Policies for Economic Revolution: Some Ideas from the Womxn of 36×36

Reposted from 36×36 Website

By Isabel Nuesse, WEAll Engagement and Content lead and member of 36×36 project team

Have you been curious about the #36×36 project? We’ve engaged an incredible cohort of womxn in a programme to design the architecture of a new economic future for the world. While inevitably a very tough ask, these womxn have dove right in. 

During an early “meet and greet” call where the womxn were getting to know each other – we asked the question, “If you were an economy tsarista, what policy would you put in place?” Below are some of the ideas that came up in our discussion. From gender parity, to binding codes of conduct for Multi-National Corporations – the visions of these womxn are vast, radical and with enough power, entirely possible.  

Gender

• Pay adequate wages for care labor and data labor in order to reduce inequality 
• Reinforce the mechanisms that ensure gender parity in decision making

Education

• Invest a larger portion of money into transforming education systems to incorporate topics such as climate change and gender equality 

Financials 

• Institute Universal Basic Income (UBI) 
• Defund militarism and redirect funds towards other more impactful sectors such as education, health and agriculture 
• Change our metrics of prosperity from GDP to Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP)
• Greater transparency of financial flows to see what’s happening so countries can align actions with values – and put participatory budgeting at all levels 
• Global debt jubilee for the Global South
• Get rid of taxes as a whole – and find more creative ways to make up for it – i.e. using non-profit models.
• Close down tax havens. Make sure the taxes are spent in local areas where they were created.  
•  Write off all the loans that are owed to the World Bank 

Process/ Collaboration

• Facilitate a global dialogue around the world to discuss and collaborate on our collective wants and needs 
• Fewer bureaucratic processes to ensure greater efficiency when dealing with paperwork 
• Create a structure that supports grassroots community initiatives

Production of Resources

• Binding code of conduct for multi-national corporation (MNCs) 
• Make prices reflect the true costs of products and services  to actually reflect the environmental and social externalities 
• Withdraw subsidies and tax cuts from the largest transnational corporations and use that money for seed funding for not-for-profit businesses

Wellbeing 

• Take care of wellbeing surrounding the self- and allow that to ripple out across the world. Meaning, the energy of wellbeing to transform from person to person. 
• Make indigenous wisdom the default
• Ask the question of what behaviours do we want to encourage?

These  ambitious ideas are some of the seeds from which the 36×36 network will grow. The womxn are now participating in learning modules, thematic exchanges and peer-led sessions to deepen their collaboration. We are so excited to be on this journey with them.

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