Dear friends/comrades,

Call for Submissions to a New Journal – Common Voice

Common Voice is a new journal published in association with the World in Common group. We hope to carry on with the valuable work started by Frank Girard's popular Discussion Bulletin, which sadly will be ceasing publication this year. Like the ‘DB’ our aim is twofold - firstly to give a voice to the 'thin red/black line' of the anti-statist, anti-market political sector; and secondly to develop the commonalities that unite the diverse strands of thinking within our revolutionary sector.

We are seeking contributions - in the form of articles, letters, commentary, book reviews, website links etc. - for our inaugural issue to be published in October 2003. Each issue will have a main theme as its focus. The theme of Issue One is Ecology/Environmentalism. Possible areas of focus could include (but are certainly not limited to) the following:

- The ecological implications of a post-capitalist society ‘free access’ society;
- Eco-feminism/Eco-socialism;
- The history of ideas on environmentalism;
- The ‘tragedy of the commons’;
- The intersections between ‘Red’ and ‘Green’ social movements;
- ‘Living in Place’/Permaculture;
- Environmentalism and direct action.

All contributions should be received by September 30th, 2003. Submissions can include original material written especially for Common Voice or material that has already been published elsewhere and that would benefit from a wider audience of groups in our sector. Future issues may include ‘war’, 'human nature,' ‘feminism’, 'the future society' and 'Class, Communism & Democracy' as themes.
We would prefer it if all submissions were made electronically where possible - via e-mail or as a document file (Microsoft Word etc.) on CD-ROM, floppy or zip disk, although we are also happy to accept material that is word-processed, typed or hand-written.

We would also be grateful to receive a brief description of your organisation or group (if you belong to one) - along with a contact address - to be included in our contacts page.

Please submit all material to the address below.

For a world in common,

The Editorial Team,
Common Voice
Box 44
Greenleaf Bookshop
82 Colston Street
Bristol, UK
BS1 5BB

E-mail: [log in to unmask]

About World in Common

WE IN WORLD IN COMMON . . . Realize that only through mutual respect and solidarity among the groups that make up our political sector can we realize our common goals.

TOGETHER WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE . . . A global network of individuals and groups united by our opposition to capitalism and the state and by our search for practical alternatives.

WE HOLD THAT THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES . . . represent the common criteria for eligibility to participate in the World in Common project:

* Opposition to all forms of Capitalism (past, present, local, global, state or 'free market')

* Its replacement by a classless, moneyless world community without borders or states and based upon:

–common ownership and direct democratic control of the means of production;
– a free access 'use' economy with production geared towards the satisfaction of human needs;
– voluntary association, cooperation and the maximization of human creativity, dignity and freedom.

* A recognition that such an alternative society can only be established democratically from the 'bottom up' by the vast majority of people, without the intervention of leaders, politicians or 'vanguards.'

* A commitment to continue the process of contact and cooperation with other groups in our political sector. This does not mean ignoring that which makes us unique, rather that we should devote time and energy to building on what we have in common.

Contact Us:

World in Common
Box 44
82 Colston Street
BRISTOL
BS1 5BB
UK

E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web: www.worldincommon.org

Please Note: Contributors to Common Voice do not have to be supporters of the World in Common project.

Why Support World in Common?

The World in Common group was formed in November 2002. It is firmly rooted in what we call the "anti-market anti-statist sector", a small but highly diverse sector within the spectrum of political opinion. Indeed, the membership of this group reflects this diversity which is likely to grow as we grow.

The purpose of the group is to help inspire a "vision of an alternative way of living where all the world's resources are owned in common and democratically controlled by communities on an ecologically sustainable and socially harmonious basis". Of course, other groups and political parties in our sector have much the same objective which raises the question as to why it should be considered necessary to form yet another such organization. The answer to that has to do with the role that we envisage for ourselves in this sector.

One of the most important reasons why the anti-market anti-statist sector remains relatively small and ineffectual, in our opinion, has to do with the extent to which groups remain isolated from each other and regard each other with mutual suspicion and even sectarian hostility. This is regrettable. We are certainly not suggesting that everyone in our sector sink their differences and join together in one big organisation – which would be quite unrealistic – but there is clearly an intermediate position that one can adopt between that extreme and what we have now.

This is one of the reasons why World in Common was set up: to provide a meeting ground for different groups and individuals within our sector as well as a means of facilitating practical collaboration between them at some level. We recognise that there are sharp differences of opinion on many different subjects within our sector but what we do not feel has been sufficiently recognised – and celebrated – is just how much we have in common with each other. It is these commonalities that are, in fact, rather more significant than the issues that divide us which the World in Common network wishes to bring to the fore and highlight.

It is for that reason that we urge anyone who feels at home within the anti-market anti-statist sector to join the World in Common group to help us realise this goal. All that is required to join us is that you broadly agree with the contents of our core statement (to be found on our website ). We certainly do not see ourselves in any way as "rivals" to any other group in our sector and, indeed, some of our members belong quite happily to one or other such groups. Nor do we see ourselves, in any sense, as a political party. We are simply a network of individuals who identify with this sector and want to realise the kind of society that everyone in this sector wants ultimately to realise. . .