Social Ecology

Social Ecology, a type of libertarian communism first developed by Murray Bookchin, asserts that social hierarchy is the root cause of the destructive belief that humans may dominate nature. The implication, then, is that the solution of ecological problems requires a movement to abolish hierarchy within human society.

Social Ecologists posit an account of the rise of hierarchy, a political strategy for social change (libertarian municipalism, or Communalism), and even a philosophy for understanding evolution (dialectical naturalism). Unusual for an Anarchist, Bookchin advocated running Green candidates for local office to educate the public about Anarchism. Bookchin had heated debates with syndicalists, deep ecologists, primitivists, proponents of consensus decision-making, and many others who disagreed with him. Toward the end of his life, Bookchin broke with Anarchism, advancing Social Ecology as a stand-alone theory.

Culture

Bookchin conceptualized freedom based on a study of ecology. He writes, "My definition of the term 'libertarian' is guided by my description of the ecosystem: the image of unity in diversity, spontaneity, and complementary relationships, free from all hierarchy and domination." Bookchin revolutionized Anarchist theory by making hierarchy a core concept. Formerly, Anarchists had by definition opposed the State and capitalism, and implicitly Anarchism opposed other oppressive structures such as patriarchy, white supremacy, and militarism. Bookchin explicitly assigned all these structures to an explicit category: hierarchy being the relation and domination being the practice.

Social Ecologists say that while people must self-determine their lives, people can only realize their full individuality, exercise their full talents and capacities, in a socially-engaged life. Freedom, for Social Ecologists, has a social aspect and can not be reduced to individual autonomy alone.

Environmental concerns made freedom into a very urgent necessity. Bookchin warned of a stark choice of "anarchism or annihilation." Social Ecology asserts that the ideologies enabling environmental destruction have their roots in social hierarchies. Bookchin writes, "We must emphasize, here, that the idea of dominating nature has its primary source in the domination of human by human and the structuring of the natural world into a hierarchical Chain of Being (a static conception, incidentally, that has no relationship to the evolution of life into increasingly advanced forms of subjectivity and flexibility)." Thus, Social Ecologists insist that an ecological society must be one based on human freedom.

Decisions

Each neighborhood self-governs at "citizen's assemblies" held weekly in a public space such as a park or auditorium. Each assembly makes decisions by majority vote and operates according to locally-established procedures that have been written down. The agenda for each meeting gets publicized several days in advance, so that people have time to think about and discuss the issues being discussed. Through confederation, citizen's assemblies link together for the purposes such as coordinating environmental regulations and sharing resources and labor.

Economy

The goal of the economy, for Bookchin, was to satisfy people's desires, not just their needs. Thus, Bookchin advocated a society based on pleasure rather than mere happiness. The economic mechanism is usufruct, meaning that anyone has the right to use any available object or unused structure. The vision encompasses communism (to each according to their needs) but arguably goes even beyond communism, with the emphasis shifted from need to desire. Bookchin insisted that the economy must be subordinated to the citizen's assemblies.

Environment

Human harmony with ecosystems forms a central if not the central vision of Social Ecological thought and practice. Social Ecologists refer to the wild as "first nature" and human civilization as "second nature." The Social Ecological society, then, is "third nature," with human society not only respecting but enhancing ecological richness and diversity.

Crime

A citizen's milita, subordinate to citizen's assembly, defends the neigbhorhood against both internal violent crime and external attacks.

Revolution

Social Ecologists advocated a strategy of running candidates for local office, with a goal of changing municipal law to create and empower citizen's assemblies. Ultimately, Social Ecologists would create a "commune of communes," connecting thousands and thousands of communes within a confederal network. A number of movements, revolts, and revolutions have been heavily influenced by Social Ecology and Social Ecologists. These include the US anti-nuclear movement, US Green movement, and Kurdistan democratic confederalists.