Opressive systems organize humans and resources in effective ways which gives them an upperhand at this point in time. We must organize in equally or in even more sophisticated ways as the opressive forces do.
I believe that social formations based on cooperative and decentralised principles are intended to replace all current oppressive systems that turn us against each other, that generate wars, climate change, inequality and so much more. I see new advanced versions of unions, platforms and networks between cooperative & decentralized associations leading such developments. It would be to the benefit of all to explore and develop this further.
There is cooperative and decentralized futures awaiting us. Calling on the movements of Cooperation and Decentralization. Calling on the democratic economies, communities and societies with solidarity, mutual-aid and self-organization without unconsented authorities. Proponents of such are movements of Social and Solidarity Economy, Social Ecology, Social anarchism, and Anarcho-syndicalism. It is about confederations of highly decentralized interconnected communities with logical ownership distribution and intelligent governance directed towards developing commonwealth.
We exist in great numbers across the world. Some examples are Rojava and their Democratic Confederalism, Zapatistas, Cooperation Jackson, Kibbutz communes, Italian cooperative Consortiums, Emilia Romagna, Mondragon, Catalan Integral Cooperative. There are cooperative associations across the world. 280 million workers at cooperatives. There are 2.94 million co-ops and the number of members in all types of co-operatives is 1,217.5 million. Trillions of dollars within the ecosystem. Plus the movement of decentralized technology has a great momentum. A lot of economic and cultural power. We possess great collective power. We would benefit hugely from developing platforms for uniting our potential and resources. A network that brings together resources and allocates them in a prioritized manner across the needs, problems and opportunities to achieve the most optimal, impactful and effective developments.
An environment with processes to stimulate human potential to figure out and nurture ideas, visions and potentialities for prosperity of all and the whole. A ground where groups or circles dynamically emerge based on the needs and important areas. Where we actively tackle challenges. Where we generate solutions and embrace opportunities. All with the help of intelligent organization of circles based on entities’ know-how and abilities. This model, alike our brains, would consist of interdisciplinary and domain-specific groups. This collective brain, this stream of consciousness and sentience connected into a network, into a nervous system of our existence. This system would sense pain and suffering. It would sense opportunities of evolutionary potential. This would enable us to direct our abilities and resources accordingly. Based on such networked governance and smart systems we can make sense of the world and allocate our resources across projects and initiatives for highest probability of balanced and optimal existence and development of all.
We have to also strengthen our independence and self-sustainability. A network where we cooperate to create projects and enterprises to build up independent systems. Independent from party politics that turn us against each other, independent of flawed government systems, corrupt states and capitalism where private interests override public good. We must develop systems independent of these opressive systems. We must develop ways of fulfilling our needs independent of these flawed and corrupted systems. We must develop a system that protects communities of care and develops a new thriving world. With co-ownership and intelligent, fluid sense-making and decision-making. Communities, Societies and Enterprises based on Cooperative Principles:
1. Voluntary and open membership,
2. Democratic member control (of the organization by members),
3. Member economic participation (in profits generated by the members’ activities and losses),
4. Autonomy and independence (from investors control),
5. Education, training, and information (on co-op governance training and co-op-alignment with philosophical values),
6. Cooperation among cooperatives, and
7. Concern for the community.
We must also nurture new habits of how we relate to each other. We must practice and train around how we connect with each other. We must retrain the oppressive habits that current systems taught us. We must learn to create safe spaces, to listen to and truly understand each other. This is what lays the ground for the world we dream about. It requires work on our part. Self-development and self-actualization that environment should stimulate. Education, cultivation, open-minded exploration. Interaction techniques in form of non-violent communication. Taking care of each other and our children. Community cultivating children together. Sharing the stress and press across people to make it easier. Helping each other will make us all thrive. There are many other methods and tools for us to utilize. Below is the curation of some.
Curation of possible platforms, tools, methods to use:
