Activists and alternative economists and historians have been writing, for some time now, that the world economy is on the brink due to fraudulent banking, inflated stock and real estate prices, and unfathomable debt. It seems that those people have been correct in spite of world government’s last minute efforts. The elites will weather this storm quite well, buying underpriced stock and properties, but I wonder fellow activists and workers, do we have alternatives in place that will provide work, food, and shelter for those completely fucked by this?

The Independent is reporting, or rather forecasting that the dollar will crash. That’s right, the 1000 dollars you’ve (OK, it’s really me) managed to save for a rainy day or that trip down the Amazon will be worth a lot less. Japan has been buying dollars in an attempt to shore up its value, but to no avail. Companies are folding like they’ve just downed a fifth of Jack while listening to Kenny Rogers sing the Gambler.

We all know that this type of shit snowballs until it is completely out of control. The market is down so people are spending less and continuing to work instead of opting for retirement. Consequently, there are fewer jobs for the younger generation. Oh yeah, companies are laying off workers like crazy which means those people, besides having a hard time eating, will not be able to purchase goods, thereby allowing for even greater product surpluses. This results in the continued layoffs of workers and less corporate profits. This leads to lower stock prices. This leads to war. Yes, this leads to war. This is the one fix these fucking geniuses have hidden away in their back pocket.

So the U.S. is out attempting to conquer both product and labor markets all the while spending billions on the military in the hope that they can spend their way out of the recession. There is one problem. The debt burden in the U.S. is enormous and we are about to default on our trillions of dollars in loans. This will kill a few banks and therefore speed up the downward spiral. Just wait until banks start calling in their loans and bankrupting more companies. This CAN happen. It is happening to other countries all over the world.

Just what have we been doing for the last years, decades, whatever? Besides protesting, what have we been doing? Fuck our philosophies, as sectarian as they are because we very well could be facing concrete decisions. What models are already in place to produce, distribute, and otherwise provide for our families, brothers and sisters, fellow humans, and selves? What are people doing in Argentina? What did people do during the great depression?

Let us all think of the contacts we’ve made and the relationships forged between our groups, as individuals of course, and work to strengthen those ties. Who haven’t we reached out to? What has been built? There have been successes worth improving upon. I’m thinking about Food not Bombs and land reclamation projects.

There will be those that run to the hills after purchasing guns and enough freeze dried food to give them explosive diarrhea for years to come, but for those interested in building communities based on cooperation, there is much work to be done. Now is the time to close ranks to fight against the wars our leaders have promised us. Now is the time to really begin building our new world.