“The main argument is that capitalism is constituted by a varied of different practices, and so challenging capitalism needs to be about a variety of struggles. I draw on the important work of J.K. Gibson-Graham, who argues that we should model anti-capitalist struggle on feminist struggles.” NeedsShouldImportantDifferentChallengesPracticeStruggleModelsDrawsCapitalismArgumentFeministArguingVarietyCapitalistImportant Work Author:Cynthia Kauffman
“One of the problems with traditional anti-capitalist thought is that it defines capitalism as a totality, which encourages us to imagine another totality, socialism, which we can try to replace it with. This totalizing perspective has colonized the imagination of anti-capitalism and left us waiting for a revolution we can never have.” TryingProblemLeftWaitingImaginationImagineRevolutionPerspectiveCapitalismSocialismTraditionalCapitalistTotality Author:Cynthia Kauffman
“We see ourselves as inhabiting a complex social world that has some capitalist things going on in it as well as some socialist ones, some communist ones, and many where economics are not separated out of the broader fabric of life (such as sharing and gift giving, and mutual support).” WorldGivingWellsSocialSupportEconomicsComplexesMutualCommunistCapitalistFabricSocialistGift GivingFabric Of LifeMutual Support Author:Cynthia Kauffman
“The way we get past capitalism is by building on the healthy non-capitalist aspects of our world while we also do pitched battle with the capitalist ones that we have a fair chance of winning against. In that way we build a better world and shrink the destructive capitalist practices that are part of the social fabric.” WorldWayPastWinningSocialChancePracticeBuildingHealthyBattleCapitalismFairsAspectDestructiveOur WorldCapitalistFabricShrinks Author:Cynthia Kauffman
“I often refer to myself as a radical, reminding people that the word radical comes from the Latin word radix, meaning root. I think we need to get to the roots of problems as we try to solve them. I also like the word anti-capitalist.” PeopleThinkingNeedsTryingProblemRootsSolveRadicalLatinCapitalistReminding Author:Cynthia Kauffman
“You build movements and keep people in a struggle when it feels productive. Anti-capitalists have typically been the people in movements who have declared every gain to be a trick of the capitalist class to buy us off. That line isn't very inspiring, and it shows no sensitivity to how social movements actually succeed.” PeopleFeelsShowsSocialLinesClassStruggleMovementSucceedGainsTricksProductiveCapitalistSensitivitySocial MovementsVery Inspiring Author:Cynthia Kauffman
“Yes it is true that pro-capitalist forces have a lot of power. But so did slave-holding racists. We give ourselves hope when we conceptualize capitalism as a set of practices that can be challenged by fighting the piece of the puzzle we feel most compelled to fight.” GivingFeelsFightingForcePracticePiecesCapitalismSlaveRacistCapitalistPuzzlesCompelled Author:Cynthia Kauffman