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:
- Production for human need: Instead of producing for profit, the governing 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 most sustainable, rather than most profitable, as well as eliminate whole branches of industry which are only necessary for making profit, such as advertising.
- Collective: More things would be held and enjoyed in common, such as public transit, parks and recreational facilities, healthcare and quality education. This would reduce waste as well as give everyone access to social goods.
- Planned: We need economic planning in order to allocate resources in the best way possible for people and the planet—to build cities instead of suburbs, wind farms instead of coal plants.
- Democratic: Democracy is essential for successful planning. When workers and communities are empowered to make decisions about production, they will be able to find creative solutions that respect ecological limits while fulfilling people’s needs.
- More fulfilling: Because we’d be producing to meet people’s needs rather than to fabulously enrich a small elite, we could reduce the workweek, freeing people to develop their talents and live with more leisure time.
We believe such a society—an ecosocialist society—would be better to live in. Imagine how much less stressful and more fulfilling life would be if everyone had secure access to healthcare and education. Although such a society is incompatible with the current capitalist society we live in, it is clearly in the interest of the majority of the world’s people, and hence possible, given a mass democratic movement challenging the capitalist system.
