I love it, and identify with it, could never have. 

We need to reach the average person, and allow them to have organized
representation without taking radical action themselves, as their class
condition does not allow for it, they have kids, studies, jobs, etc, and
are struggling against debts, and mainly insecure about their own
historical or political knowledge, and uncomfortable taking radical stances
that may alienate their social peers.

A movement like OWS can certainly be in solidarity with the masses, but
the feeling is unlikely to be reciprocated, and the movement is unlikely to
actually attract the "99%." The total number if people involved in OWS will
never outnumber the 1% they protest against. This is not in anyway a
criticism of OWS and similar movements, this is just the reality.

Focusing on a simple message that people are in debt, not because of any
moral failure on their part, but because of inadequacies in the way
education, healthcare, child care and housing is provisioned in our society
is not efficient nor fair can be a bridge from a very common, even
conservative (in the social sense) consciousness to a very radical
conclusion.

The Debtors' Party should definitely be in solidarity with OWS and other
radical movements, but it should not, imo, overly identify, or be seen as
"The party of OWS," not that I wouldn't be proud to be part of such a
party, but it's simply not a large enough community to be viable, we need
to aim bigger. Over 50% of the population of the planet has a negative net
worth.

In terms of party discipline, my vision is something like liquid democracy
internally, strict discipling externally. External interfaces like local
parties and elected posts would be instruments, strongly bound to respect
the consensus of the internal democracy, which must be global and extremely
non-hierarchical and participatory.

If you would like to get involved with the party, please let me know.

As for wether it's an artwork or a real party, that's a topic to explore
over a beer. Perhaps next time you're in Berlin.

I've collected all the texts that I've written about this initiative here:
http://dmytri.info/collected-texts-related-to-the-debtors-party

Thanks for your comments!

Best,

-- 
Dmyri Kleiner
Venture Communist


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