The book speaks to the widespread quest for concrete alternative ways forward 'beyond capitalism' in the face of the prevailing corporatocracy and a capitalist system in crisis. It examines a number of institutions and practices now being built in the nooks and crannies of present societies and that point beyond capitalism toward a more equal, participatory, and democratic society - institutions such as cooperatives, public banks, the commons, economic democracy. This seminal collection of critical studies draws on academic and activist voices from the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and Argentina, and from a variety of theoretical-political perspectives - Marxism, anarchism, feminism, and Zapatismo.
Forward by Richard D. Wolff Part I: Economic Democracy / The Social Economy 1. Beyond Capitalism to Sustainability: The Public Bank Solution Ellen Brown 2. Building a Grassroots Democratic Economy: The Rising Tide of Local Self-Reliance, Workplace Democracy, and Social Justice Len Krimerman 3. Worker's Economy in Argentina: Self Management, Cooperatives and Recovered Enterprises in a Time of Global Crisis Andre Ruggeri 4. Cooperative Cuba Cliff DuRand Part II: The Commons 5. Commoning Together Cliff DuRand 6. Building the Commons as an Antidote to the Predatory Market Economy Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese 7. Autogestion: Prefiguring a New Cooperativism and the 'Labor Commons' Marcelo Vieta 8. Divisions in the Commons: Ecuador's FLOK Society and the Zapatistas' Escuelita George Caffentzis Part III: Alternatives to a System in Crisis 9. Economic Crises, Environmental Crises: Moving beyond Capitalism David Schweickart 10. The Left and a Green New Deal Jerry Harris 11. Alternatives to Development in Latin America Rebecca Hollender Part IV: Bringing Politics Back In 12. The Limits of Localism Gregory Diamant 13. Getting Past Capitalism: History, Vision, Hope Cynthia Kaufman 14. Toward A Stronger, More Influential Political Left: An Appeal for Critical Self-Reflection Michael McCabe Part V: Socialism in the 21st Century 15. Building a 21st Century Socialism Cliff DuRand 16. Out of the Abyss, the New World Gustavo Esteva 17. The Communal State (Venezuela): Communal Councils and Workplace Democracy Dario Azzellini 18. The Necessary Renovation of Socialist Hegemony in Cuba: Contradictions and Challenges Olga Fernandez Rios 19. Cuba's Cooperatives: Their Contribution to Cuba's New Socialism Camila Pineiro Harnecker 20. The Dialectic of Constituent Power and Constituted Power Cliff DuRand