Institute of Economic and Self-management Sciences

The Institute of Economic and Self-management Sciences (IESS from now on, or ICEA in Catalan and Spanish) is a cultural entity working within the limits of the Spanish country, in which we develop activities related to teaching and research on political economy, as well as workers’ and social self-management.

The IESS bases its principles upon assemblies, federalism, solidarity and mutual aid. The IESS is a non-profit organization, it receives no State subsidies and the activities it organizes are absolutely free. To the IESS can belong students, degrees and doctors on Economics, other social and human science professionals (sociologists, political scientists, historians, philosophers, jurists, psychologists, etc) and workers in general.

The IESS is open to all those who are interested in finding a real explanation for economic and social issues. It intends to make its contribution, as well, to change the current capitalist society into another in which nobody shall be exploited, going into the study of alternatives based on self-management in depth, both at a theoretical-historical level, and at a practical and present one.

The Institute of Economic and Self-management Sciences (IESS) was created in a constituent assembly in February-March, 2008.

The IESS takes as its historic reference the entity that, being named “Institut de Ciencies Econòmiques de Catalunya” (ICEC) was founded in 1931, in Barcelona. This entity organized several courses, conferences and debates on economic and social matters up until 1939, and the IESS intends to carry on with the project they started.

How is the IESS structured?

The IESS makes its decisions in assemblies, and it is run through revocable officers which, at the same time, create working groups. As well, for the development of its activities, the IESS counts on two basic pillars: study groups and technical departments.

Study groups are intended to examine one or several subjects, in order to move on to society the acquired knowledge and conclusions afterwards. Technical departments’ purpose is to hand in technical support, as economists and social investigators, to the organizations and social movements that require it. Study groups work through a system of distance education, so it is possible to take part in them from any place.

In order to support study groups and technical departments, the IESS has a digitalized and specialized library on social science, with subjects ranging from economy to self-management, anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, and workers’ and social movements. The whole library can be found at the IESS’ offices. The full catalogue and part of this library can also be found at the IESS’ web page.

Why was the IESS born?

The IESS was born with the goal of becoming an entity in which to develop cultural and technical aspects orientated to the transformation of society.

Concerning cultural and formative issues, the IESS intends to create study groups covering three fields:

1) Analysis of how the economic system of capitalism works, knowing its characteristics and its limits.

2) To consolidate as a laboratory of ideas on economic, labour and social policies, working from a libertarian perspective and tending to the implantation of workers’ self-management. The principal aim is to enrich the thought and the action of organizations and social movements.

3) Research on the economic and social forms through which capitalism can be substituted by a socio-economic system based on self-management. In this sense we intend to cover the lack of a deeper study on the alternatives to the capitalist system. As a consequence, it is necessary to be open to other fields of study which are unavoidably related to economy, such as sociolgy, history, politics, etc.

These studies are going to be published through articles, reports, books, conferences, seminars, courses and study plans.
Regarding technical aspects the IESS intends to carry out its work through four departments respectively aimed at:

- Elaborating articles and documents which shall be useful as a basis for publications and conferences. At the same time, elaborating reports on labour’s socioeconomic situation.

- Elaborating a weekly compilation of published news related to subjects of economic and social interest, and to workers’ struggle in Spain.

- To offer guidance so as to aid labour and social struggles.

- To offer advice for the self-management of the means of production by workers.

Where to find us?

The members of the IESS are currently present in Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Sevilla and Valladolid. If you want more information about the activities and study groups that we are working on, or if you are interested in belonging to the IESS, you can contact us through the following address:

http://iceautogestion.org
info @ iceautogestion.org