The Accumulation of Freedom: Writings on Anarchist Economics [Paperback]

Deric Shannon (Editor), Anthony J. Nocella II (Editor), John Asimakopoulos (Editor), Michael Albert (Contributor), Iain McKay (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 14, 2012

The only crisis of capitalism is capitalism itself. Let's toss credit default swaps, bailouts, environmental externalities and, while we're at it, private ownership of production in the dustbin of history. The Accumulation of Freedom brings together economists, historians, theorists, and activists for a first-of-its-kind study of anarchist economics. The editors aren't trying to subvert the notion of economics—they accept the standard definition, but reject the notion that capitalism or central planning are acceptable ways to organize economic life.

Contributors include Robin Hahnel, Iain McKay, Marie Trigona, Chris Spannos, Ernesto Aguilar, Uri Gordon, and more.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Deric Shannon is a PhD. candidate in sociology at the University of Connecticut, where he studies prefigurative politics and radical social movements. He is a co-editor of the bookContemporary Anarchist Studies: An Introductory Reader of Anarchy in the Academyand the author of numerous articles and book chapters, typically on radical political thought. He is a member of the Workers Solidarity Alliance, Queers without Borders, and co-runs the independent record label, Wooden Man Records.

Anthony J. Nocella, II, while finishing his Ph.D. in Social Science at Syracuse University, he teaches at SUNY Cortland and Le Moyne College in Criminology and life skills at a youth detention facility. He is also an associate of a number of scholarly institutes including the Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts (PARC) and is the Executive Director of the Central New York Peace Studies Consortium and the Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS). His books includeTerrorists or Freedom Fighters?(ed.),Academic Repression(ed.),Igniting a Revolution(ed.), andContemporary Anarchist Studies(ed.).

Dr. John Asimakopoulos is Executive Director of the scholar-activist Transformative Studies Institute (TSI) and Associate Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York, Bronx. He is also editor in chief of Theory in Action, an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal and is working with TSI to establish a new accredited, free and progressive graduate school operated by scholar-activists. John's work focuses on labor, globalization, and social theory championing the formation of counter ideology, independent working class media and educational institutions, and direct action.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: AK Press (February 14, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1849350949
• ISBN-13: 978-1849350945
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #75 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Ideologies & Doctrines > Anarchism

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Anarchy in reality June 24, 2012

By anarchy al

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book brings forth common sense ideas and theories based on historically proven fact showing anarchy to be a viable and,yes, necessary substitute for our current capitalist system.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Mixing anarchism and economics. March 27, 2012

By Wabbit98

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

You would think that anarchism and economics would not mix well together. That it would be like oil and water. This collection corrects that assumption, that anarchism and economics do mix. Rarely will you find a collection like this, most publishers rarely publish works on anarchism.

With the current economic climate, with rising profits and stagnant unemployment and low wages. Something will happen to change the system, the question becomes what will happen and what will it look like.

In this collection we get a look at what the possibility could look like. The book is split into six sections, each section taking on a different part of how the system is not working; and how it could work better.

Only a few chapters feel out of place in the book.

Long live the revolution.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Visions of a Directly Democratic, Participatory, Egalitarian Economy February 19, 2012

By wildflowerboy

Format:Paperback

From the streets of Cairo and Athens to Zuccotti Park, the poor and oppressed are rising up against the tyranny of the capitalist system. Given this popular groundswell of anti-capitalist protest around the world, this book is more important than ever. With brilliant essays by such important left libertarian thinkers as Chris Spannos, Ian McKay, Robin Hahnel, Uri Gordon, Marie Trigona, and Michael Albert, among others, this timely anthology presents exciting visions of what a decentralized, egalitarian, participatory, self-managed, associated, and federated anarchist communist economy would look like. From cooperatives and communes to local currencies and workers' councils, this book offers positive, revolutionary alternatives to capitalism and the nation-state. If normally you don't read books on economics because they're usually dry and boring, I can assure you that this book is very easy to understand, fun to read, and not at all tedious. Indeed it should be required reading for today's generation of activists struggling to create a good, rational, ecological society based on economic, racial, and gender equality. I strongly recommend it.