Wild Democracy: A Biodiversity of Resistance and Renewal
Alexander S and Burdon P (2017) Wild democracy: A biodiversity of resistance and renewal. The Ecological Citizen 1: 45–54.
11 Pages Posted: 6 Sep 2017
Date Written: August 1, 2017
Abstract
Might the theory and practice of liberal representative democracy need to be rethought in and for the ‘Anthropocene’? What resources are available when trying to orientate oneself in radical political space today? In this paper, the authors draw on varieties of anarchism and Marxism to develop a new, ecocentric political sensibility and practice, which they call ‘wild democracy’. Calling for a ‘biodiversity of resistance and renewal’, this signifies an eco-egalitarian politics that privileges grassroots participation over parliamentary representation, with the aim of transcending capitalism and initiating a degrowth process of planned economic contraction. Focusing attention beyond the ballot box, this analysis attempts to rethink the meaning of political participation in an age of ecological crisis and deepen the understanding of what it means to be an ecological citizen today.
Keywords: Anarchism; eco-anarchism; eco-socialism; Marxism; societal change
JEL Classification: K1
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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