Expose The 1%

The financial crisis of 2008 can be seen as the symbolic end of neo-liberalism. For 30 years previously, finance, big business and the market were to run everything in society. The unquestioned dogma was high profits = wealth creation = increasing societal well-being. The illusion of stability came to an abrupt end when the reckless finance crisis of 2008 brought the world to its knees. The UK, for instance, was two days away from the cash machines running dry. The banks were bailed out and this bill has now been imposed on taxpayers. The 99% will feel the impact of this crisis for decades.

The City lobbyists undermine the democratic will of the British people. The City culture of high bonuses and light regulation is inherently anti-democratic as the rest of the UK suffers the consequences of extreme austerity – caused by the banks! The City of London Corporation, through its consistent pressure to deregulate the sector, is largely responsible to the financial crisis in the UK.

The City of London owes us.

The City of London needs a debrand.

THE BRIEF

How exactly is the 1% able to exploit so succesfully the rest of society? Part of the problem is that most people have little or no idea how global finance works, hidden behind descriptions deliberately designed to confuse: ‘credit default swaps’, ‘asset backed securities’, ‘deriatives’, ‘private finance initiatives’ this is completely understandable.

But what does the financial system look like? What social relationships does it promote or restrict? How can we show this and explain it to people so they do understand and can act as informed citizens?

We need to expose the actions of the 1%, and we believe design is a powerful weapon to do so. We want your visualizations and illustrations, they can be in any format from a poster to an interactive map or any other way you think is appropriate, but the goal is to help the 99% to understand the complex but important processes of finance that are affecting every aspect of our lives.

Brief as an A3 PDF to download and stick on your studio/college wall

Send your entries to exposethe1percent[@]occupydesign.org.uk

Deadline for entries is: 31st August 2012

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