Apologies for cross-posting...
RELOCALISING THE ECONOMY?
One day seminar organised by the Alternative Economic Strategy Network
Venue STUC, Woodlands Road, Glasgow
Friday April 28th 2006
Against a backdrop of increasing corporate domination, the percolating
upwards of decision making power to supranational bodies such as the EU and
the WTO, and concerns about the marketisation of the public sector, there is
a growing demand for more democratic accountability and local control of
economic affairs. Manifested in the World and European Social Forums, the
vote against the EU Constitution in the Netherlands and France, the
counter-summit at the 2005 G8 in Edinburgh and the Make Poverty History
campaign, there is an emerging movement for an alternative economics.
Critical, however, in developing local solutions, is the need to continue to
develop a politics of international solidarity where local decision making
is formed out of a responsibility to others in distant places. Facilitating
greater local control, whilst retaining a commitment to the broader
principles of equality and solidarity across space, is a difficult circle to
square.
In developing an alternative agenda, the importance of localising the
economy as a means of countering the devastating economic, social and
environmental problems caused by current neo-liberal forms of globalisation
is increasingly being advocated. Yet, one of the ironies of the devolution
settlement in the UK granting a measure of regional government to
Scotland, Wales and London is that there is little evidence so far of new
economic thinking at the local and regional levels. The focus remains on
economic competitiveness and providing the right environment for business
investment as a goal over social and environmental priorities (see Framework
for Economic Development in Scotland (FEDS) and the refreshed Smart
Successful Scotland).
The third workshop of the Alternative Economic Strategy Network is aimed at
developing concrete policy proposals on renewing economic democracy and
community control in advance of the 2007 elections for the devolved
institutions in Scotland and Wales. The workshop will involve short
presentations (of approximately 10 minutes) to stimulate discussion to an
audience of academics, trade unionists and activists.
Contributions are welcomed on the following themes:
Grounding global capital
Tackling the threat of plant closure
Creating local food systems
Alternative and fair trade networks
The potential of local exchange networks
Micro-finance and local credit initiatives
Creating new forms of community and public ownership
Developing globally responsible local development strategies
Dealing with inequality in local labour markets
Fostering social entrepreneurialism
Ideas for topics should in the first instance be addressed to Andy Cumbers
([log in to unmask], 0141 3302291), Geoff Whittam
([log in to unmask], 0141 848 3368) or Mike Danson
([log in to unmask] ,0141 848 3369)
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