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Can't Pay, Won't Pay: The Case for Economic Disobedience and Debt Abolition by Debt Collective
historyofjess's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.25
There are some excellent arguments and a lot of research behind this book from the Debt Collective. If you're already on the Capitalism Bad train, you'll probably just be nodding along a lot as you read, but if you also want some ammunition to convince people of just how awful things really are out there, there's a lot of meat on this bone.
drs's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
5.0
If you have debt of any kind, read this book. The idea of creating a debtor’s union is brilliant.
mcwyss's review against another edition
3.0
I largely agree with the goals of this book. We need to build socialism if we want to survive the coming crises. However, a question is raised by Astra Taylor in the forward that goes unanswered and lingers in the background for the entire book, namely how do we build debtors unions when people who have the same lender are often separated by great distances? This is central to their project and is seemingly insurmountable if the strategy is to build a new type of union based solely on debt. What allows labor unions and tenant unions to organize is that the members live and work in close proximity to each other; they see each other and talk all the time and locals can meet in person to socialize and strategize. This leads me to believe that unless debtors unions are reworked to be caucuses in existing labor and tenant unions that campaign to participate in debt strikes, then the idea of a debtors union is doomed to fail.
galokarp's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
A good introduction on debt, be it individual, municipal or national, and its links to past and ongoing colonization as well as Silicon Valley technology.
However, this essay lacks in providing concrete ideas or tools to organize collectively other than hopeful platitudes. Moreover, it is somewhat problematic that none of the citations used are properly sourced.
However, this essay lacks in providing concrete ideas or tools to organize collectively other than hopeful platitudes. Moreover, it is somewhat problematic that none of the citations used are properly sourced.
nickoftheparty's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't know much, if anything, about debt and debt abolition. This book changed that. Abolish debt now.
cbarsotti's review
3.0
Great primer on how debt is a tool of oppression and it is wielded by the rich and against the poor. Wish it got into more detail on how to organize and in which ways.
bootman's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a fantastic book because it hits you with one of those, “Oh my God. You’re right,” moments as soon as you realize what Taylor is talking about. I honestly haven’t had a moment like that since I first discovered Bernie Sanders and his policy ideas and said, “Yeah. Why is healthcare directly tied to our employment?”. Astra Taylor and her organization argue that we should abolish debt and lays out a multitude of reasons why that is. The current system is set up for debt to accumulate while the rich get richer and wealth inequality gets even worse in our country.
Whenever I hear the word “abolish”, I instantly think the opinions are going to be way too extreme, but Astra Taylor makes an extremely strong argument. She explains how all of these rich corporations have their debt forgiven regularly, but for some reason, we common folk are seen as “irresponsible”. Meanwhile Wall Street is recklessly gambling with the economy, and Taylor even explains how the lack of accountability for these companies has led to contaminated water and health issues for communities.
I still don’t know if I’m on board with eliminating all debt, but I’m a firm believer in fighting for the extreme so we can maybe compromise by getting something reasonable. At the very least, the average American should get the same perks and benefits as these multi-millionaires and multi-billionaires who regularly have their debt forgiven while the rest of us struggle to get by.
Whenever I hear the word “abolish”, I instantly think the opinions are going to be way too extreme, but Astra Taylor makes an extremely strong argument. She explains how all of these rich corporations have their debt forgiven regularly, but for some reason, we common folk are seen as “irresponsible”. Meanwhile Wall Street is recklessly gambling with the economy, and Taylor even explains how the lack of accountability for these companies has led to contaminated water and health issues for communities.
I still don’t know if I’m on board with eliminating all debt, but I’m a firm believer in fighting for the extreme so we can maybe compromise by getting something reasonable. At the very least, the average American should get the same perks and benefits as these multi-millionaires and multi-billionaires who regularly have their debt forgiven while the rest of us struggle to get by.