On the book of Étienne Balibar: Marx filozófiája. [The Philosophy of Marx] Budapest, Typotex Kiadó, 2012.

In this chapter of his Money and Liberation, the author describes how millions – in order to survive – started barter trade, one-to-one exchanges after the Argentinean economy collapsed at the end of 2001, throwing away free market and profit principles. They did not try to change the big system or take power themselves. What are the lessons from this case, when masses opted out of a failed capitalism?

The ultimate goal of the transition movement is to develop a social-economic form by practice, which is able to satisfy social needs for everyone in a sustainable way, in an environment of shortages created by the climate change and increasing energy prices, a consequence of the depleting oil reserves. This requires radical cut backs on globalised production and transport and also meeting food and energy needs mostly from local sources in global network of local communities talking to each other. This vision contradicts the logic of global capitalism, although the movement is making an attempt to establish parallel economic and social institutions without open confrontation.