The critique of capitalism is unsuccessful: despite the misery which this economic system produces, and the ease with which it can be seen that this misery is systematic, the participants in a capitalist society do not set out to abolish it.

In this workshop we will consider the relation between the objective reality people face - (both the “silent compulsion of economic relations” and the not-at-all silent compulsion by the State) and people’s own, spontaneous and wrong ideas about these economic and political relations.

The capitalist economy forces its participants to relate to the objective conditions imposed on them as their means. All must relate to their jobs as their way of making ends meet, because – when they do – they are. Through their free and self-directed activities, the members of a capitalist economy impose these conditions on each other.

In a thinking mistake, many then take this practical necessity as the conclusion about the objects they are dealing with: a job is there to provide workers with a decent livelihood.

The continuous failure of these objects (work, commodities, landlords) to live up to their alleged purposes is then dealt with as a deviation from an ideal, from a right measure, from a balance. The insistence that others should live up to this standard (moralism) - to do better for the common good then replaces engagement with the objects at hand.

This workshop will be held in English by Critisticuffs from London. For more information see: https://critisticuffs.org