Forum Post: A People's Bank

I'm amused by all the commentators that expect the protestors to simply offer a series of demands that their rulers will enact--a few small modifications that will correct an otherwise just system. The goal of this movement is obviously the formation of a new society from the bottom up, based on direct democracy. The protestors don't desire to beg some authority to do something for them; they want to do things for themselves. However, in order to begin to really take action, some sort of ideological consensus must be acheived. Only then can this movement begin taking concrete steps towards improving the lives of the 99%. A good first step would be the creation of a people's bank, democratically controlled by assemblies and operated by an elected committee. The bank would be funded at first by donations. It would lend capital for the creation of worker's cooperatives, who would pay back this loan plus a small fee, thereby enlarging the resources of this bank. The people in this movement could pledge to shop only at these co-ops (unless, of course, there are not yet any co-ops that offer the required product or service), thereby guarenteeing these business's income at the expense of the capitalist businesses. There could be a registry of these co-ops and they could have a sign in the window. This may seem a bit far-fetched at this phase, but with more ideological consensus and organization, I think this would be a very pragmantic way of meeting the material needs of the 99% while sprouting the roots of a new economic order within our current withering society.