On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 8:13 AM, Doug Henwood<dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
> From: Loren Goldner <lrgoldner at yahoo.com>
> Date: September 8, 2009 12:42:04 AM EDT
> To: dhenwood at panix.com
> Subject: NYC-Area Study Group on Marx's Capital and Crisis
>
> Dear Doug-
>
> We're at it again. Would you mind posting this on your list?
>
> Thanks
>
> Loren
>
> FALL-SPRING STUDY GROUP ON CAPITALIST CRISIS
>
> Following our (just concluded) summer class, Howie Seligman and I will again
> be doing a study group in the New York City area on Marxian theory and the
> current crisis. If you are interested, read on.
>
> All applicants welcome.
>
> TENTATIVE PLAN
>
> Loren Goldner and Howie Seligman will be organizing a study group, starting
> in October, for New York City-area people on Marx’s Capital (and other
> writings), linking Marx’s critique of political economy to the current
> crisis of the world capitalist system.
>
> The group will meet twice a month (day to be determined, based on people's
> availability), through May-June of next year, in a convenient Manhattan
> location (to be determined).
>
> Space will determine the number of participants, but we aim for between 10
> and 25 participants, depending on interest.
>
> If you wish to participate, please contact Loren Goldner asap at
>
> lrgoldner at yahoo.com
>
> Participants should be committed to regular attendance and to keeping up
> with 50-100 pages of reading per meeting. Barring a need to change venues,
> the class will be free of charge, except for occasional contributions for
> photocopy expenses, refreshments, etc.
>
> Readings will consist of selections from Marx’s Capital, and articles (to be
> decided in consultation with the group) on contemporary developments.
>
> The events of the past two years in particular have re-awakened a serious
> interest in both Marx’s critique of political economy and in “current
> events” in the world economy. Goldner and Seligman will cooperate in putting
> the crisis into a Marxian theoretical perspective (Goldner), as well as
> providing insight into the more technical side of world market meltdown
> (CDO’s, hedge funds, Ponzi schemes, etc.) (Seligman). The approach will not
> be merely “economic” (the Marxian CRITIQUE of political economy is not
> another variant of “economics”) but will elucidate the impact of the crisis
> on ordinary working people, on developing actions against capitalist
> austerity in the US and around the world, and on the solution: abolition of
> the capitalist mode of production.
>
> If successful, the study group will continue through May-June 2010.
>
> In order to put together a viable group, we would like interested people to
> write something brief (200-300 words) about their background, the level of
> their knowledge of Marx and of the world economy, where they are coming
> from politically, and anything else they might consider relevant.
>
> We are oriented above all to educating present and future activists, and
> will give such people priority in participation. We also hope to have a
> predominance of young people who are new, or relatively new, to Capital and
> Marxist theory generally, but that will of course be determined by the
> response.
>
> Loren Goldner is a long-term independent writer and political activist. His
> work is available on the Break Their Haughty Power web site at
>
> http://home.earthlink.net/~lrgoldner
>
> He has spent much of the past four years in South Korea, involved in the
> workers’ movement there.
>
> Howie Seligman recently taught a course on Taxation and Finance at the NEW
> SPACE in New York City. Here is the course description and a biography.
>
> Taxation and Finance
>
> Howard F. Seligman
>
> The course will begin with a brief tutorial on conventional accounting,
> bookkeeping and financial theory. This will involve some hands on practical
> training, although the main emphasis will be on the history of the evolution
> of the theory from its original conception to the current methodologies.
>
> This will be followed by an examination of basic economics (price theory)
> and its use and abuse of (accounting/finance) statistics. Again, the
> history of the theory from its roots in philosophy and the social sciences
> to its current state of being applied mathematical models will be
> scrutinized.
>
> We will then survey the U.S. Income Tax System beginning with its history
> and moving on to its current state (of change) today. The focus will be on
> the behavioral implications of changes in the tax code and alternate systems
> being used in other countries (and being proposed by Congress today.)
>
> Applying the building blocks of finance and taxation, we will then look at
> the American financial markets and the culture of the corporation.
> Particular attention will be paid to 'Wall Street' and the 'entertainment
> industry' due to their growing influence in our everyday lives via the
> 'information society.'
>
> Emphasis will be placed on economic and non-economic forces that drive the
> markets and facilitate manipulation by the use of abstract numerical
> concepts. Finally, the natural symbiosis of private industry and
> governments will be the subject of specific anecdotes and case studies.
>
> No requirements other than potential enthusiasm/interest.
>
> Howard F. Seligman has been a self employed financial and tax consultant
> since 1984. Howard’s practice specializes in the arts and entertainment
> fields, and he serves as the treasurer to more than fifteen arts and
> cultural organizations. Howard has taught accounting and finance at The
> Pratt Institute. His hobbies include playing Howie Solo, a singer and stand
> up comedian who can host your local fundraising event. He is currently
> researching a book on the history of the Jewish gangster in America.
>
> You can also see Howie in action at
>
> www.blip.tv
>
> search HOWIE SOLO
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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