#Anarchism from all over the #world - SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 2020

Today's Topics:

   
1.  Czech, afed: Together and internationally against misogyny
      and patriarchy! [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
2.  Britain, afed: STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH STOP BZDUROM
      (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
3.  International Statement: SOLIDARITY WITH THE STRUGGLE OF THE
      MAPUCHE PEOPLE (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
4.  i-f-a.org: Statement of Solidarity with Stop Bzdurom -
      Anarchist Federation (Britain) (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
5.  US, black rose fed: "It's About Power": Interview on Social
      Work and Policing (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
6.  Belarus, pramen - Presenting Kolektiva: A New Online
      Platform for Anarchist and Anti-Colonial Videos 
     (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
7.  INTERNATIONAL WORKERS ASSOCIATION: What effect will Kovid-19
      have on the world? - AKM Shihab [BASF][machine translation]
      (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)


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Message: 1



The Turkish state, an ally of the Czech Republic, commits femicides. Brutal patriarchal violence becomes the norm. ---- In Bakur, the
Kurdish part of Turkey, July was marked by harsh repression against the revolutionary Kurdish women's movement. Twenty-eight journalists and
activists faced raids. Their phones, laptops and cameras were confiscated. The women were imprisoned in police cells. Among those detained
was Ayse Güney, a reporter for the online magazine Jin News . Jin News is based in Amed (Diyarbakir), where women work exclusively and deal
with women's issues from a women's perspective. "Jin" in Kurdish means woman. Reporters are constantly risking their security and freedom to
report on the situation of women in Turkey. When we visited the editors of the magazine at the beginning of the year (the text is taken from
the progressive magazine The Canary), we were told that nine of their journalists were behind bars and all the reporters in one were being
investigated by the Turkish police. After Güney's release, she described what was happening:

"The police broke into my house at four in the morning on July 14 and detained me. They kept me in the cell for four days. After four days,
I and 28 other activists were facing trial. Five cases were adjourned. 22 women have been released on condition that we report to the police
station twice a month. "

In July, we also spoke ( The Canary ) with reporter Beritan Canözer (also Jin News ). She was convicted of posting four comments and one
"like" on social media, which allegedly proves that she was "promoting a[terrorist]organization." The Turkish state is constantly using
anti-terrorism legislation to silence any opposition under the watchful eye and inaction of the Allies of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO). Canözer says:

"As reporters - and especially as opposition reporters, women - we are the target of repression because we are the voice of women and
because we are part of the women's struggle."

" Turkey is a women's cemetery"

Güney went on to talk about the women's struggle against the growing misogyny in Turkey: "Turkey has become a completely misogynistic
country. Women want to regain the rights she has fought for for years. Murders of women, violence against women and rape have increased in
recent years. Especially in Kurdish areas, rape by soldiers is a state policy. " The Canary magazine has previously written about the number
of murders of women and girls and the many assaults committed by soldiers and police in Bakur. Other reports of rapes and attempts to rape
underage girls by "Turkish army officers" were published by the Firat News Agency. Güney says that the growing hatred for women is due to
the ruling AKP (Erdogan's Justice and Development Party - Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi) and propaganda led by the state media:

"The AKP, which has been in power for 18 years, has strengthened the patriarchal mentality through religion. AKP ministers urge men to use
violence. The judiciary is entirely behind men. Men tried for rape or murder of a woman go unpunished or receive a symbolic punishment. In
addition, the government media disseminates information where murdered or raped women are portrayed as culprits, leading to the fact that
society tolerates everything. The result of all these practices is the daily rape and murder of women. There is a women's cemetery from
Turkey. Women are the target because they are fighting against state policy. "

" Women must fight together"

Despite everything, Güney is optimistic: "Women will not give up this fight, they will certainly win." He argues that they need
international cooperation and that solidarity is a necessary factor in defeating patriarchy and misogyny.

"I believe in the strength of women and that they face similar challenges around the world. Women must fight together. That is why there
must be solidarity with women in Turkey, where attacks are growing on a large scale, and solidarity with Kurdish women in particular must be
stronger, "says Güney.

" Injuring one is an injury to all"

International cooperation and support for the Kurdish women's movement in Turkey, for example, is provided by the British-based Kurdistan
Solidarity Network Jin (KSNJ). KSNJ activists say: "We as women must stand together to do what nation states fail to stand up to Turkish
fascism. The wounding of one is the wound of all, and we as women internationalists will not watch as our comrades and sisters are raped and
murdered by the capitalist system. The bonds between women around the world are stronger than the system could ever have imagined, we will
rise together and shout: Jin, Jiyan, Azadi! Women, life, freedom! "

Güney also ends the conversation with an emphasis on international solidarity: "Every day we are imprisoned and killed. I call on all women
to show solidarity so that our voices can be heard. Thank you for being with us. "

Source:
https://autonomynews.org/international-women-must-fight-together-to-beat-misogyny-and-patriarchy/

We wrote:
https://www.afed.cz/text/7206/osm-let-od-zacatku-rojavske-revoluce
https://www.afed.cz/text/7122/koreny-tureckeho-fasismu-i https: //www.afed.cz/text/7123/koreny-tureckeho-fasismu-ii

https://www.afed.cz/text/7211/spolecne-a-mezinarodne-proti-misogynii-a-patriarchatu

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Message: 2



The Anarchist Federation would like to express solidarity with Polish collective Stop Bzdurom ("Stop Bullshit"). Stop Bzdurom is a radical,
feminist queer collective based in Polish capital Warsaw. They are on the forefront of the fight for queer rights in Poland: a country which
took a sharp turn towards anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments. The collective is known for organising a number of direct actions in the fight for queer
rights and are now facing repressions, persecution and possible prison sentences. You can find more info about it by following @stopbzdurom
on twitter. Freedom News also reported on it. ---- The AF believes Stop Bzdurom needs international solidarity and material support in this
difficult situation. At present, the most pressing issue is to help them to raise funds for legal defence. As such, the AF will be donating
£250 to their fundraiser and are urging those who are able to donate as much as they can. The link to the fundraiser is here.

The lives of queer people in Poland have never been easy and the community always faced high levels of bigotry, prejudice and
straightforward violence. The anti-LGBTQ+ actions in Poland are largely fuelled by the country's far-right government and the Catholic Church.

Recently, the president of the country Andrzej Duda has run (and won) an electoral campaign based primarily on scaremongering and
scapegoating of queer people, going as far as to publicly declare that LGBTQ+ people are "not people, but an ideology". The actions of
Polish government have horrifying impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ people. As internationalists, the AF wishes to declare their unconditional
solidarity and support to the Polish queer community We would like to invite other groups to support this statement too.

The Prime Minister laid a candle at the feet of this statue to ‘apologise to Christ' for the pride flag, and announce further crackdowns on
what he calls ‘LGBT Ideology'.
Stop Bzdurom responded.

http://afed.org.uk/statement-of-solidarity-with-stop-bzdurom/

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Message: 3



We stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Mapuche people who are currently experiencing another episode of persecution and repression
by the racist and colonial State of Chile. The State of Chile is aided by far-right groups and militias ---- For more than 90 days, nearly
30 Mapuche political prisoners have been on a hunger strike demanding immediate freedom or at least a change to precautionary measures for
Covid-19. The review of judicial processes is still underway. Their demands: the end of the criminalisation of the Mapuche people, the
repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Law (which was inherited from the dictator Augusto Pinochet), and the application of ILO Convention 169 (art.
7, 8, 9 and 10) whose omission from the State's law resulted in the serious health condition of Machi Celestino Córdova. Córdova's condition
is a result of several hunger strikes protesting the repression of Mapuche spirituality by the State and its colonial institutions

In addition, we demand a response from the State of Chile for the deaths of Camilo Catrillanca (murdered by state agents), Macarena Valdés
(murdered by hitmen from extractive companies), Alejandro Treuqui (murdered in strange circumstances), and Brandon Huentecol (whose body
still houses the pellets that special forces policemen fired at him). We also demand a response for the centuries of systematic violence and
deaths of Mapuche people. This systemic violence is a constant practice by all previous administrations of the State of Chile

As a form of pressure on the Piñera government, different Mapuche communities began occupying a series of municipal buildings in the
Araucanía region (Victoria, Collipulli, Galvarino, Angol, Curacautín and Traiguén). Recently on Saturday August 1st, fascists and groups of
thugs hired by the employers violently attacked a Mapuche community, seriously injuring several men, women and children. They did this armed
with the complicity of the State. Immediately afterwards, police arrested 46 members of the community who are awaiting trial by the racist
Chilean justice system

We denounce the actions of the new Interior minister of Chile, Víctor Pérez as an inciter and "ideologist" of this violent act. Pérez was an
active participant in the Pinochet dictatorship and a defender of a Nazi, Paul Schafer. On a visit a few days ago to Mapuche territories,
Pérez threatened the people there by giving the green light to far-right groups such as APRA and "Peace in Araucanía" to carry out these
cowardly attack with complete impunity

As anarchists we repudiate all acts of racism, fascism, and colonialism. We raise the demands for autonomy and territorial
self-determination of all oppressed people in struggle. We call for active solidarity with the communities of the Mapuche people in
resistance, who for more than 500 years have been in conflict with the capitalist and colonial economic interests that have destroyed and
dispossessed their ancestral territories. It is time to end the militarisation, repression, and imprisonment of communities in resistance
around the world

RACISM AND FASCISM HAVE TO BE BURIED TOGETHER WITH CAPITALISM
AND PATRIARCHY!
ALL OUR SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY TO THE MAPUCHE PEOPLE WHO FIGHT
AGAINST STATE AND POLICE VIOLENCE!

? Coordenação Anarquista Brasileira - CAB
? Federación Anarquista Uruguaya - FAU
? Federación Anarquista de Rosario - FAR (Argentina)
? Organización Anarquista de Córdoba - OAC (Argentina)
? Federación Anarquista Santiago - FAS (Chile)
? Grupo Libertario Vía Libre (Colombia)
? Union Communiste Libertaire (Francia)
? Embat - Organització Llibertària de Catalunya
? Alternativa Libertaria - AL/fdca (Italia)
? Die Plattform - Anarchakommunistische Organisation (Alemania)
? Devrimci Anarsist Faaliyet - DAF (Turquía)
? Organisation Socialiste Libertaire - OSL (Suiza)
? Libertaere Aktion (Suiza)
? Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group - MACG (Australia)
? Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement - AWSM (Aotearoa / Nueva Zelanda)
? Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front - ZACF (Sudáfrica)
? Anarchist Unión of Afghanistan and Iran - AUAI
? Workers Solidarity Movement - WSM (Irlanda)
? Bandilang Itim (Filipinas)
? Anarchist Federation (Grecia)

https://asranarshism.com/1399/05/16/international-statement-solidarity-with-the-struggle-of-the-mapuche-people/

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Message: 4



Original statement posted by AF, 4th August 2020: http://afed.org.uk/statement-of-solidarity-with-stop-bzdurom/ ---- The Anarchist
Federation would like to express solidarity with Polish collective Stop Bzdurom ("Stop Bullshit"). Stop Bzdurom is a radical, feminist queer
collective based in Polish capital Warsaw. They are on the forefront of the fight for queer rights in Poland: a country which took a sharp
turn towards anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments. The collective is known for organising a number of direct actions in the fight for queer rights and are
now facing repressions, persecution and possible prison sentences. You can find more info about it by following @stopbzdurom on twitter.
Freedom News also reported on it.
The AF believes Stop Bzdurom needs international solidarity and material support in this difficult situation. At present, the most pressing
issue is to help them to raise funds for legal defence. As such, the AF will be donating £250 to their fundraiser and are urging those who
are able to donate as much as they can. The link to the fundraiser is here.

The lives of queer people in Poland have never been easy and the community always faced high levels of bigotry, prejudice and
straightforward violence. The anti-LGBTQ+ actions in Poland are largely fuelled by the country's far-right government and the Catholic Church.

Recently, the president of the country Andrzej Duda has run (and won) an electoral campaign based primarily on scaremongering and
scapegoating of queer people, going as far as to publicly declare that LGBTQ+ people are "not people, but an ideology". The actions of
Polish government have horrifying impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ people. As internationalists, the AF wishes to declare their unconditional
solidarity and support to the Polish queer community We would like to invite other groups to support this statement too.

Original article posted 4th August 2020: http://afed.org.uk/statement-of-solidarity-with-stop-bzdurom/

http://www.i-f-a.org.gridhosted.co.uk/2020/08/05/statement-of-solidarity-with-stop-bzdurom-anarchist-federation-britain/

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Message: 5


A protester with "Defund the police" sign in downtown Washington DC, June 1 2020. ---- As the protest movement that emerged from the police
murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor transitions from street protest to demands around defunding the police and creating alternatives
to policing, various fields of social work have been put forward as offering alternatives. In this interview with Texas based social worker
J. Rogue, we discuss the pitfalls around the "replace police with social workers" narrative and more. ---- BRRN: Coming out of the
discussion of abolishing the police and how we can reduce policing in our daily lives, one suggestion has been to call for replacing police
with social workers especially around responding to mental health related issues. What's your first response to that?

J. Rogue (JR): I mean, I can see the logic - clinical social workers are mental health practitioners and crisis intervention and treatment
is generally a part of the training. There is already precedent for this - many cities have Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams (MCOT), which have
varying degrees of relationship to the police (some work with 911 dispatch, others are sent out by their agency). Although, even if you call
for MCOT, there is still no guarantee that a police officer will not accompany them, or even be sent in their place if MCOT has their hands
full. But I don't think the issue is (just) about the training of the people on the ground; to me, it's about the power they wield and their
relationship to the State. And these conversations on reform tend to ignore the ways that psychiatry is intricately tied to and mirrors the
prison system.

Another thing to consider in this focus on training is that it's not just the implicit bias of those responding to calls that is the
problem; it's those placing the calls as well. Even if we zoom in on the one-on-one interactions between the public and the enforcers (which
makes it seem like a problem of individuals rather than systemic), asking that they be better trained to be aware of their implicit bias or
to have cultural competence or some other nonprofit buzzword renders invisible the role that those not directly employed by the State have
in policing - the "informal" surveillance, the tacit agreement between the ruling class/white/cis/etc public and the State that makes one
complicit in the enforcement of the law. Also, it is important that we closely evaluate the possible consequences of reforms, both
intentional and unintentional. Rather than approach strategy from a defensive position (which can cast any reform as a win), I think we
should be basing our strategy on clear political goals. This can put libertarian socialists at odd with liberals and others, but without a
clear vision for where we want to go and how we get there, it is easy to be co-opted, sidelined, or to settle for less than what is needed.

BRRN: So the idea of a social worker being called to intervene seems much safer than a police officer with a gun. As a social worker
yourself, tell us about some of those powers and their relationship to the state? Why should we be concerned about this?

JR: That's a big conversation, but there are two things that come to mind as things currently stand most places: mandated reporting, and
emergency detentions.

Social workers, like nurses, teachers, and others, are mandated reporters - meaning we are legally obligated to report suspected child or
elder abuse. This can funnel children into the family regulation system (aka Child Protective Services or CPS) or direct the police to
intervene into people's lives. Some of the arguments made for reforms to address the problems caused by mandated reporting tend to be
similar to the ones we see suggested for police; raising wages for people investigating abuse claims, decreasing their caseloads, or
providing them with "better" training. This is not to say that there are not situations of abuse that require intervention, but when people
point out horrific abuse within families as a justification for the existence of CPS, I am reminded of the people who reject prison
abolition because "what will we do with the murders/pedophiles/etc?"

Another issue is "emergency detentions," also known as involuntary commitment. If an MCOT staffer decides a person is a danger to themself
or others, they can call a police officer to detain a person under a psychiatric hold against their will. Is the demand for social workers
to replace police including an ask that we be able to issue those holds ourselves? No thanks. This is not a liberatory proposal - it is
integrating social workers more deeply into the system of social control. Instead of Good Cop/Bad Cop, it's Good Social Worker/Bad Cop.

BRRN: If we had a friend or loved one in a situation who we thought might pose a danger to themselves or others, what would be an
alternative to addressing the immediate situation or danger and providing them with care? What would be a more libratory proposal, or
perhaps less punitive approach, around how to address issues of individuals facing mental health crises?

JR: I don't think there is any one person with that answer, or any one-size-fits-all approach. The redistribution of police funding into
housing, health care, (voluntary) comprehensive substance use treatment, I think, helps address some of the issues that are aggravated by a
mental health crisis. Some mental health crises do involve the possibility of danger, usually the potential of suicide, but a lot of mental
health-related 911 calls are related to a desire for social control - people feeling nervous, uncomfortable or afraid of the individual. I
think a lot of times, people feel this manufactured fear of mental illness that is instilled by the media and the ableism inherent in white
supremacist capitalist cisheteropatriarchy. We know that people who experience mental health issues are ten times more likely to be the
victims of violence than the perpetrators.

I think a larger conversation needs to be had about the lack of agency patients often have over their own treatment when it comes to mental
health. As we work to develop alternatives, it is worth looking for insight from models like Baltimore's "violence interrupters," which
utilizes a public health perspective; writings on neurodivergence & neurodiversity; or at the Psychiatric Survivor Movement. I think that
creating voluntary spaces for respite and healing is important, but that must be separated from the push to remove and confine people who
society deems to be "deviant."

In my experience, there are many people who find psychiatric medications helpful or even life-saving. But when I encounter patients who
refuse medications, the problems that arise related to being unmedicated are, in my opinion, a failure of our society to support all people.
A big focus in the psychiatric industry is "medication compliance," rather than building in the supports that can help a person live a whole
and happy life regardless of their treatment decisions. There are people doing what I would think of as prefigurative work around mental
health treatment, such as the Fireweed Collective, that focus on the things that can actually help a person in crisis - things like
emotional support, advanced directives and other preventative planning, education and training for the people in our lives to be prepared to
navigate a crisis without state intervention. I don't think there is any one perfect example of a model that can be replicated everywhere,
but I think we need to be trying these alternatives to see what works and what doesn't.

BRRN: Let's return to mandated reporting and social work. On one hand these rules are reportedly in place as a way of preventing abuse from
being swept under rug and systematically neglected, but what are some of the problems? Specifically around social work, what types of
barriers can they pose to providing care and how would you change them?

JR: This is a tough one. I think one thing that needs to happen is to create a culture that does not shame or isolate people experiencing
abuse ("It's not my family/not my business"). I do not want to downplay the violence that some people experience at the hands of their
family, but State intervention into abusive situations has the potential to create more trauma and violence rather than less, and we know
that the system is rife with racism and a legacy of colonialism. In short, mandated reporting means that a clinician (or teacher/nurse/etc)
must decide between possibly placing a patient in danger by making a report, or risk losing their job, license, etc. There are some calls to
address oppression in the field of social work that acknowledge this, generally in a reform-minded way, but I believe that the power dynamic
between clinicians and patients is inherently damaging to any therapeutic alliance. Why would you be honest with your therapist if there
could be dangerous consequences?

J. Rogue is a Texas based clinical social worker and member of Black Rose/Rosa Negra. They are a co-author of the recommended pieces
"Refusing to Wait: Anarchism and Intersectionality" and "Insurrections at the Intersections: Feminism, Intersectionality, and Anarchism."

https://blackrosefed.org/its-about-power-interview-social-work-policing/

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Message: 6



As of today, anarchists and anti-colonialists from all over the world have a new platform for sharing videos, and helping to make them
available in multiple different languages. We're calling this project Kolektiva. Watch the video below to learn more about it, and how you
can get involved. ---- You can find versions of the video in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Italian, Greek and Arabic on
https://kolektiva.media ---- Please share this call within your networks. We are still looking for anarchist & anti-colonial filmmakers,
content producers and translators who are interested in helping to grow this project and help it meet its potential.
In Solidarity, ---- The crew @ Kolektiva
https://pramen.io/en/2020/08/presenting-kolektiva-a-new-online-platform-for-anarchist-and-anti-colonial-videos/

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Message: 7


What will happen to us in the next six months, one year, ten years? This question is now mine, yours and everyone's. The same question was
asked of all those who had jobs, had businesses, were day laborers. Now almost everyone is unemployed. General holidays are going on all
over the country. People are trapped in the house for fear of Corona. No work, no income. Those who work in the government may not have such
a problem. But the sword of uncertainty hangs in front of the rest. The question in their minds is whether we will have a job if the
situation is normal. Will we get a job? Will the mill factory continue as before? Can I do business properly? Or will we enter a new world
situation? Many such questions are peeping in the minds of many now. So in today's article that will be the incarnation.

Many kinds of answers are revolving in front of us again. Our government, society must deal with the situation and rebuild the economy,
politics and cultural environment. Maybe there will be something better in the future than in the past. Even if we lose something, maybe our
society will become more humane.

I think we can better understand our environment in the future - we can better build our future - we can reshape the political economy. We
will be able to reshape the global supply chain of goods, wages and production systems. We will be able to become more aware of the mental
and physical health of the working class involved in global warming and production. I want to talk about a different kind of economy here.
Facing Kovid-19, I have become more enthusiastic about this.
In dealing with Covid-19, we are seeing the weaknesses inherent in the elements of our social system. The question arises as to what will be
given priority among the social elements. Dealing with the global Covid-19 has given rise to new ideas and ways of economic development.

In the economic field, four things have become increasingly clear. A new society has emerged through the rise of barbarism, solid state
capitalism, state socialism and mutual support in the larger council. However, not everyone can ask for it equally.

There will be no simple change

The issue of climate change and the corona virus are as much about our economic structure. If both problems are related to "environmental"
or "natural" causes. But there is also the role of social people.
Yes, the problem of climate change is associated with some gas emissions, which absorb heat. However, many people think it is an explanation
of light nature. To truly understand the problem of climate change, we need to better understand the reasons why the amount of gas emissions
is increasing day by day. The problem with Kovid-19 is tied to the same formula. However, yes! Viruses are directly involved for this
problem. The fact of the matter is that it is impossible to solve this difficult problem without understanding the ethical and economic
aspects of controlling it.

To solve the problem of COVID-19 and climate change, unnecessary economic activities must be eliminated. Reducing unnecessary economic
activity will result in lower energy consumption, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Kovid-19 is spreading very fast. The reasoning is very
simple, people are coming together and spreading the disease. This is happening in the family, in the community, at work and on the go.
Controlling these areas will reduce the chances of the disease spreading.

Success can be achieved by stopping people-to-people contact and taking other regulatory measures. However, good results cannot be expected
unless the actual patient is identified and isolated. As we have seen in Wuhan, China, with a complete national lockdown, social distance
has paid off. To understand why European countries and the United States did not take this step immediately, we need to look at the
political economy.
A fragile economy

The lockdown is putting pressure on the world economy. We are facing a serious recession. This pressure is urging some world leaders to
simplify the lockdown.
Even when 19 countries were in a state of lockdown, US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro called for it. Trump
called on the American economy to return to normal within three weeks (he now acknowledges that social distances need to be kept longer).
Bolsonaro said: "We have to move on. The job must be kept ... we must, yes, return to normal. "
Meanwhile in the UK, four days before the three-week lockdown was called, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was only slightly optimistic, saying
that the UK would be able to bring everything back to normal by stopping the spread of the disease within 12 weeks. While Johnson's
statement is correct, the current situation suggests that it will be more protracted. Which will have a huge impact on the economy of England.

It is as clear as day that the global economy is on the verge of collapse. The basis of business is to make a profit. If they can't produce,
they can't sell. As a result, no profit will come in the pocket. Which means - the number of unemployed people is increasing. Don't hold
people who don't need traders at all. When the business situation gets better again, hire people again. So now, it is clear that the fear of
losing a job will spread, many people will lose their jobs. As a result income will be reduced, shopping will be less. Overall, we are
heading for an economic downturn.

Economist John Maynard Keynes has a fresco, which reads: People will participate in it and continue to earn. "Once the economic situation
improves, everyone will return to normal."

But we can't revive our economy right now. Because, the world is going on lockdown. People can't go to work. Fear will spread everywhere.
Research says that if you want to survive from Corona, you want to stay at home.

Economist Midway says: Something more than him. So we have to build an economy that doesn't have to run out of livelihoods in times of
natural disasters, climate change, and other disasters - there's no shortage of livelihoods. "

So, we have to think differently about economics. Our thoughts are in pairs - buy and sell, buy and sell. But we are not talking about that
economy. We are talking about an economy where resources are created in a way that only meets our needs. There is no consumerism. Only as
much as is needed will be produced. As if our environment is good.

I and other ecologists have long been concerned about how you can produce less in a socially just way, because the challenge of producing
less is also central to tackling climate change. Equal to all others, the more we produce, the more greenhouse gases we emit. So how do you
reduce the cost of living while keeping people busy? Such questions may arise.
One of my suggestions is to reduce the length of working days. People need to be allowed to work more slowly and with less pressure. None of
this applies directly to COVID-19, where the goal is to reduce communication rather than output. The main goal of the proposals is to reduce
people's reliance on wages to enable them to live the same way.
Why the economy?

Dealing with COVID-19 raises the question of what economics is and why. Currently, the primary goal of the world economy is to facilitate
the exchange of money. This is what economists call the "exchange rate."
The dominant idea of the current system in which we live is that exchange value is the same thing as the value of use. Basically, people
will spend money on things they like or need and we can understand something about how much this act of spending money is worth its "use".
This is why the market is seen as the best way to manage society. They advise you to adapt to the market and in that case the productive
capacity is flexible enough with the quality of use.

Cavid-19 has made one thing clear and what has made everyone very uncomfortable is how vain and false our belief in the market is. Around
the world, governments are now fearing that critical systems will be disrupted or put under additional pressure: supply chains, social care,
but primarily healthcare. There are many reasons to contribute to this. But let's look at the following two issues.
First of all, making money from most of the much needed social services is a daunting task. This is partly because a big driver of profits
is increasing labor productivity: working harder with fewer people. More people are a big expense of many businesses, especially those who
rely on personal care such as healthcare. As a result, productivity growth in the healthcare sector is lower than in other economies, so its
costs rise faster than the average in other sectors.

Second, in many cases there are jobs that are not socially acceptable. Many of the conventional jobs exist only for the convenience of
exchange; Just to make money income. They do not serve any larger purpose in society: these are what anthropologist David Grabber calls a
"bullshit job." Yet they make a lot of money. Because they are mentors to us. Such as - there is a huge advertising industry and some huge
financial sector. Meanwhile, we have a massive crisis in health and social care. They are forced to work in many ways. But the allocation
for them is not enough to live a decent life.

Unnecessary or meaningless employment

There are many meaningless jobs in our society. It is now clear that there are no suitable people to deal with Covid-19. This epidemic is
making it clear that we need to be prepared for national disasters at all times.

People are forced to do meaningless jobs because in a society where exchange value is the guiding principle of the economy, the basic
products of life are found mainly through the market. This means you have to buy them and to buy them you need an income that comes from a job.

The other side of this coin is that the most radical (and effective) response we see to the prevalence of COVID-19 is challenging market
dominance and exchange rates. Governments around the world are taking steps that seemed impossible three months ago. In Spain, private
hospitals have been nationalized. In the UK, the possibility of nationalizing different types of transport has become very real. And France
is pushing for greater business nationalization.

Similarly, we are seeing the breakdown of the labor market. Countries like Denmark and the United Kingdom are providing an alternative
income or allowance to keep people from working. This is an essential part of a successful lockdown. These systems are far from the
conventional system. Nonetheless, it is a positive aspect of the policy from which they are managing their income and is being proven by the
idea that people are able to survive even if they cannot work.

This reverses the influential trends of the last 40 years. During this period, market and exchange values have been seen as the best way to
manage an economy. As a result, public systems are under increasing pressure to market, to run it as if they were businesses that have to
make money. As such, workers have become more open to the market - zero-hour contracts and free economy have removed the level of protection
from market fluctuations that offered long-term, stable and employment.

Covid-19 seems to be reversing this trend, bringing healthcare and labor products out of the market and into the hands of the state. States
produce for a variety of reasons. Some good and some bad. Unlike markets, however, they do not have to produce for exchange value alone.

These changes give me hope. They give us the opportunity to save many lives. They even hint at the possibility of long-term change that
makes us happier and helps us tackle climate change. But why did it take us so long to come here? Were countries so prepared to reduce
production? The answer lies in a recent World Health Organization report: they didn't have the right "mentality".

Our economic fantasies

For almost forty years the economy has been trying to reach a consensus. This has caused cracks in the systems of politicians and their
advisers and limited the ability to imagine alternatives. This mentality is driven by two connected beliefs:
- The market guarantees a beautiful and quality life, so it must be protected; And
- if a crisis arises, it normalizes it in a short time.

This kind of mentality is very prevalent in western countries. The number of people with this mentality is high, especially in England and
the United States. But what we have seen is that these are one of the most failed countries in dealing with Kovid-19.

In England, at the beginning of the epidemic, the country's prime minister, ignoring the reality, said a few elderly people had died. Those
whose bodies have low immunity. An experienced civil surgeon then said, "There is not enough financial support to prevent an epidemic. It is
inhumane. "Protecting people's precious lives should take precedence over everything else."
There was a mentality among the elite in American society that many older people would die happily in the United States without drowning in
economic depression. This view endangers many vulnerable people (and not all vulnerable people are elderly).

One of the things the COVID-19 crisis can do is expand that economic imagination. The steps that governments and citizens seemed impossible
to take three months ago can quickly change our perceptions of how the world works. Let us see where this newly created imagination can take us.
Four possible paths and approaches

To help us in the future, I am going to use a strategy from the field of Future Studies. You can accept the two factors that you think are
important in running the future and you can think about what will happen in the different combination of those factors.

The things I want to take into account are value and centralization. Value is the principle that guides our economy. Do we use our resources
to exchange and raise money, or do we use them to make life better? Centralization refers to the way things are organized through small
units or a large commanding force. We can organize these elements into a grid, which can then be populated in real situations. So we can
imagine what would happen if we tried to deal with the coronavirus in four extreme combinations:

1) State Capitalism: Centralized reaction, giving priority to exchange value
2) Brutality: Decentralized reaction prioritizes exchange value
3) State socialism: Centralized reaction, giving priority to saving lives
4) Mutual support: Decentralized response giving priority to saving lives.

National capitalism

National capitalism is the influential response we are seeing around the world right now. Common examples are the United Kingdom, Spain and
Denmark.

State capitalist society continues to value exchange as the direction of the economy. However, it acknowledged that state support was needed
for crisis markets. Given that many workers are unable to work due to illness and fear for their lives, the state itself takes steps for
increased welfare. It expands lending activities and applies Keynesian policy by providing direct financial assistance to businesses.

Such activities here will be for a short time. The primary task of the measures taken is to keep the business largely driven by buying and
selling. In the UK, for example, markets still distribute food (although the government has relaxed competition laws). Where workers are
directly supported, this is done in a way that does not impede the functioning of the general labor market. So, for example, in the UK,
employers have to apply for and pay for the money paid to workers. And the size of the payment is based on the exchange value that a worker
usually generates in the market rather than the suitability of their work.

Could this be a successful scenario? Most likely, only COVID-19 will prove controllable in a short time. As the whole lockdown is avoided in
order to maintain the effectiveness of the market, the transmission of the infection still continues. In the UK, for example, non-essential
construction still continues, causing workers to mix at building sites. But as the death toll rises, it will be harder to maintain limited
state intervention. Growing sickness and death will encourage unrest and deep economic impact, forcing the state to take even more
fundamental steps to try to maintain market activity.

Barbarism

It will be a black chapter for us. Barbarism is the name of a future where we will rely on exchange rates as our guiding principle and now
refuse to extend a helping hand to those who are stuck out of the market due to illness or unemployment. It speaks to a situation we have
yet to see.

There is no way to protect them from the harsh realities of the market due to business failures and starvation of workers. Hospitals are
also not ready for unusual arrangements and so they are overwhelmed. People die. Barbarism ultimately creates an unstable state. Political
and social bonds are destroyed.

Now what if that situation has arisen? This could be due to a major mistake made by the Mahari or an epidemic. It can also be intentional by
the special court. Or if the government fails to take appropriate action during the epidemic, such a situation may arise. Therefore, if the
affected people do not get proper treatment, medicine, and proper care, everything around them can become paralyzed. Countless patients,
countless deaths, will bring chaos. Therefore, protection and adequate funding should be allocated for doctors. Otherwise the people, the
government, the state and the society will not accept anything anymore.

Remember, the police, the army and even the ministerial bureaucrats will not be spared from the epidemic. As a result, if the chain of
discipline is broken somewhere, it will give rise to a terrible situation. In other words, if the country's economy collapses, there will be
social and political instability. And that instability will lead the state to an extreme failure.

State Socialism

State socialism speaks of a social system where economic and cultural change will take place. The expansion of some of the welfare examples
we already see in England, Spain and Denmark could happen.

Hospitals have been nationalized in all those countries. Arrangements have been made to protect working people. Not all of these
establishments are dependent on the market. On the economic side, they have tried to meet the needs of the people without relying on the
market for their livelihoods such as food, fuel and housing. In all these countries, the basic needs of the citizens are being met
nationally by providing free access to all the citizens.
Citizens no longer rely on employers as intermediaries between them and the basic elements of life. Everyone pays directly and is not
related to the exchange value they create. Instead, the pay is equal for all or they are based on the suitability of the work. Supermarket
workers, delivery drivers, warehouse stackers, nurses, teachers and physicians are the new CEOs no matter who they are.
It is possible that state socialism emerged as a result of the efforts of state capitalism and as a result of the prolonged epidemic. If a
deep recession occurs and the supply chain is disrupted. Then the state itself can come forward in terms of production and distribution.

There are risks to this approach - we must be careful to avoid authoritarianism. On the positive side, however, it could be our hope against
the outbreak of Kavid-19. Build a strong state system to protect the core functions of the economy and society will be able to protect
resources.

Mutual Aid

Mutual assistance and one more possible future, where we take life saving as the guiding principle of our economy. But, in this situation,
the state does not play a specific role. Rather, individuals and socially small groups began to arrange support and care within their
communities.

One problem in this case is that small groups or gangs do not have the ability to collect and execute resources very quickly. However, the
method of mutual cooperation is able to take effective measures to prevent the spread of the disease. They can break the chain of
transmission through mutual help. Able to slow him down and stop him. People can make plans for themselves and implement them.
This type of situation can arise from any other situation. It is a possible way of liberation from barbarism or state capitalism and it can
also support state socialism. We know that the community's response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa plays a huge role. We have already
found some guidance for the future. Looking to provide mutual care and organize community support in social groups. We can see this as a
failure of the state response. Or we may see it as a realistic, compassionate social response to a worrying crisis.
Hope and fear

The extreme condition of these philosophies exists in the possibility of caricature and bleeding between each other. My fear is whether
barbarism originates from state capitalism. My expectation is a combination of state socialism and mutual aid: a strong, democratic state
that will involve everyone to build a strong health system that will prioritize protecting the weak from market shocks. Will reduce
non-economic activity.
In the midst of hundreds of fears and some light of hope is seen. COVID-19 highlights the serious shortcomings of our existing system.
Radical social change is needed to take effective action. I have argued that starting a social use of profit as the primary means of economy
without relying on the market. At the same time, we will build more humanitarian systems that will make us stronger in the face of future
epidemics and other impending crises, such as climate change.

The beginnings of social change can come from many places. Our basic task is to engage ourselves for the protection of life and the
development of democracy for the people, keeping in view social values and social ethics. And that should be the central idea of politics now.

Language:
Bengali
Section:
BASF

https://iwa-ait.org/content/kobhidd-19-bishbe-ki-prbhaab-phelbe

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