# ICC Meeting, Bank of Ideas, 4 Feb: Democratise capitalism or destroy it?



## Alfredo (Jan 23, 2012)

*Democratise capitalism*​*  - or destroy it?*​
On the side of the TentCityUniversity at St Paul’s occupation is the slogan “Democratise capitalism”. This meeting, organised by the International Communist Current, argues that capitalism cannot be democratised, reformed or regulated in the interests of the vast majority, but needs to be destroyed by a social revolution carried out by the vast majority

*Date/Time*
Saturday 4th February 2012 
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

*Location*
Bank of Ideas, Sun Street, London EC2. Nearest tube: Liverpool Street


----------



## SpineyNorman (Jan 23, 2012)

Surely if it's democratised it's not capitalism any more


----------



## DotCommunist (Jan 23, 2012)

Option b.


----------



## Gavin Bl (Jan 23, 2012)

Oh i love a cliffhanger like this....democratise..destroy, destroy...democratise....

Saw a sticker the other day in Cardiff - "Anarchist Communism or Death!".  Blimey what a choice.


----------



## JHE (Jan 23, 2012)

Alfredo said:


> *Location*
> Bank of Ideas, Sun Street, London EC2. Nearest tube: Liverpool Street



I've just looked that up, never having heard of it before, and, judging by the website,  I have to admit the Bank of Ideas looks like an unusually impressive squatted community wotsit, but it did make my heart sink a little to see some of the events booked there:  Contemporary Ritual Clowning, Clown Workshop, Tranquility Working Group, Hula Hoop Workshop etc.

On balance, I'd rather sit through two hours of the International Communist Sultana explaining the need to smash the trade unions and oppose all national liberation movements than attend a tranquility working group.


----------



## DotCommunist (Jan 23, 2012)

tibetan singing bowls


----------



## SpineyNorman (Jan 23, 2012)

Democratise then destroy, keep everyone happy


----------



## SpineyNorman (Jan 23, 2012)

JHE said:


> I've just looked that up, never having heard of it before, and, judging by the website, I have to admit the Bank of Ideas looks like an unusually impressive squatted community wotsit, but it did make my heart sink a little to see some of the events booked there: Contemporary Ritual Clowning, Clown Workshop, Tranquility Working Group, Hula Hoop Workshop etc.
> 
> On balance, I'd rather sit through two hours of the International Communist Sultana explaining the need to smash the trade unions and oppose all national liberation movements than attend a tranquility working group.



Beyond parody, that looks like a list of stuff ernestolynch would make when taking the piss out of "annakisseds lol"

I'm going to make an unfair generalisation here, but the more contact I have with occupy types the less I like them. In my experience the movement is dominated by the worst kind of hippie lifestylists. And their no drugs policy ensures that they don't share the one redeeming feature of hippiedom.


----------



## DotCommunist (Jan 23, 2012)

I refuse to believe I'm sharing a world where there are people who go to workshops called contemporary ritual clowning. That cannot be a real thing.


----------



## Captain Hurrah (Jan 23, 2012)

En-route to communism ...


----------



## Alfredo (Jan 24, 2012)

JHE said:


> I've just looked that up, never having heard of it before, and, judging by the website, I have to admit the Bank of Ideas looks like an unusually impressive squatted community wotsit, but it did make my heart sink a little to see some of the events booked there: Contemporary Ritual Clowning, Clown Workshop, Tranquility Working Group, Hula Hoop Workshop etc.
> 
> On balance, I'd rather sit through two hours of the International Communist Sultana explaining the need to smash the trade unions and oppose all national liberation movements than attend a tranquility working group.


 
It seems that the banner saying 'Democratise Capitalism' was removed from the Tent City following a good deal of opposition to it, which implies that it is still possible to hold fruitful discussions at the Occupations, despite all the foggy notions that tend to prevail there.  And if you did somehow make it through the ritual clowning processions and arrive at our meeting, you wouldn't have to just sit there and listen to us. There will be a short presentation and then the floor will be open. But you can only make the Sultana joke once, as some of us have heard it before (along with International Cricket Council and International Criminal Court jokes)


----------



## JHE (Jan 24, 2012)

Alfredo said:


> But you can only make the Sultana joke once, as some of us have heard it before (along with International Cricket Council and International Criminal Court jokes)



OK, I promise not to use it more than once per post.


----------



## JHE (Jan 24, 2012)

SpineyNorman said:


> I'm going to make an unfair generalisation here, but the more contact I have with occupy types the less I like them. In my experience the movement is dominated by the worst kind of hippie lifestylists.



I have been very lazy about talking to my local branch of the Occupy movement (in the middle of Nottingham) and, until I have got round to finding out more about them, I'll refrain from slagging off the occupiers, but maybe it is inevitable that the movement is dominated by people you call hippy lifestylists. Normal people are variously earning a living, hunting for work, looking after children or other dependents, studying and so on. The occupiers are a self-selecting group of odd people who choose to live in rainy discomfort in an urban campsite.


----------



## SpineyNorman (Jan 24, 2012)

JHE said:


> I have been very lazy about talking to my local branch of the Occupy movement (in the middle of Nottingham) and, until I have got round to finding out more about them, I'll refrain from slagging off the occupiers, but maybe it is inevitable that the movement is dominated by people you call hippy lifestylists. Normal people are variously earning a living, hunting for work, looking after children or other dependents, studying and so on. The occupiers are a self-selecting group of odd people who choose to live in rainy discomfort in an urban campsite.



Yeah, I guess it's only to be expected really. Their response to criticism is normally "well get involved then and change it" which is fair enough as far as it goes, but as you say most of us can't do that, not enough to make a difference anyway.


----------



## Alfredo (Jan 27, 2012)

The cops have 'repossessed' the UBS building and all meetings have been cancelled. We will try to find a new venue and keep you up to date.
__________________


----------

