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Moving Beyond Capitalism Debate to be Live Streamed from Mexico

DATELINE: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, July 14, 2014

The Center for Global Justice/Centro para la Justicia Global, a bi-lingual think-tank in this popular vacation town, will hold a conference titled "Moving Beyond Capitalism" July 29 to August 4.

Over 70 prominent scholars and activists from the Americas will debate alternatives to the present system. Capitalism is widely thought to be in trouble, polls indicate. And recent evidence suggests that working as it should, it subverts democracy, widens inequality, ruins our habitat and lowers global labor and environmental standards.

So are there alternatives?  More to the point: are any of them viable?

From central Mexico, the Center for Global Justice will live-stream in both Spanish and English the discussions of four such alternatives, starting Wednesday, July 30. The schedule and access to the live proceedings will be at www.globaljusticecenter.org

"We'll take on-line questions and comments," said Center president Betsy Bowman. "Professional translators, donating their time in support of the conference, will make authentic dialog possible. That's very special."

In San Miguel de Allende, cradle of Mexico's independence war, participants will discuss options with speakers like: renowned Zapatista defender Gustavo Esteva; David Schweickart, developer over 30 years of "economic democracy"; public banking pioneer Ellen Brown; Ana Maldonado a leader in Venezuela's "communal economy"; Camila Piñeiro, University of Havana researcher on Cuba's new cooperatives; Occupy Wall Street activists Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese; Rabbi Michael Lerner of Tikkun Magazine; and Song Meng Rong, researcher and advocate of Chinese socialism.

Bowman says the options "reflect decades of scholarly work and are based on current practices."

Alternatives on successive days are: "Democratizing Capital" (e.g. public banks), "21st Century Socialism" (e.g. Cuba, Venezuela), "Zapatismo," and "Cooperatives."  Final debate August 4 will be on "Building a New Democratic Economy."

According to Center board member Ata Caldera, "Mexico's geography and experience with NAFTA make it ideal for starting this sort of North-South dialog."

A conference exhibit "Art as Catalyst," opens 5pm July 29. Mexican, U.S. and Canadian artists "will let us imagine what is hidden in the present" says organizer Susan Goldman.

Since 2004 the Center's mostly Mexican and U.S. members pursue "research and learning for a better world" by publishing, lectures, tours, and work with the local solidarity economy. "The conference celebrates our 10th birthday and the Zapatista's 20th," said treasurer Cliff DuRand.

A book and DVDs are in the works, says Durand.

For details and to join the conversation BEFORE July 29: contact coordinator Olivia Canales 

 

Go to the conference website

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