Texts

Transform-social has texts in English and German language. Most of the texts are not translated. This page lists the English language texts.

Texte in deutscher Sprache sind hier drüben.


Anarchist Economics FAQ

Katja, 2024/01

This text answers more than 75 frequently asked questions about anarchist economies.


Economics Anarchism

Keywords: Economics, Anarchism


Quotes:

The complexity and fragility can be reduced by methods of decentralization and encapsulation, allowing everyone to understand the relevant parts of economics.

The capitalist way of doing economics has led to a severe climate crisis and huge social injustices.

For scarce consumer goods, individuals and communities with a higher need (e.g. medical conditions, regions that suffered more under capitalism) should be preferred in the distribution.

Let's build many anarchist economics oases, bridges, and networks within the capitalist desert until the wildflowers start growing all over.


Is it true that "You can’t love someone until you learn to love yourself"?

Katja, 2023/12

"You can’t love someone until you learn to love yourself" is not only wrong but also has various harmful aspects.


Love Relationships Mental Health Capitalism

Keywords: Love, Relationships, Mental Health, Capitalism


Quotes:

Capitalism and patriarchy tell us that we have to fit certain beauty standards and gender norms.

Let's rather face these issues of the world, society, and ourselves together, in solidarity.

It's okay to improve self-love and mental health while being in a relationship.


Anarchist Economics in times of Scarcity

Katja, 2023/11

A brief fictional story to make it easier to imagine anarchist economics in times of scarcity.


Economy Anarchy Scarcity Draft

Keywords: Economy, Anarchy, Scarcity, Draft


Quotes:

The anarchist utopia is not dependent on everything being available in abundance.

No one had paid any attention to the water meters for a long time - after all, water, like everything else, was freely accessible and metering was therefore irrelevant.

Bo didn't have to worry about anything else.


Tools for Emancipatory Societies

Katja, 2023/03

This article discusses abstract requirements for future societies based on ethical values, concrete organizational foundations for economic and social planning, and required organizational and technical tools. It also shows how the method of simulation can be used as one tool to support (not dominate) anarchist societies.


Economy Decentralized Cybernetics Anarchism

Keywords: Economy, Decentralized, Cybernetics, Anarchism


Quotes:

Cybernetics is not about control in the authoritarian sense but about control in the sense of self-regulating and self-organizing, i.e. anti-authoritarian systems.

Decentralization does not mean isolation or rejection of modern technology.

I'm suggesting the use of optimization as an optional tool for multi-level decentralized planning, creating non-coercive suggestions as a decision support tool.

The individualists did not have a huge impact on the solidarity economy.


Rethinking Relationships

Katja, 2023/02

Notes on toxic and non-toxic relationships patterns, how to break relationship related societal norms and how structures of dominance fuck with relationships.


Love Polyamory Relationship Anarchy Society Relationships Capitalism

Keywords: Love, Polyamory, Relationship Anarchy, Society, Relationships, Capitalism


Quotes:

Let's live in relationships that are good for us and undermine dominance structures.

Never let someone tell you, you would not be able to "really" love someone.

Polyamory might not be for everyone but the skills you learn are.


Antimilitarism

Katja, 2022/03

A short overview of antimilitarist movements and reasons to reject wars.


Antimilitarism Nonviolence Pacifism War Resisters International

Keywords: Antimilitarism, Nonviolence, Pacifism, War Resisters International


Quotes:

Strive for the removal of all causes of war.

Some pacifists support the idea of "peaceful military missions", others (like the anarcho-pacifists) do not.


Racism

Katja, 2021/12

Reflecting on racism from a white perspective. Looking at the various forms of oppression that come with racism.


Racism Oppression Intersectionality System

Keywords: Racism, Oppression, Intersectionality, System


Quotes:

It should not be the responsibility of BIPoC to explain racism to white people.

Race does not exist, but race matters.

Racism can lead to severe psychological damage.


Challenging „The one true Love“

Katja, 2021/11

Society and media tell us that we should strive to find the "one true love". Why do they want us to do so and what are the consequnces? How we can lead a better life by telling a different story about love.


Love Polyamory Relationship Anarchy Society

Keywords: Love, Polyamory, Relationship Anarchy, Society


Quotes:

Why are we told this toxic story about love?

Not every problem someone has with his girlfriend is necessarily due to the capitalist mode of production.

Polyamory or Relationship Anarchy might not be for everyone but the skills you learn are


CyberSyn - An Ambitious Project of Socialist Economics

Katja, 2021/04

50 years after the short but inspiring history of CyberSyn, there is still a lot to learn from this project and its underlying theory of organizational cybernetics.


Economy Decentralized Cybernetics

Keywords: Economy, Decentralized, Cybernetics


Quotes:

Hold on for this ride back in history that still feels like science fiction.

In complex systems, central control is not viable.

Beer explains why only decentralized organizations can cope with complex environments.

It is a source of inspiration for decentralized anarchist economies.


Invisible Women in the German Asylum-System

Grace, Katja, 2021/04

This interview with an activist from Women in Exile gives some insight into the situation of women in Kenya, refugee camps, and the German Asylum system.


Asylum Women No Camps

Keywords: Asylum, Women, No Camps


Quotes:

However, being locked in a prison inside of a prison is not the solution.

When you have to fear being deported every day, you don’t really worry about climate change.

Migration due to climate change might increase and it should not be illegalized.


How would Anarchist Societies handle a pandemic?

Katja, 2020/04

Some thoughts about how anarchist societies could handle a pandemic.


Utopia Anarchy Society

Keywords: Utopia, Anarchy, Society


Quotes:

That way, each community can decide about their balence between freedom and security and define for themselves the meaning solidarity in times of pandemic.

However, if it turns out that the pandemic can't be stopped with decentral diversity, there might be a need for a global decision.


Transformation into Free and Solidary Societies

Katja, 2019/05

Criticism of current societies, how free and solidary societies could be organized and how to get there.


Free And Solidary Societies Transformation Strategy

Keywords: Free And Solidary Societies, Transformation, Strategy


Quotes:

This is not one idea, pattern or blueprint of free and solidary societies, but rather a framework, in which multiple diverse ideas of living together and organizing can co-exist.

Thus the power stays decentral and local, always focused on the needs of the people while still being able to make decisions globally.


Anarchy and Responsibility

Katja, 2015/07

If you want to be part of a consensus-based anarchist project you should discuss in that group what being responsible for the decisions you made and the rules you agreed upon really means. This includes talking about processes of conflict resolution and separation.


Anarchy Responsibility Consensus Separation Organization Conflicts

Keywords: Anarchy, Responsibility, Consensus, Separation, Organization, Conflicts


Quotes:

These rules are only worth the time needed to agree on them as a group if the group takes the responsibility to stick to them.

The idea of anarchist societies is not based on the idea of all people wanting the same, but on the idea of decentral groups each acting in their way as long as it does not affect others. In such a society separation from one group and joining an other or even traveling through some groups would not be a sign of failure of the first group or the individual but a chance for personal and group development.