[ox-en] Re: [ox] The dotCommunist Manifesto, by Eben Moglen
- From: "Franz Nahrada" <f.nahrada reflex.at>
- Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2004 16:05:00 +0200
Nice undertaking. Thanks, Stefan for posting.
A few things might be added in a better version:
1. "The absurd epidemic of recurrent overproduction" was not cured yet,
but increasingly portions of capital are engaging in intellectual
commodities *because* material overproduction is still and ongoingly
epidemic. There is not very much accumulation possible when allready each
and every sector of material production is highly automated, rationalized,
hyperproductive. So the constraint to switch from production to licensing
is based on the old disease, adding a much deadlier one. Thats maybe a
good way to express it.
2. The creative multitude is no class in the traditional sense of the
word; it is rather an "association of producers" formed by their own
decision to create a collaborative environment.
3. The very meaning of intellectual production as ultimate productive
force stems from the "intrinsic marriage" of communication and automation.
Automation is left out in the manifesto, leaving the old and obsolete
separation between "material" and "immaterial" uncriticised. But it is
precisely that connection which makes the shared information so powerful.
I refer to Benni Baermanns and Thomas Atzerts contribution at the Oekonux
Conference.
4. The gradual retreat from production to "owning a title to forbid other
man to produce", thus the structural analogy between late capitalism and
(media) feudalism, deserves closer attention.
5. The destruction of progress by the emergence of opaque technology -
technology that does not allow the user to repair, improve etc. - the
enormous social and environmental costs of filling the world with
ultimately useless things, turning it into a "scrap iron place", deserves
closer attention.
6. The constant and strategic struggle against unwanted competences and
abilities in organized self-work, the destruction of "quality" in the name
of "useability" which form a subtext to technology development, deserves
closer attention.
Otherwhise, the text is quite interesting and gives us new insight into
the spirit of the original.
Franz
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