The Crisis And Social Change - January Meeting In London

The following is an initiative of comrades from the Radical Activist Network:

Financial crisis: What does it mean for social change?
January Activist Forum

When? 7pm, Monday 12th January

Where? The studio at 22 Betterton Street, London WC2 (through the blue door and upstairs)

What? Economist Paulo dos Santos (SOAS) will kick us off with some thoughts on the economic crisis and radical social change. Then we'll all discuss it. Come to join in, or just to listen.

Why? This is the first in our series of monthly activist forums, a regular space where we can discuss the politics of social and ecological justice, make links between issues we're involved in as activists, and help strengthen radical politics in London.

January's Activist Forum

A major economic crisis is hitting the world again, and this time rich countries will be severely effected. Neoliberal free market dogma and corporate welfare, which have represented the status quo for thirty years, are being questioned a new. For progressives this is not just a crisis, but an opportunity. Proposals such as the 'Green New Deal' promise to resurrect the idea of state intervention for the social good. But is a new wave of Keynesianism just a way of propping up a system which needs more fundamental change? Or could it be a first step towards that change?

Paulo L dos Santos is a lecturer in Economics at the School of Oriental and African Studies. His recent work focuses on the contribution to the current financial crisis of rising inequality and increased lending to ordinary wage earners by the financial system.
While Paulo will be giving us an introduction, the emphasis is very much on the discussion, including what the implications are for how radicals should organise.

Find background articles to read on our website

Activist Forums: The general idea

Activist Forums will take place on the second Monday of every month in 2009. They're initially organised by folks involved in the Radical Activist Network, but are open to everyone. They're not just about discussing politics, but about organising and networking.

Our February Activist Forum (on 9 February) will focus on the politics of the movement(s) to stop climate change - more details to follow next month.