Proposal for

Convergence and world conversation: Technology and Revolution

Submitted by Alfredo Lopez

Goal:

The development and organization of a world thematic social forum (or similar convergence) on the question of the connection between technology and revolution.

Background:

The world's movement lacks a strategy and that is its principle problem and challenge. Without a strategy, it cannot win. Without winning, it allows the current system to collapse on its own, taking billions of people with it. The current rise of a major fascist movement in the United States is proof of that.

Starting in the 1970s, information technology was introduced into production and our society in general. While it transformed many social functions, its primacy impact (for our purposes) was to replace the industrial working class as the primary motor of commodity production, obliterate "the proletariat" as a social force and, as a result, send the world Left into strategic disarray.

Partly as a result, the Left has replaced strategically aimed struggle with response struggle -- struggles responding to specific oppressions and manifestations of capitalist oppression like racism, sexism, war, and lack of democracy.

While this confusion continues, we are now confronting a massive fascist movement which, combined with the collapse of the world economy and the crisis in its environment, threatens the future of the human race. If this situation isn't altered, the human race will begin disappearing within the next generation.

Revolution is the only answer and, at this point, it has become more attractive to more people than has been the case in a half century. Logically, a revolutionary program must consider the role technology has played in our situation and the role it can play in the revolutionary movement. But it must also consider the role technology can play in the new society we want to forge; in fact, technology may help define what that society is going to look like.

Purpose:

To begin a world-wide strategic discussion around this topic which would broaden in the near future and form a component of a larger, strategic conversation about revolution.

Concept:

We would start with local convergences in the U.S., Mexico, one country in Africa (Kenya, Senegal, possibly South Africa...not sure), one is Asia and a European country. Clearly this isn't the world but its a start.

These convergences would develop some points to share with the rest of the world: outcomes based on loosely developed "instructions" from each organizing committee.

The "world" would meet in 2018 in Havana, Cuba for the thematic forum itself and take up the various reports from the local convergences.

We would form a convergence of some kind (probably a committee) to develop regional or national convergences on this topic in 2017. It's probable that we would do this type of steering commitee in each location.

At this point, we believe there are conditions for at least three convergences in the United States.

We are also starting to look at potential sites and partners in Mexico.

Our African contacts are around Indy-media Africa, which is a very good seeding choice, and we have many possible collaborators in Europe. At this point, our weakness is in Asia.

What May First must do:

Our first task is to start developing contacts for the local organizing committees and then help them get to work. We should also assign people from May First to work on this action.