How do we live, work and make a living? What do we really need to support the communities we’re a part of? How can we take control at a local level? And what can we do that is different?

Join us for a series of conversations about how we live and work in Liverpool.

‘Foundational Economy outlines the need for collective provision of the essential services which are the social infrastructure of everyday life.’ (Paul Mason)

The Foundational Economy focuses on the goods and services we need for daily life – from water, heating, light and transport to food, health and education. They’re our essentials – we need them to be local, work well, be accessible and affordable.

They’re a huge part of our economy, representing over half of our jobs in Liverpool. But public policy for the last 35 years has focused on privatisation and outsourcing this sector, and regeneration has focused on inward investment in knowledge-intensive business services, with little or no ties to the community. These only cover a small fraction of the jobs we need.

Karel Williams will introduce the ideas underlying the foundational economy and their implications. Williams is director of the ESRC funded Centre for Research on Socio Cultural Change and Professor of Accounting and Political Economy at Manchester Business School.

Join us for a discussion with a difference. We want the conversations about our city to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. We’ll be using the ‘empty chair’ approach, so who anyone who wants to contribute can get involved. Listeners, thinkers, doers and debaters all welcome!