Ten Ways to Challenge Capitalism That Wouldn't Frighten Your Grandmother

It appears that the salesmen of capitalism have not been entirely successful. Despite the many years of propaganda we have not abandoned care for our fellow man or woman. We still overwhelmingly support a health service paid for from taxation and would rather a decent pension for all was organized along the same lines than be left to the wolves of the financial markets.

Money is at the heart of the economic system that is not called 'capitalism' by accident, and this is the place where you can begin to extract your own life from that destructive and damaging system. It has also been most conspicuously displaying the tendency towards inequality that is the beating heart of capitalism in the past year.

Below I list some further ideas for challenging capitalism in your everyday life in practical ways. It is important not to be daunted and to maintain your awareness that, as you extract your energy and money, along with millions of others, you are weakening the system. From my perspective everyday actions against capitalism, aside from being less risky and more morally acceptable, are far more threatening than violent revolution.

Those who oppose capitalism have the advantages of creativity and imagination, as well as mutual support. It will always be impractical to oppose capitalism by taking on the state with violence, since the state will always be far better equipped in that department than we are. Such action will actually give energy to the growth dynamic, through policing and medical care of the injured, not to mention sales of weaponry.

So here are ten ideas in domestic subversion. Start today and within a year you can be in the clear for a large part of your daily life.

1. Arrange to buy your vegetables through the nearest organic box scheme
2. Switch all your bank accounts to the Nationwide or Co-op/Smile Bank
3. Shop at the Cooperativebetter still, join your local coop.
4. If you work in the private sector, cut your hours of work at least by half
5. Cook more at home, for yourself and your friends
6. Don’t vote, unless the party you vote for has stated anti-capitalist economic policies
7. Whenever you are talking to somebody involved in business, ask them if their business is a cooperative, and have something to back yourself up if they ask why you asked this question
8. Get an allotment
9. Cut down on your coffee intake, and make sure that what you do buy has been fairly traded
10. Before you buy anything ask yourself how much you know about who made it and how, and move towards products where you have more information and closer ties Tweet