Capitalism

A balance sheet of the movement to block the cross-Toronto ‘Line 9’ pipeline project.

With notes on the meaning of “climate justice” and the relationship of socialism to social movements.

15 July 2016 - Earlier this year media outlets around the world announced that February had broken global temperature records by a shocking amount. March broke all the records, too. In June our screens were covered with surreal images of Paris flooding, the Seine bursting its banks and flowing into the streets. In London, the floods sent water pouring into the tube system right in the heart of Covent Garden. Roads in south-east London became rivers two metres deep.

“Economic expansion is unavoidable under capitalism, and destruction of the planet is the inexorable result.”

Green capitalism: the god that failed
by Richard Smith
World Economics Association eBooks, 2015

reviewed by David Klein

This new platform plank removes the old wording entirely and addresses the economic inequalities, social inequalities, and productivism of both capitalism and state socialism and emphasizes grassroots democracy in the workplace. This workplace grassroots democracy has been largely absent from the Green platform, and many believe it is the way forward for a truly ecological economy and a new system.

Doug McCorquodale is a thirty five year member, activist and official with unions in mining and construction. June 10, 2016 - The Leap Manifesto has caused quite a stir on the Left and the Right. Tens of thousands have signed on as supporters. The right wing press, the one per centers and rightist minions of the “free” market economy often viciously denigrate the Leap Manifesto.

Warning against dangers to "workers, communities, and our environment," more than 450 environmental advocacy groups called on Congress to reject the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Last Friday evening I was asked to speak at the international launch of Canadian ecosocialist Ian Angus’ new book Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System. The transcript of my address is reproduced below (spoiler – I really liked this book!):