The seminar
One of capitalism’s most striking features is that it is both too close and too far from us. Too close, because it shapes the totality of our experience — everything from our breakfast options to our decisions about how to organize our time and live our life; too far, because for the most part we do not understand it. We do not understand what it involves or how it operates, and this prevents us from asking whether we have reason to accept it.
The aim of this seminar is to remedy this problem. Our task will be to understand the nature of capitalism and, with the help of Marx, ask whether it is a socio-political system we should endorse. Some of the questions we will take up are: How does capitalism organize production? What is the significance of capital, wage-labor, private property, and profit? What are the notorious contradictions of capitalism Marx identified, and what do they reveal? What is the relation between capitalism and freedom? What are the possibilities of human flourishing under capitalism? We hope that the seminar will engender further engagement with Marxism and its critique of capital.
Meetings
This is a discussion seminar that will meet weekly for 1.5 hours, for about 8-10 weeks, starting at the beginning of February. The exact meeting date and time will be determined once registration is over. There will be an option to attend both online via Zoom and in-person in Nicosia.
There will be assigned reading each week (available in both English and Greek) that will be discussed at the meeting. The reading will not be too long, and will not presuppose any background knowledge in politics, philosophy, or economics.
Registration
Participation is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please register here by Sunday, February 6, 2022.
Contact
For questions, write to us at contact@1917.com.cy.
1917 