Dr Thomas Smith Community Economies of Manufacturing: Materials and Makers 14/04/19 Dr Thomas Smith 1. Background: Democratising Production in the 21st Century 2. Community Economies 3. Making Culture: Freetown Christiania Dr Thomas Smith 1. Background: Democratising Production in the 21st Century 2. Community Economies 3. Making Culture: Freetown Christiania Dr Thomas Smith 1. What present/future challenges does Christiania’s experiment in social ecological economics face, and how could it work to mitigate these risks? 2. What do you think about Jackson’s ‘low productivity’ vision? Relating it to examples (not only) in the Czech Republic, is it just wishful thinking? Looking beyond the ‘consumer society’/’post-industrial’ narratives The Maker Movement, Scotland Grassroots multi-purpose spaces and workshops brought into being by communities of makers in order to build, make, fix, craft and engage socially with the world around them. The Maker Movement, Scotland Grassroots multi-purpose spaces and workshops brought into being by communities of makers in order to build, make, fix, craft and engage socially with the world around them. Weaving Cooperatives, Guatemala Cooperative organising amongst indigenous communities, in a post-conflict context Freetown Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark Questions are perhaps more relevant than ever, given COVID-19: • Disruption of markets and just-in-time supply chains (food, industrial materials, etc.) • Dependence on China, rising international competition/piracy • Widespread unemployment (new depression?) • What comes next? • Business-as-usual / Open (Re)localisation / Competitive Protectionism • Finance 3,000+ Face shields INDUSTRA – 1,200 Face shields, 3,500 ‘folders’, 1,300 face masks USA Defence Production Act “We are supporting the use of local production capacity. It is certainly beneficial for all citizens not to be dependent on precarious foreign imports of such vital equipment that protects their health. In addition, I consider it important to support Czech production,“ says Mayor of Brno Markéta Vaňková (ODS). “We are supporting the use of local production capacity. It is certainly beneficial for all citizens not to be dependent on precarious foreign imports of such vital equipment that protects their health. In addition, I consider it important to support Czech production,“ says Mayor of Brno Markéta Vaňková (ODS). “the EU must protect strategic sectors, bring back certain industries, increase our capacity to manufacture and stock in the fields we neglected for decades, such as medicine” - Adviser to Macron How should we make, and what skills are needed to make, given the looming spectre of economic and environmental crisis? Carr & Gibson, 2018, p. 61 How best can communities take back control over their survival? Key Questions Dr Thomas Smith 1. Background and Context: Production in the 21st Century 2. Community Economies 3. Making Culture: Freetown Christiania Dr Thomas Smith 1. Background and Context: Production in the 21st Century 2. Community Economies 3. Making Culture: Freetown Christiania “Any challenge to the glories of the free market … is to be mercilessly put down or mocked out of existence” Harvey, 2001: 97–8 ‘Capitalocentrism’ ‘It’s easier to imagine the end of the world, than the end of capitalism’ - Jameson Ethics of a Community Economy Not just profit at all costs: Labour: Surviving Well Enterprise: Distributing Surplus Transactions: Encountering Others Property: Commoning Finance: Investing in a Future “A project of rethinking economy, opening to and being practically affected by the wide diversity of economic activities that offer possibilities of livelihood and well-being, within and beyond the ostensibly global purview of capitalist development.” Capitalism co-exists with non-capitalist alternatives in nearly all parts of life, even our homes: Fickey (2011: 240) “diverse economic practices often play a significant role in subsistence strategies and the significance of diverse economic activities may be increased if formal economic institutions fail.” Dr Thomas Smith 1. Background and Context: Production in the 21st Century 2. Community Economies 3. Making Culture: Freetown Christiania Dr Thomas Smith 1. Background and Context: Production in the 21st Century 2. Community Economies 3. Making Culture: Freetown Christiania August 26th, 2018 August 26th, 2018 85 acres ~1,000 inhabitants Consensus democracy – 14 self-governing districts • Dandelion, the Blue Caramel, Psyak = Psychological Action, the Lionhouse etc. Disused military base, initially occupied in late 60s as a playground for local children Objective of Christiania (1971) To build up a self-ruled society, where every single individual can freely develop themselves under responsibility for the community. That this society shall rest economically in itself, and the common strife must still be to go out and show that psychological and physical pollution can be prevented. Objective of Christiania (1971) To build up a self-ruled society, where every single individual can freely develop themselves under responsibility for the community. That this society shall rest economically in itself, and the common strife must still be to go out and show that psychological and physical pollution can be prevented. Economic democracy as ‘deep’ democracy (Johanisová & Wolf, 2012) “…broaden the economic democracy discussion to include regulation of market mechanisms and corporate activities, support for social enterprises, democratic money creation processes, the traditional institution of the commons, redistribution of income and capital assets and support for a diversity of production scales and modes.” Denmark as ‘Foreningsland’ – Forening Country Danish co-operative movement dates to 1866 – Thisted Arbejderforening (Thisted Working Men’s Association) ‘…mistrust of local officials and suspicion of ‘standardised and centralised solutions’ meant that [in Denmark] popular movements frequently took on a more localist, grassroots character.’ Hilson et al. (2012) Co-operatives and the Social Question Denmark as ‘Foreningsland’ – Forening Country Culturally Embedded: The co-operatives in Denmark have caused a peaceful social, economic, and political revolution …Co-operation in Denmark is not a detached thing…but is very strongly ingrained in the very life of the people. The economic structure of the nation has been altered; capitalism has been weakened, but the edge of the Marxian sword has also been greatly dulled. Bernhard, 1951 Constitutionally guaranteed, in Section 78, since 1849 Monetary Economy The Common Funds 9.6m Krone 1996 The Residents Residential Fee (66%) Business, Workshops & Factories (34%) Maintenance Buildings, infrastructure, areas (25%) Running Expenses (Internal Functions, VAT) (23%) Consumption Duties (Electricity, Water, Renovation) (52%) 18m in 2004 40m in 2019 (€5.35m) Clubs and Workshops Businesses ‘Loppe’ Building Total 25 51 14 90 • Formed and overarchingly managed as a commons • a shared resource, co-governed by its user community according to the community’s rules and norms • A maker/workshop economy from the start • Innovation meeting concrete community needs – Christiania Bikes • ‘Deep’ Economic Democracy – Not just intra-firm democratic control • Pragmatic experimentation with economic forms • Facilitated by concept of forening • Accessible to varying demographics and education levels • Lack of property ends speculation and slows growth Thanks for listening! smith@fss.muni.cz