There are many good suggestions in Plan B, but some lack specifics. The document commits to 'measures to tackle excessive pay and bonuses
in banking that leads to excessive risk taking'. What would these measures be, that Government, the Vickers Commission, and many academics and commentators have so failed to identify in any realistic and practical terms? Tax reform seems hardly enough.

Excellent document.

But it's an EPIC FAIL!!!! The conclusion is a "Call to Action", and what is this call? I quote "join us and create that alternative". Is your intention that we should join compass? I agree with much of this document but would not consider joining Compass. Like many, I no longer trust political tribes.

Join what? Create what alternative? Where is the Facebook account? Where is the Twitter account? Prior to this, this document has generated just one comment. I have not seen this document mentioned in the media. Is it related to the letter to the Observer from the 100 economists? If not, could you coordinate efforts?

Get some sympathetic marketeers and charismatic communicators on the case. Otherwise your work is wasted.

Apart from the call to action which is not a call to action the other major problem with the document is that it is not Marxist enough. You have begun to address "To everyone according to their needs" but if you are to attract widespread support you need to spell out how you would ensure "From everyone according to their ability". I accept that, in the new people based economy you envisage, the scope and motivation for idleness will be greatly reduced. However you need to clearly state that the increased opportunities and support will require increased individual responsibility.

I thought I was unique in having the views which are so clearly expressed in your document Plan B.
If the coalition's Plan A is successful in reducing government debt by the time of the next general election they deserve to be re-elected. To my mind this is an impossibility. I get the impression that this government believes the current recession will be similar to more recent recessions and last 3/4 years. There is no reason why it couldn't last 5 to25 years.
The current administration appear to believe that in the current economic climate they need to take action similar to an individual or business in a similar situation. In my opinion this is quite wrong. Firstly they have the ability to borrow money more easily than an individual or business. Secondly they can steal (tax) money without going to prison and thirdly they can print money without being punished.
Printing money can be a problem: hyperinflation. However, I believe it is only as a result of Q.E. that we are not in a period of deflation. Printing more money might result in hyperinflation but if used to create capital goods such as housing, green energy etc this will not be the case. I think the economists writing Plan B need to include comments relating to Q.E. and why/how hyperinflation can be avoided.
Lastly I think 'Plan B' needs to emphasise in greater detail the possible negative aspects of the current austerity measures (increasing unemployment, poverty and unhappiness, increase street/car/house crime, homelessness, strikes, riots, mental illness)

Sounds good, but where does the leadership come from? Part B recommends joining a union. This is one of the big busters of any plan such a part B. This document is decidedly left leaning, so here in America may have a tough time getting any media exposure. This plan needs to be laid out much simpler with definite steps, cost, benefits and methods of implementation. Use Ocam's Razor for this presentation and allow the populace to get used to what is being said, then institute slowly and with out fanfare.

Jimmy Porter
United States of America

At long last someone has articulated a plan of action that deals w/ systemic causes rather than treat symptomatically based on erroneous, if not intentially misleading, socio-economic-politico assumptions. Misleading, as in myth-making to deceive the commons and perpetuate the power of monopolistic capitalism with the politics of destruction (Barry Llynn's book title) to plunder the globe and its inhabitants.
RWV

I agree with Jason Lusher that it doesn't go far enough - and also with his comments about the lack of follow-throung and action. NEF and FalseEconomy are good and active on Twitter. See also a good review of Plan B by Dexter Whitfield in Red Pepper ( redpepper.org.uk/plan-b-and-beyond/) and now in April 2012 an interesting conference called Paradigm Lost in Berlin ( ineteconomics.org/ ) Proper links forbidden on this site - sorry