The Ecosocialist Solution

7/28/2019 The Ecosocialist Solution

1/7

Whycantcapitalism

besustainable?

System ChangeNot Climate Change

The Ecosocialist Coalition

System Change Not Climate Change: The Ecosoc is a network of individuals and groups d

world.Findoutmoreandgetinvolvedat www.SysChangeNotClimateChange.org

Although science has increasingly demonstrated the se-riousness of the ecological crisis, the problems keep get-ting worse. Governments have failed to take action toVROYHWKHFOLPDWHFULVLVRUWR[LFSROOXWLRQRYHUVKLQJRFHDQDFLGLFDWLRQDQGRWKHUSUREOHPV7KHUHDVRQIRUthis failure lies in the social system that dominates the

worldcapitalism. Several features of capitalism makeit contrary to any solution of the ecological crisis:

7KHSURWPRWLYH7KHZKROHHFRQRP\LVVWUXF-WXUHGDURXQGSURGXFWLRQIRUSURWIRUDVPDOOHOLWH7KHUHLVQRDFFRXQWLQJRHFRORJLFDOFRVWVLILWVSURWDEOHWREXUQRLORLOZLOOEHEXUQHG 3URGXFWLRQIRUWKHPDUNHW,QRUGHUWREHSURWDEOHFRUSRUDWLRQVQHHGWRVHOODVPDQ\WKLQJVWRDVPDQ\SHRSOHDVSRVVLEOH7KLVOHDGVWRZDVWHIXOUHVXOWVsuch as a transportation system that forces everyone to own a car rather than

building publicly-owned transit. 8QSODQQHGHFRQRP\7KHODFNRIHFRQRPLFSODQQLQJOHDGVWRLUUDWLRQDOGH

cisions, such as building sprawling suburbs when a compact city would be morHIFLHQW 8QFRQWUROODEOH JURZWK In order to be healthy, a capitalist economyPXVWFRQWLQXDOO\H[SDQGSURGXFWLRQDQGSURWV7RJHWKHUZLWKWKHDERYHIDFtors which make the system produce the wrong things in the wrong way, thimeans that capitalist production continually breaches ecological limits. 7KHFDSLWDOLVWVWDWH7KHZRUOGVJRYHUQPHQWVSURWHFWWKHLURZQORFDOFDSLtalists at the expense of workers and the planet, so they wont consider regulaWLRQVWKDWZRXOGFKDOOHQJHSURWDELOLW\

7KLVV\VWHPLVVWDFNHGDJDLQVWXV,QRUGHUWRZLQWKHHFRORJLFDOUHIRUPVZHQHHGnow, we have to build a working peoples movement that challenges the power oFDSLWDOLVWVDQGWKHFDSLWDOLVWVWDWH8OWLPDWHO\ZHQHHGWRJHWULGRIWKHSURWPRWLYHand institute a truly democratic, ecosocialist society.


2/7

Whatsrequiredfor

realsustainability?

The imbalanced relationship between human societies and ecology is causing widespread, deep crisis. Most of the ecological systems humans depend on are cur

rently in decline, including, the climate, oceans, soil, and biodiversity. To reversthis, we need a society where economic and social decisions are made on the basiRIVRFLDOQHHGDQGHFRORJLFDOSULQFLSOHQRWSULYDWHSURW)RUH[DPSOH

3ODQQLQJSURGXFWLRQ within ecological cycles, avoiding resource depletionand recycling/disposing of waste sustainably. 3ODQQLQJDJULFXOWXUH to take advantage of natural cycles, minimizing theneed for pesticides and chemical fertilizer and eliminating monoculture. 3ODQQLQJFLWLHVDQGWRZQV in order to support sustainable agriculture, di

versify urban ecosystems, and reduce energy use through public transit and betteconstruction practices. 0DLQWDLQLQJELRGLYHUVLW\everywhere, including in agriculture and citie(not just nature preserves) in order to maintain healthy ecosystems. *HQHUDWLQJHQHUJ\from renewable sourcesthe sun, wind, and tidesreducing the use of carbon-based fuels to a minimum 6XVWDLQDEOHGHYHORSPHQWZRUOGZLGH to increase all peoples well-beingDQGUHGXFHWKHVRFLDOSUHVVXUHVWKDWOHDGWRSRSXODWLRQJURZWKDQGH[FHVVLYHXU

banization.To accomplish these tasks, we need a society thats egalitarian and truly democratic

which provides for all peoples basic needs. Its clear that this incompatible with thXQSODQQHGLUUDWLRQDODQGSURWGULYHQFDSLWDOLVWV\VWHP:HQHHGDUHYROXWLRQDUtransformation that creates a new social systemecosocialism.






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Whatwillanecosocialist

societylooklike?




world.Findoutmoreandgetinvolvedatwww.SysChangeNotClimateChange.org

An ecologically sustainable society would look radically different from the individualistic, capitalist-dominated society we currently live in. Among others, such a society would have these features:

3URGXFWLRQIRUKXPDQQHHG,QVWHDGRISURGXFLQJIRUSURWWKHJRYHUQing principle of the economy would be to meet the needs of people and the ecosystems we depend on. This would allow us to produce in the ways that are mosVXVWDLQDEOHUDWKHUWKDQPRVWSURWDEOHDVZHOODVHOLPLQDWHZKROHEUDQFKHVR

LQGXVWU\ZKLFKDUHRQO\QHFHVVDU\IRUPDNLQJSURWVXFKDVDGYHUWLVLQJ &ROOHFWLYHMore things would be held and enjoyed in common, such as public transit, parks and recreational facilities, healthcare and quality educationThis would reduce waste as well as give everyone access to social goods. 3ODQQHGWe need economic planning in order to allocate resources in th

best way possible for people and the planetto build cities instead of suburbswind farms instead of coal plants. 'HPRFUDWLFDemocracy is essential for successful planning. When worker

and communities are empowered to make decisions about production, they wilEHDEOH WRQGFUHDWLYH VROXWLRQV WKDW UHVSHFWHFRORJLFDO OLPLWVZKLOH IXOOOLQpeoples needs. 0RUHIXOOOLQJBecause wed be producing to meet peoples needs rathethan to fabulously enrich a small elite, we could reduce the workweek, freeingpeople to develop their talents and live with more leisure time.

We believe such a societyan ecosocialist societywould be better to live in: foH[DPSOHLPDJLQHKRZPXFKOHVVVWUHVVIXODQGPRUHIXOOOLQJOLIHZRXOGEHLQHYHU\

one had secure access to healthcare and education. Although its in the interest othe majority of the worlds people, such a society is incompatible with the currencapitalist society we live in. Join us in organizing for the revolutionary social transformation we urgently need.


4/7

Whatcouldwedonowtostar

buildingasustainablesociety?





The climate crisis and other ecological problems keep getting worsein spite of thfact that there are many things society could do now to start reducing societys ecological footprint and building a sustainable society. For example:

7DNHRYHUWKHHQHUJ\VHFWRUDQGH[SDQGUHQHZDEOHHQHUJ\)RUSURcompanies will burn all the coal and oil they cansocialization is the only way to

be sure that the carbon stays in the ground. Immediately end all new fossil fuedevelopment and expand renewable energy development; put utilities under thdemocratic control of workers and consumers. ([SDQGWUDQVLW Cease all new road construction; convert existing auto factories to produce and expand production of public transit and rail transportEnd subsidies to the auto and coal industries; instead subsidize free public transit for all. 6XVWDLQDEOHDJULFXOWXUH End agricultural subsidies for large-scale monocropping; instead subsidize sustainable agricultural practices. 5HGXFHZDVWH Ban excessive product packaging, plastic bags, and othesources of waste. Shut down incinerators and develop recycling and compost

ing. 5HGXFHWKHZRUNZHHNZLWKQRORVVLQSD\ Use the technological gainin productivity weve made over the past decades to give workers greater freeWLPHUDWKHUWKDQSURGXFLQJPRUHIRUSURW 'HIXQGWKH86PLOLWDU\ In addition to being an enforcer of unjust andecologically destructive practices around the globe, the US military is a massivesource of carbon emissions and pollution.

In addition to addressing the ecological crisis, such programs would end unemploy

ment and poverty, improving most peoples lives. But our government wont pursuVXFKPHDVXUHVEHFDXVHWKH\UXQFRXQWHUWRWKHSURWPRWLYH7RDFKLHYHVXVWDLQability, we need to build a movement strong enough to force the state to actandultimately, to overthrow it and replace it with one that answers to working people.


5/7

t



^ E d is a network of individuals and groups d

world.Findoutmoreandgetinvolvedat ^E

In order to build an ecological movement that can win real change, we need to highlight anti-racist politics, for a number of reasons:

&RPPXQLWLHVRIFRORUDUHWKHPRVWDIIHFWHGE\HFRORJLFDOGHVWUXFtion. In the United States and internationally, working-class and poor peoplpay for the destruction caused by the rich. The struggle against environmentaracism has to be part of the ecological struggle. 2SSUHVVHGFRPPXQLWLHVDUHRQWKHIURQWOLQHVRIHFRORJLFDOVWUXJJOHUrban and rural communities of indigenous people and oppressed nationalitiehave been struggling for decades against industrial pollution, the destruction osustainable practices, and the effects of global warming. We must ally with thstruggles that are already going on. 7KHVHDUHJKWVIRUHQYLURQPHQWDOMXVWLFHgoing beyond small reform

to envision a society free of oppression andecological destruction. For more informationabout environmental justice, see the Principleof Environmental Justice: www.ejnet.org/ej/

principles.html /LEHUDWLRQVWUXJJOHVVWULNHDWWKHKHDURIWKHV\VWHP From Manifest Destiny to toxi

waste dumping to wars for oil, racial and national oppression has gone hand in hand with the exploitation of the earth. Thstruggles of oppressed communities, including Black people, Native Americansand Latinos, are central to overcoming the rapacious capitalist system.

Building real allegiances with oppressed communities means concretely supporting

their struggles. Sometimes its argued that its divisive or a distraction for the ecoORJLFDOPRYHPHQWWRIRFXVRQWKHQHHGVRIDVSHFLFFODVVRUUDFLDOJURXS$FWXDOO\

whats divisive is excluding anti-racist politics from the movement. To build a trulunited struggle which has the power to win, we must foreground the demands ooppressed people.


6/7

Howshouldweorganizeto

solvetheecologicalcrisis?

The demand for an ecologically sustainable society presents a radical challenge tocapitalism, and we must struggle for in a radical way. Here are some ideas abou

how to push the struggle towards a revolutionary vision and strategy:

1R FRPSURPLVHWe cant compromisour demands. We wontsettle for continuedreliance on fossil fuels in any form, includin

caps and carbon taxes that let polluters keeppolluting.7KLQNV\VWHPLFDOO\ We must put individ

ual struggles in context, looking at the ecological crisis as a whole and its relationship to social problems. For example, a struggle against toxic waste dumping inDQXUEDQQHLJKERUKRRGFRXOGDOVRJKWDJDLQVWOHDGSDLQWKRXVLQJVHJUHJDWLRQand the prison-industrial complex. %XLOGVROLGDULW\We need to build allegiances between the ecological movement and the struggles of communities of color, womens struggles, and work

ers struggles. We prioritize the demands of oppressed and exploited people andally with militant, democratic struggles like the Chicago teachers strike. &RQIURQWFDSLWDOLVPIndividual dirty corporations make great targets

but we also need to expose how their actions are part of an oppressive systemWhile we target corporations, we must also challenge the capitalist state thasupports them. %H LQWHUQDWLRQDOLVW To ensure sustainable development everywhere, weneed an end to imperialist exploitation of the developing world. We stand in

solidarity with workers and farmers struggles around the world (as well as colonized peoples in the US) and demand an end to neoliberalism and US militarism 'HPRQVWUDWHDOWHUQDWLYHVOur words and actions point to a better societyone in which the economy and society are under the control of workingpeople, and we mobilize democratically to solve social and ecological problems






7/7

Howcanwemaketheecologica





Its clear that the climate crisis requires an international solution, and equally cleathat the worlds governmentsparticularly the US and other advanced capitaliscountriesare unwilling to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Its up to our movements to solve the crisis. Here are some ideas for building international solidarityin the ecological movement:

)RFXVRQZKDWXQLWHVZRUNLQJSHRSOHDURXQGWKHZRUOGH[SORLWDWLRQRSSUHVVLRQDQGDFRPPRQVWDNHLQRXUIXWXUH In their competition for power, governments attempt to turn us against each otherfor example

by pointing to the greenhouse gas emissions of China and India. Internationasolidarity rejects these divisions and builds ties around the world between laborenvironmental, and peoples struggles. 6WDQGDJDLQVWFOLPDWHLPSHULDOLVP The elites of the US and other developed countries are trying to force the developing world to pay the cost of theiown environmental devastation, as part of a broader imperial strategy. We demand environmental rehabilitation and sustainable development around th

world, paid for by the riches amassed by corporations and the elite.

'HPDQGDQHQGWRQHROLEHUDOLVP TheUS military, World Bank/IMF, and global cor-porations impose destructive, capitalist modelsof development on much of the world. Westand for dismantling the global US military,cancelling the Third World debt, and againsttrade policies which privilege corporations likeMonsanto over local, sustainable agriculture.

UN climate talks have fallen apart because the capitalist governments of the worldrich countries act in their own self-interest. But the worlds people have a commonself-interest in an ecologically sound and just society. To win the struggle for suchDVRFLHW\ZHQHHGWREXLOGLQWHUQDWLRQDOVROLGDULW\DQGVWDQGUPDJDLQVWWKHLPSHrialist machinations of the US government.

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The Ecosocialist Solution