ECONOMY AND AUSTERITY MASS TEACH-IN

The Alternative Information Development Centre and the Cry of the Xcluded will be hosting a two-day Economy and Austerity Mass Teach-In. This event is geared towards individuals with a keen interest in economic justice and social welfare. Participants can expect to be exposed to a wealth of knowledge on the subject matter from seasoned educators within the AIDC.

The aim of this mass teach-in is to provide individuals with a comprehensive understanding of the economic implications of austerity measures. This includes exploring alternative economic models and policies that may be more effective in promoting social justice. This event promises to be highly engaging and informative, providing a great opportunity for individuals to gain knowledge and insights from experts in the field. Interested parties are encouraged to attend.

Programme:

Day 1 Tuesday 20 February

9.00 – 9.30 Welcome and introduction to the programme 

9.30 – 10.30 South Africa’s economic crisis and why we must fight budget cuts 

(Input and shared experiences)

10.30 – 11.00 Breaking up into streams: Developing our understanding of austerity

11.00  – 13.00 

• Introductory course on the economy and austerity;
• Economics and Austerity for Activists
• Advanced course placing austerity within the context of capitalist crisis and neoliberalism 

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

14.00 – 16.00 Breaking up into streams: Developing our understanding of austerity

16.00 – 16.30 tea

16.30 – 18.00 Poster / Banner making

Day 2 Wednesday 21 February

9.00  – 10.00 Plenary recap: What new insights have we gained;

10.00 – 11.00 Preparing for the march

11.00 – Heading to town

17.00 – 18.00 Reading the budget speech in groups and preparing questions for the Budget Briefing session

Day 3 Thursday 22 February

9.00 – 10.30 What is in the 2024/5 Budget

10.30 – 11.00 Tea

11.00 The budget in detail looking at critical areas of expenditure

• Local government 
• Education 
• Health
• Housing
• Social Protection

Introductory Stream

11.00 – 12.00 Introducing basic concepts

• Percentage and ratios
• Revenue
• Expenditure
• Deficit / Surplus
• GDP and growth
• Inflation
• Understanding diagrams and graphs

1. 12.00 – 13.00 Thinking of the budget in terms of different interest groups (class)
2. 14.00 – 15.00 What is austerity: more than budget cuts

15.00 – 16.00 Can austerity be stopped, and how?