Discussion

Description

The notion of germ form is one of the central notions of Oekonux. It describes a form which exists in the current existing (societal) form but has important aspects pointing beyond capitalism.

In the Oekonux context Free Software is seen as a major germ form for a new society.

Criteria for a germ form

• Productive project

  I.e. the project must produce something useful. What exactly is produced is less important. This criteria excludes all forms which are not productive such as pure living communities.

  Reason: Capitalism can only be overcome when it is possible to replace its productive power by new and improved forms.

  • Results of the process are of higher quality than capitalist products

    Reason: If the results of the productive process have less quality than the results of capitalist production then there is no reason for this type of production. The higher quality can be seen when the Free results are actually used up by capitalism.

  • At the forefront of the development of productive forces

    Reason: Every society is overcome if the productive forces tend to overcome the productive forms of the old society. This is not possible for the productive areas which are central to prior ages of production.

• Actual existance, observable

  Reason: If something is only imagined it can not be observed and thus it can not be tested whether it works at all.

• Non-alienation

  • Absence of exchange value and exchange

    Reason: Exchange value and exchange are central characteristics of capitalism introducing major alienation. Thus a project which is based on alienated forms can not be a germ form.

    • Creates abundance

      Reason: Abundance is one of the possibilities which makes it easy to overcome exchange

  • Needs to be result of the direct needs of those involved

    This implies that the productive process focuses exclusively on the use value of the product.

    Reason: If a project is not the result of the direct needs of those involved there is some ideology demanding that type of project. Ideologies are always alienated, however.

  • Self-organization

    I.e. not organized by a process alienated to the germ form.

    Reason: Every alienation, every external setting of agendas is negative for the quality of the process.

  • Makes Selbstentfaltung possible

    Reason: Only if Selbstentfaltung is possible then higher quality can be achieved.

• Unlimited externally and internally

  Reason: Only if a project allows for influences for anyone interested it can appreciate and use all useful ideas regardless from where they come.

  • Global networking

    Reason: Global networking is one practical way to make internal unlimitedness possible.

• Freedom of the results is outcome and precondition of the process

  • Results of the germ form are Free because of the process

    Can be used by anyone who needs them. This implies that they are available without paying.

  • Process needs Freedom as a precondition

  Please note that this implements a positive feedback cycle.

Links

• StefanMeretz/GermformTheory

• GermForm

• Oekonux/Introduction/SlideKeywordGermForm