Rogers Randomness

What could be the point of the Green Party

Details: Category: Rants

The Green Party of England & Wales, previously the Ecology Party, previously People is 40 years old.

Limits to Growth by Meadow, Randers & Meadows was published 41 years ago.

As part of a questioning and navel gazing exercise inside the GPEW a new site 40Forward has been created by long time member David Taylor to discuss the strategy of the green movement and GPEW's role within that.

David has kicked things off with a useful article, this is my initial response to that article (currently 'awaiting moderation' in the comments under the article:

Thank you David for kick starting this, and thank you for the very relevant history. Two things immediately strike me as being challenges for both the GPEW and the wider greens to rediscover and enact.

Wealth

Details: Category: Rants

Today the richest 85 people on earth own more wealth than the bottom half of humanity, some 3.5 billion people. Naomi Klein writes: "We are witnessing a transfer of wealth of unfathomable size... into the hands of the wealthiest corporations and individuals in the world"

Which begs the question what is this "wealth" which they "own". Mostly it is represented by paper and bytes which the rest of us consensually agree gives them authority over us. It is also control over common resources which is also only maintained by our complicit consent. The commons remain the property of the earth, we allow certain people and groups to exploit them.

It doesn't have to be like this. We can withdraw our consent. We can assert that each of us in our moments of radiant happiness and harmony inside nature are the real wealthy ones.

In practical terms we can choose to disengage and re-empower ourselves. That is the first step that must lead to effective direct action.

Un-cooperativisation

Details: Category: Rants

Just suppose - you were in charge of a system that managed the financial affairs of a society. Suppose that this system, whilst appearing to benefit everyone, in fact acted as a slow but inexorable wealth pump that channelled wealth and benefits into the hands of those that were in control. Suppose it also incorporated mechanisms to keep the vast bulk of people secure in the belief that the system was benign and operating in their own best interests.

Now suppose that over time some of the difficulties and inherent contradictions in the system started to come to the attention to some of the people. Suppose that the idea that your system was not in fact the best possible system in th best of all possible worlds was starting to take root and voices were being raised questioning the efficacy and purpose of your financial system.

UKIP Greens Media Policies - so what?

Details: Category: Rants

Comment posted on GP Members website to discussion about the 2014 election results, the rise of UKIP, and the media treatment of the GP.

After the event you can make up almost any narrative you like to describe the results. There is insufficient evidence to provide firm support for any particular story so you can believe whatever would be most convincing to you - and it wont matter.