Tuesday night saw more than 200 people pack into the Rich Mix bar for 6 Billion Ways’ latest film night, ‘Take back our economy: making it work for the 99%’.A big thank you to everyone who came along, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did and thank you for your patience with the technical hitches and the temporary assumption that you all spoke Greek (who needs subtitles anyway!)
It was a great evening of clips, analysis and activism, guiding us on a journey through some of the systemic problems with the global economy, to the financial crisis and its consequences and finally to some exciting campaigns and alternatives that are taking place.
The almost unbelievable stories presented in the Inside Job showed how deregulation and the capture of government by Wall Street allowed the banks to reap havoc with the economy, taking ridiculous risks and even tricking their customers to take risks they knew wouldn’t pay off – which they then bet against! Marxist historian David Harvey provided a succinct explanation for why capitalism will always lead us to such crises, accompanied by beautiful draw-as-you-speak illustrations, while Paul Mason provided an insight into the deep-rooted structural problems that led to our failed economy and how the crisis is affecting people across the UK.
On the night we were also lucky to have Sargon Nissan with us, an ex-investment banker turned economic activist. In particular, insight around sovereign debt – the latest manifestation of the crisis – showed how declaring a country bankrupt is a purely political act, and often prevented by international financial institutions and governments who would be adversely affected (e.g. Ireland being made to keep servicing its debt to a defunct bank by Germany and the European Central Bank).
The evening ended on a more positive note – looking at alternatives out there and movements that are happening across the world demanding another economy that works for them, and making it happen. Particular thanks to everyone shared their campaigns and alternative projects with the rest of the audience. You can find a list of these with links below – get involved!
There is also a list of all of the films and clips that were screened below in case you weren’t able to make it/want to share them around/feel that three hours of economics viewing just wasn’t enough for you!
Great to see you all, and catch you again next time.
Current campaigns, activism and alternatives:
Occupy LSX
Clips screened:
Catastroika
To view all clips below, right click and open in a new tab
Press conference with the European Central Bank in Ireland
Spain’s Indignados and the globalisation of dissent
Occupy New York – housing movement
Have I got news for you on Occupy LSX
Organisers of the event:
Jubilee Debt Campaign
World Development Movement
War on Want
Friends of the Earth
