Bamako Appeal spikes controversy

Peter Waterman

15 February, 2006

Ruth:

You say in part, 'such "synthesizing" appeals from academics are neither here nor there, and are not really useful and are anyway not going to amount to anything in terms of action without an organic process.'

You are not the only contributor to this little exchange who refers to an organic process, and/or to grassroots, networks, etc. Is there not, in both this exchange and in the WSF more generally, too much process, too little product? And since when did 'synthesising' - a classical role of critical and emancipatory intellectuals from Marx to Boaventura de Sousa Santos - come to require distancing quotes? My fear is that this is merely a defence of a status quo, largely by insiders.

I do not see how we can rule out, condemn, or even ignore a position taken by a group of academics - however much we might either disapprove of, or feel deprived of information about, the process by which they reached this.

In so far as I do not myself feel qualified to produce an extensive critique of, or an alternative to the Bamako Appeal, I should not be complaining about the failure, thus far, of any of the critics to produce such. But I am certainly prepared to contribute to discussion on those aspects of the Bamako Appeal about which I do feel qualified.

This should, however, be seen less as a complaint than an appeal.

And in so far as no one person or group feels qualified to produce an alternative - or feels that this was the wrong procedure - then why not a structured internet discussion about such, or a (more expensive) workshop or conference?