Sunday, March 18, 2012
3:00–4:40pm
Room W401
Pace University
161 William Street
New York, NY 10038
Part of Left Forum
March 16–18, 2012
www.leftforum.org
There are many reasons to start your own bank. This practical conversation will explain mutual banks, co-operative banks, public banks, land banks, time banks, peer-to-peer banks and other banking models, as well as why you may want to join one, or start your own. Moderated by Chris Lindstrom with farmer Tianna Kennedy (of Catskills Time), artists Julieta Aranda and Anton Vidokle (of e-flux Time/Bank), Mike Krauss and Kristen Ragusin (of the Public Banking Institute), and Elizabeth Friedrich (of the Occupy Bank Working Group).
The only true method of organizing the alternative world of Mutuality is thru voluntary non-state free institutions such as co-ops, mutual banking & insurance … sustainable economic ventures (i.e. non-capitalist businesses) like independent farms and craft ateliers willing to federate with the commons…
—Peter Lamborn Wilson, “Occupy Wall Street, Act Two”, Interactivist Info Exchange, December 16, 2011
The ideal [Occupy] bank would be democratically owned and controlled by its customers and employees. Like many credit unions, all depositors would get an equal say, regardless of the size of their accounts. It would be non-profit, building in a competitive advantage over the for-profit banks… Any small-scale bank we establish say in New York would have be to be replicable by others elsewhere.
—Carne Ross, “Revolution Through Banking?”, The Nation, December 22, 2011
Sponsoring Journal: spectregroup.org
About Left Forum:
Left Forum convenes the largest annual conference of a broad spectrum of left and progressive intellectuals, activists, academics, organizations and the interested public. Conference participants come together to engage a wide range of critical perspectives on the world, to discuss differences, commonalities, and alternatives to current predicaments, and to share ideas for understanding and transforming the world. The conference is held each spring in New York City.
