These notes compiled by Rev Canon Peter Challen are posted at http://globaltable.org.uk/wp/, and contribute background information for the Global Table, which continues on Wednesdays from 12noon to 2pm at the School of Economic Science, 11-13 Mandeville Place, W1U 3AJ – now hosted by the Open Research Group – meetings are open to all on a drop-in basis. This weekly forum is a persistent focal point for many who cannot often get to London, but are encouraged in bold initiatives by association and collaboration. We all continue to foster the public sense of the search for inclusive justice. We are trying to sense the richness of our networking without overburdening with detail. We collaborate in order that action may flow BOTH in specified targeted initiatives AND in acknowledgment of our shared commitment to ending exploitation – usury!
2017 – THE YEAR OF NEW POLITICS – We can work together to forge bonds that are purer than divisive politics and economics, deeper than our differences, and strong enough to withstand those forces that would tear us all apart. Three fundamental principles for human civilisation: 1. Absence of permanent, institutionalised hierarchy. 2. Sharing the wealth of the commons (land, resources, knowledge, all value from nature or co-created by humans). 3. Prohibition of interest/usury
Notes of 21st December 2016 meeting: OpenResearchGroup-161221
Forthcoming Events: http://globaltable.org.uk/wp/forthcoming-events
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ASSOCIATES AT THEIR POINTS OF WITNESS:
Taxpayers Against Poverty calls for active support. “Dear all – on Monday 9th January at 11am in the Old Palace Yard, Westminster we will be campaigning for; 1. An immediate rent freeze for a year in all sectors private, registered social landlords and councils, while rent regulations are brought in, 2. All land owners to pay an annual ground rent to the government to force the use of unused land and empty property. Builders’ land banks own 600,000 plots of unused land. They cannot put land in an overseas tax free Bank. Please come and bring a bell if you have one to raise the alarm for the housing crisis. Happy New Year, Rev Paul Nicolson: http://taxpayersagainstpoverty.org.uk
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REPORTS:
Compass: Now is the best time to join us to help shape the Progressive Alliance!
Critical Thinking posts daily blogs on a wide range of topics, and runs a regular discussion group on Wednesday evenings: http://www.freecriticalthinking.org.
Douglas Social Credit: The Winter 2016 issue of The Social Artist (incorporating The Social Crediter) in two pdf formats, one for reading on screen, the other for printing out as a booklet – available on www.douglassocialcredit.com
Eric Beinhocker of Evonomics introduces the ‘new economics’ research programme: How the Profound Changes in Economics Make Left Versus Right Debates Irrelevant
ICUK: is dealing with BOTH the need for many urgent palliatives within a dying system AND a systemic curative re-design by the participative representative democratic application of an integrated political-economy. An update is in formation: www.icuk.info/wp. Please contact PeterChallen@gmail.com for latest developments. Curative change to the political-economy like “Poetry happens in two stages, like sculpting; first the imagination then the chisel.”
LETSlink envisages national and regional hubs – http://www.letslinkuk.net/practice/central-hub.htm – in order to enhance participation in different regions of the UK: existing local groups are linked here: http://www.letslinkuk.net/regions/uk-map.htm, and work continues with putting individual groups online, recently Sheffield LETS: www.sheffieldlets.org.uk. But with many gaps in provision, there is an urgent need to bring enquirers together to form new groups – watch this space.
National Federation of Progressive Cooperators: http://nfpc.coop – meeting on 3rd December featured an informative address by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. Report: nfpc-161203
Occupy’s ‘Economics Working Group’ continues to meet Mondays and Fridays 5-7pm at Friends House Euston, welcomes new visitors who drop by, and contributes papers to our network: http://occupylondon.org.uk/occupy-economics-working-group/
Further Reports are invited from our associates in the quest for inclusive justice to stir our awareness.
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PUBLICATIONS & BLOGS – reviews always welcomed:
Campaign for Free Parliament CFP an 8 minute video of explanation: http://www.southdevonwatch.org.uk/independence-group/independence-in-democracy-martyn-greene-the-campaign-for-a-free-parliament/
Michael Mansfield – Why our 21st century democracy needs the spirit of 1647 – https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/02/21st-century-democracy-spirit-1647-article-50-supreme-court-people-state?CMP=share_btn_tw …
Mother Pelican of Luis T. Gutiérrez – Winter edition Mother Pelican Journal of Solidarity and Sustainability http://www.pelicanweb.org/solisustv13n01page1.html
Richard Murphy of Tax Research UK says: There is a magic money tree, so why did politicians lie about it throughout 2016? 21-12-16
The Simpol Solution – Solving global problems may be easier than we think – by John Bunzl & Nick Duffell . To be published in February 2017: Summary: Humanity is failing to tackle urgent global problems like climate change, tax havens, mass migration and wealth inequality. Meanwhile, voters are rebelling in the form of Brexit, Trump and the rise of the Far-Right. The SIMPOL SOLUTION reasons that there is just one barrier that prevents all governments from taking action: the fear that it would make their national economies uncompetitive. No nation can move first for fear of losing jobs and investment to others.
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COLLABORATION: Over time our weekly forum has considered important aphorisms that help the development of dialogue that takes us into new understandings of the co-operative task. Let us remind ourselves of one of these each week: 8. “Checking the urge to use and defend one’s nurturing tribalism and effervescent egotism”
