GAF Lockdown Reading Group discusses: Disaster Capitalism

Please join for our first online reading and discussion group meeting. Our aim is to discuss different subjects each time so it is not necessary to have joined a previous session to participate. Before each meeting we will share a variety of readings of different lengths to give some background information on the subject to be discussed. Participants are invited to pick and choose what they would like to read in preparation. No prior knowledge of any of the subjects is necessary as our aim is to make these events as inclusive and broad as possible.

Following off of our first lifestream, our first reading group discussion will also deal with the topic of disaster capitalism.

Join us as we discuss the questions:

• Why is disaster capitalism so beneficial for the accumulation of capital? What other examples of ‘shocks’ and responses do you know of?
• What are the possible benefits of state-led programmes like UBI, GND, new Marshall Plan for capitalism today?
• How does the current Covid-19 situation highlight the flaws of our economic system? What are possible state responses you are worried about?
• What are the possible impacts of these different options on environmental and ecological systems?
• Can you see any spaces opening up for revolutionary action or progress on these various paths? What role could we play?

Readings:

• Coronavirus Is the Perfect Disaster for ‘Disaster Capitalism’ – interview with Naomi Klein (text)
• Coronavirus Capitalism — and How to Beat It – The Intercept, Naomi Klein (video)
• GAF Does Lockdown Livestream – Episode 1: Disaster Capitalism (audio)
• This Crisis Has Exposed the Absurdities of Neoliberalism. That Doesn’t Mean It’ll Destroy It by Costas Lapavitsas (text)
• Between the devil and the Green New Deal by Jasper Berners (text)
• The future will be socialist – or it will not be at all by Ben Reynolds (text)
• Coronavirus crisis exploited through ‘disaster capitalism’ – Al Jazeera (video)

Join Zoom Meeting:

• online:
  • https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87402101151
  • Meeting ID: 874 0210 1151
• by phone:
  • UK numbers: +44 203 481 5240 or +44 131 460 1196
  • Meeting ID: 874 0210 1151
  • If not in the UK find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kim6i0kYe

Event times are set at BST (British Summer Time), the time zone being UTC+1.