The myriad ways of dealing with the approaching climate crisis gives those of us on the left many opportunities for a non-centralized, diverse, self-managed movement that we can build on to create alternative institutions opposed to capitalism. The coming energy revolution will be by necessity diverse and non-centralized. This movement should be encouraged and helped along by us on the left.
The overwhelming scale of the crisis of climate change gives us so many entry points into a society seemingly closed to the left for so long. It is quite obvious to many observers that the market will never be able to produce the necessary changes to steer us away from climate disaster. That market failure along with the necessity for changing the way society produces and consumes energy is a vast opportunity. At every level of society, from workplaces to homes, and everywhere in between, we need to radically alter our vision of energy consumption. Why not use that re-visioning process to also re-imagine our social structures: from capitalism’s defining institutions to the way we create laws to our educational system.
By playing an active role in the movement that’s working to move away from unfettered greenhouse gas production to a move sustainable energy infrastructure the left can begin to introduce other important changes as well. Take for example the recent no-coal initiatives by grassroots groups like Step It Up. Those groups committed to a vision of a carbon-free economy understand that there needs to be alternatives and that those alternatives by necessity will be largely local and decentralized in nature. Organizing to make those alternatives viable can take place in tandem with organizing alternatives to capitalism and authoritarianism. Folks can understand why their energy production should be decentralized as much as possible. It is not that far of a stretch to get them to realize that all aspects of social organization can benefit from collaborative, decentralized, participatory structures such as those in a participatory economy and participatory polity.
The progressive, peace and justice, revolutionary movement has every incentive to lead the way toward a green society. Our alternative institutions that will be the building blocks of a new society should be powered by sustainable energy. In turn, we will reduce the need for wars of conquest and end capitalism’s antisocial death grip on society.
No Impact Man
By Small, Brian at Apr 17, 2009 16:36 PM
I just discovered your blog from you helpful 'Step It Up' comment. "The myriad ways of dealing with the approaching climate crisis gives those of us on the left many opportunities for a non-centralized, diverse, self-managed movement that we can build on to create alternative institutions opposed to capitalism. The coming energy revolution will be by necessity diverse and non-centralized. This movement should be encouraged and helped along by us on the left. " This paragraph reminded me of this No Impact Man Blog I had been looking for. When I first stumbled upon him I thought he was just a cute gimmicky kind a guy Van Jones might make jokes about but here he's talking about changing society and chiding people for commenting on compost more than civil disobedience.
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Re: Climate Change and Progressive Change
By Lingg, Louis at Feb 01, 2008 02:25 AM
I definately agree that any progress on the left and in ecology must come from dencentralisation. Something missing from your article is the cold, hard fact that any sustainable/eco-friendly energy production only becomes viable with a vastly smaller economy. Of course, this means sacrifices.
We on the left shouldn\'t be afraid of saying this loud and proud. There is no harm in saying the hard truth. people will not be scared away from the movement when the alternative is global catastrophe. Here in France this concept is known by radical economists as "decroissance". I could translate that as "shrinking the economy".
Keep the good work Chris, nice to see positive blogs!
Josh
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gReENs is parity, but parody
By Addison, "R" at Jan 25, 2008 09:26 AM
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