From: Massimo De Angelis <M.DeAngelis-AT-uel.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 16:01:55 GMT
Subject: Re: discussing neo-liberalism & utopia


 Harald Beyer-Arnesen puts the finger on a important issue, the 
relation between circulation of struggles and new society. Not easy 
stuff Harald, planty to be puzzled about, and disccus, and compare 
our "notes". 

Let me assure you, that what I said about the 
"autonomy  *from* the economy and the *economy of autonomy * has
nothing to do with "a recipe for an integration in the capitalist 
economy through some kind of workers co-ops" No no no. To me, the "link 
with the expropriation of the means to our material existence" is 
right there, in the very moment one  starts to even mention something 
like "the economy of autonomy". You can produce as 
a communal subject only if you have direct access to material wealth 
(that is, if you "reverse" the process of separation of enclosures) . 
And direct access to material wealth can on put under question 
private property (including the state form of private  property). 

Yes, you are rigth, the circulation of struggle is crucial here to
actualise a new society.  Is there any other way Harald? And if not, 
shouldn't we make of this circulation of struggle the priority of our 
intellectual and practical activity? You seem to want concrete 
examples of how to organize a new society, so we tell people. It is a 
wonderful exercise, very exciting and intriguing. It is more than 
a year I am trying to think about it, so as I can write a Sci-fi 
novel I have in mind. It's hard work and frustrating too,  because it 
entirelly goes through the brain. The most scary bit though is that 
when you come out with a picture that seems to satisfy the 
politically correct requirements you have posed yourself,  it risks 
to become A PLAN, that is a pre-conceived set of relations which 
existence is defined BEFORE AND OUTSIDE real people in real life. It 
is nice and helpful to think to alternative arrangementS, but we must 
NEVER confuse them with the actual fact that the only possible plan 
of action from our point of view can be the OPEN PROCESS of constitution 
of new social relations.   In other words, UTOPIAN THOUGHT TO ME 
ACQUIRES THE VALUE OF A STRATEGIC WEAPON 
 IN TODAY'S STRUGGLES, rather than representing  THE PICTURE  of a 
future society  to which I can convert people to. As a strategic 
weapon for example to show DIFFERENT  possible horizons and 
contrasting them to the poverty of the mainstream one, etc. etc. I 
got to go. 

Massimo


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