#FLOKSociety: Ecuador wants to become a 'paradise of free knowledge' and turn its economy towards the common good

For the first time in History, an entire Nation is committed to change its economic and social system for a new one based on free licenses, free/open technologies and collaborative paradigms.

Based on the National Plan for Good Living (Buen Vivir), the FLOK Society project is the cornerstone

of the Ecuadorian productive matrix’s change. A team of international experts, led by Michel Bauwens

(P2P Foundation), performs an open research to build the public policies proposals that will sustain

this transition.

In late May, an international summit of experts, collectives, activists and global civil society will gather

in Quito in order to study the transition to a Free Knowledge Society.

FLOK (Free/Libre Open Knowledge) Society, Buen Conocer or Sumak Yachay (Good

Knowedge), is a project of collaborative research and participatory design to change the

productive matrix of Ecuador towards a Social Economy of Common with Free and Open

Access to Knowledge. FLOK Society is a proposal that sets out an alternative to the social and

economic model of neoliberalism, which bases its production on perishable resources (natural

resources) and privatizes knowledge.

FLOK Society aims to create a new political and social model based on infinite resources

(knowledge) and free technology. Framed within the National Plan for Good Living, FLOK opens a

path based on (non-quantitative) relational goods, collaborative paradigms and the economy of the

common good. The change of the productive matrix -the removal of oil extraction in Ecuador- is under

study. For this purpose, the FLOK Society research team works together with the Ecuadorian people

and the global civil society.

FLOK Society is part of an interagency agreement between the Institute of National Advanced

Studies (IAEN), the Ministry of Coordination of Knowledge and Talent (MCCTH) and the Secretary of

Higher Education, Science and Technology (SENESCYT). FLOK Society's initial goal was to open a

process of research and participation through workshops, meetings, events and on-line collaborative

platforms (wiki, PADS, hangouts...). The result of this research, led by Michel Bauwens (P2P

Foundation founder) and with the participation of high level consultants like David Harvey and Jérémie

Zimmermann (La Quadrature do Net), will lead to an international meeting to be held in Quito in late

May.

At the summit, the 10 documents of public policy proposals will be developed in different fields.

The documents -developed by researchers- will be edited and worked by the event attendees. Drafts

of these documents are now accessible via the wiki platform of FLOK Society. In fact, FLOK research

is currently in an opening phase. On Friday March 18 the first hangout between researchers and civil

society will be held. The research relies on transmedia formats and network dialogue.

The research team is formed by:

FLOK directors: Xabier Barandiaran & Daniel Vázquez

Research Director - MD. Michel Bauwens (Belgium)

Research Coordinator - PhD. Daniel Araya (Canada)

Research Consultants - PhD. David Harvey, PhD. Miguel Robles-Durán

Human Capabilities - PhD. Daniel Araya

Commons-oriented Productive Capacities - PhD George Dafermos (Greece)

Social Infrastructure and Institutional Innovation - M.A. John Restakis (Canada)

Open Technical Infrastructures - PhD. Jenny Torres (Ecuador)

Commons’ Infrastructure for Collective Life - MBA, M.Sc. Janice Figueiredo (Brazil)

The FLOK Society research purpose and design is a priority within the pillars of the National Plan for Good Living. The Wikicoesc + i (Code of Social Economy of Knowledge and Innovation) is part of the change in the production matrix driven by the FLOK Society process. The FLOK Society process could create a legal, methodological and scientific protocol (a how to) to bring any State, region or city towards the economy of the common good.

Neoliberalism has been implementing the shock doctrine for decades (taking advantage of

catastrophic situations to impose the capitalist system). From now on, the world will have an

Ecuadorian recipe to change the productive matrix to overcome the global economic crisis: the FLOK

doctrine.

RESEARCH STREAMS

FLOK Society has 5 research streams:

Human Capacities

This research stream will focus on institutional support for capacity building with emphasis on open

learning and community collaboration. It is an essential stream to encourage reciprocity and value

creation based on the commons.

Commons-oriented Productive Capacities

The purpose of this research stream is to improve the productive capacity of the Ecuadorian economy.

It aims to study how to build a peer production economy (p2p). Topics: open / sustainable agriculture;

entrepreneurship and innovation networks based on open and common designs; decentralized

distribution and open mechanical infrastructure; and distribution networks of clean and renewable

energy.

Social Infrastructure and Institutional Innovation

This research will focus on the institutional support necessary for the transition (and their livelihood in

time) to a social economic system based on reciprocity, cooperation, exchange and value creation

based on the commons. It includes an analysis of the legislation concerning cooperatives, NGOs and

social enterprises. It will also include a review of public policies related to the promotion and

dissemination of social and solidarity economy.

Open Technical Infrastructures

This stream aims to identify open standards and norms, as well as the common direction of the digital

infrastructure. It will also address the privacy, security and rights of collective and individual

expressions through digital media. The research aims to ensure privacy; limit dependence on a

centralized infrastructure and under foreign control; set limits on monitoring citizens and establish

property rights of personal data.

Commons’ Infrastructure for Collective Life

Research on this topic will examine how a common and open infrastructure can promote sustainable

ways of living. In this context, the research argues that physical infrastructures (housing, health care

places and even food) are basic and fundamental needs and human rights, as it is considered in the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It will examine how commons-oriented practices usually can

improve the availability and quality of such physical infrastructure in the public sphere.

More information:

Web> www.floksociety.org

Wiki> http://es.wiki.floksociety.org/w/P%C3%A1gina_principal

Twitter> @floksociety

Facebook> https://www.facebook.com/FLOKSociety

Press> comunicacion@floksociety.org

Nathalia Sánchez // nsanchez@floksociety.org +59323829900 ext 354

Featured news published:

http://floksociety.org/2014/02/28/flok-society-ecuador-camino-a-una-economia-social-del-

conocimiento/ (VIDEO)

http://blogs.publico.es/el-cuarto-poder-en-red/2014/03/10/ecuador-la-sociedad-del-

conocimiento-libre-y-en-abierto/

http://bollier.org/blog/flok-society-vision-post-capitalist-economy

http://guerrillatranslation.com/2014/01/28/hacia-un-procomun-material/

http://floksociety.org/2014/01/29/flok-society-nominado-al-premio-katerva-al-desarrollo-

humano/

http://floksociety.org/2014/01/28/dafermos-explica-el-beneficio-de-las-licencias-abiertas-

frente-a-las-patentes/

http://floksociety.org/2014/01/30/es-posible-la-produccion-cientifica-a-bajos-en-ecuador/

http://floksociety.org/2014/01/31/flok-society-recoge-propuesta-de-transicion-hacia-un-

nuevo-sistema-alimentario/

http://floksociety.org/2014/02/07/el-primer-beer2peer-una-cita-con-el-conocimiento/

http://floksociety.org/2014/02/07/radio-francia-entrevista-a-bauwens-para-conocer-sobre-

flok-society/

http://commonsblog.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/recent-landmarks-in-the-growing-commons-

movement/

http://www.shareable.net/blog/how-the-flok-society-brings-a-commons-approach-to-

ecuador%E2%80%99s-economy

http://www.gutierrez-rubi.es/2014/03/07/zw-383-flok-

society/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+AntoniGutirrez

Rubi+(Antoni+Guti%C3%A9rrez-Rub%C3%AD)