http://projectquestion.org/?page_id=61
http://projectquestion.org/?page_id=73
http://projectquestion.org/?page_id=87
CHORUS:
when there’s power to the people, baby, who calls the shots / worker and consumer councils we call the shots / who calls the shots who calls the shots / worker and consumer councils we call the shots / (repeat)
Verse One:
In a PARECON services and goods / ain’t figured at the top, but the level of neighborhoods / through councils – basically just democratic groups / where every member has a say and the right to choose / according to the impact decisions have on them / and if there ain’t no impact, then your voice ain’t in it / we start with groups the size of maybe 20 families / with each council part of a bigger community / and the larger council represents the councils within / when choices in one affect more than just their members
Narration: so wait wait slow down let me get this straight / councils within councils, how is that not a food chain?
well, check it, just think of councils like birds in a nest / and all the little nests are part of a bigger nest / and the bigger nest is part of an even bigger one / and so on and so on and so on / that way, power don’t start at the top and rain down / but at the same nest level, there’s enough to go around / it ain’t about – who’s on top of who’s on top of who / the only power you got is to decide for you / and your nest, no excess rule or control / so we get what’s best for the people as a whole / from food and shelter to toys and clothes / to libraries, fire departments, bridges, and roads / and all the birds deliberate till there’s agreement in the nest / then each council decides their own budget request / made up of both personal and collective orders / limited to what the community can afford for / the work each and all members are willing to give / so it’s equal to the worth of the goods they want to get / and that’s it – no need for extra authority / no need for the input of a powerful minority / it’s for y’all to choose what you can or can’t consume / ’cause who better to decide what’s good for you than you
CHORUS:
when there’s power to the people, baby, who calls the shots / worker and consumer councils we call the shots / who calls the shots who calls the shots / worker and consumer councils we call the shots / (repeat)
Verse Two:
And next we go to workers in the workplace / forming councils to address the challenges they face / so all the day to day, week to week routine plans / are held by everyone – not in just a few hands / and the future’s decided by who it affects / out in the open so the rest of us can keep it in check / and no it ain’t a perfect world, and everyone ain’t a saint / full agreement if we can get it – close enough if we can’t / with proportionate vote according to impact / where the consequence you cause is the consequence you get back / with real democracy – power don’t come first / and priority goes with those who fair the worst
Narration: yeah, but who runs the show if there’s no owners or bosses / who gets the credit – who takes the losses
well baby that’s us, that’s what self management is / we take control of our lives when we control the business / the same decisions that was made at the top before / get made through agreement on the council floor / now that don’t mean ain’t no power no more / you still got authority in what you was hired on for / it just means beyond your specialty you ain’t got / no more juice than the next worker to call the shots / ’cause when there’s too much distance between you and your decisions / you ain’t as competent to comment on other’s conditions / that’s why there ain’t a person rocking this record who ain’t thought / I could do a better job than them clowns at the top
CHORUS:
when there’s power to the people, baby, who calls the shots / worker and consumer councils we call the shots / who calls the shots who calls the shots / worker and consumer councils we call the shots / (repeat)
Verse Three:
Imagine what power to the people really looks like / where ain’t just one MC, and ain’t just one mic / when no person or group is any more powerful / there’s just the power of worker and consumer councils / ain’t no leader stealing all the glory / you the hero of your own story / no need for a savior to save the day / when everybody getting theirs through a fair say / different voices being heard, ideas being stirred / deliberation and creation in a council, we’d prefer / a day when the bargaining powers that be – don’t ignore us / and outside pressures ain’t making our choices for us / that’s why we getting rid the whole food chain / and a school system that be washing our brains / nobody tell us our minds, we making up our own / and ain’t no daddy to elect, ’cause cousin we grown / we ain’t children we can work it out ourselves / with real education, ain’t no need for no one else / self management is the only power we want / where i ain’t got no more than you got – than you got / who am i to decide – who gets what at what cost / and who are you to tell another worker – you they boss / ’cause property ain’t got a damn thing to do / with my right to decide what happens to you / and the power of a person should be limited to / that person’s life – it ain’t no true or false, that shit is true