Green democracy and leadership
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Is this true?
https://www.greenparty.org.uk/about.html
The Green Party, unlike all the other parties, is wholly democratic – our policy is developed and passed by the membership – not the leadership. We believe that each individual voice needs to be heard and listened to. We believe that it is our willingness to listen and embrace divergent views that makes us strong. – See more at: https://www.greenparty.org.uk/about.html#sthash.j6fET1nR.dpuf
Green Left is critical of capitalism, and sees capitalism as incompatible with ideals like sustainability, peace and social justice. As such it places itself in the tradition of William Morris, the British eco-socialist who operated within the Marxist Social Democratic Federation and Socialist League.
they have to support the abolishment of it, it is not enough to be just critical alot of partys are critical of capitalism. and they can't work in the capitalist political system to attempt to abolish it. They will just spiral down into the dead end of reformism if this is the case
My increasing experience of those describing themselves as eco-socialists seems that they are not too different from the usual Trotskyist Left…they seek a mixture of reforms of which some are not deliverable except with the destruction of capitalism along with other reforms that are possible to achieve within the constraints of capitalism…Socialism itself is vaguely referred to as the ultimate goal…but first let us save the Earth…then demand socialism…and perhaps the campaign for achieving the reforms will speed the day…But they appear blind to the constradictions…the reforms that are possible…reinforces the capitalist system ….and those reforms that are not achievable brings disillusionment or at most keep the movement on the perpetual treadmill of protest endeavouring to obtain them and distracts from the socialist objective…….Our campaign must be stark …It is either socialism or extinction…No other choice exists…reforms will fail to succeed and at best will simply postpone the inevitable by a decade or two…I know some say it is negativism based on fear but i always suggest that we should be laying down more of a blueprint of socialism and making it a positive immediate scenario(Although it is theoretically conceivable that capitalism can avoid planetary suicide it is extremely unlikely it will take the necessary acts before global disasters and catastrophes have become daily events.) Regards to the Green Party we have precedents of when they have had electoral success and gained political power in other countries …they have regressed to your usual run of the mill social democratic liberal party, full of compromise and concessions. There is no reason to assume that the Greens in the UK would also follow suit. As for its democracy we have seen how its rehabiltation to normal politics led to the abandnment of their twin-spokespersons and adoption of the standard party leader model.
alanjjohnstone wrote:But they appear blind to the constradictions…the reforms that are possible…reinforces the capitalist system ….and those reforms that are not achievable brings disillusionment or at most keep the movement on the perpetual treadmill of protest endeavouring to obtain them and distracts from the socialist objective….In my debate with the Greens in Swansea later tonight its their blind contradictions and life on the treadmill which I'll be focusing on so the audience can get a sense of how stopping the treadmill is possible and necessary. I know my opponent will be making the claim that he considers himself an eco-socialist which will get my passion flowing! I will of course be using the paragraph above to hit home the point that the Green strategy is nothing new.
Does anyone know anything more about their internal structure and democracy though? Natalie Bennett alluded to it in her infamous interview when she said conference write the manifesto. They didn't even have a leadership until 2007.
" the Green Party, unlike all other parties, is wholly democratic…" Should'nt we be challenging that statement?
There's democracy and there's democracy. I'm sure the Greens are fairly (even extremely) democratic by the standards of their peers (though I have no direct knowledge or experience). But as someone raised politically within the SPGB, every democracy (with the sole exception of Occupy-style democracy, which can be as impressive, even better in some ways, but with different problems) I've ever experienced has been found seriously wanting. The internal democractic culture of the SPGB is probably one of the things the party can be most proud of. Although, sadly, it's hard to get anyone to believe you because most people's experience is with the democracy of the fraudulent kind.
Much the same as what I learned in the SPGB!“If town meeting teaches anything, it is how to suffer damn fools and to appreciate the fact that from time to time you too may look like a damn fool in the eyes of people as good as yourself.”http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21645854-what-elected-dogcatcher-reveals-about-small-town-america-dogs-and-democracy
Brian wrote:In my debate with the Greens in Swansea later tonight its their blind contradictions and life on the treadmill which I'll be focusing on so the audience can get a sense of how stopping the treadmill is possible and necessary. I know my opponent will be making the claim that he considers himself an eco-socialist which will get my passion flowing! I will of course be using the paragraph above to hit home the point that the Green strategy is nothing new.Hi Brian,How did it go the other night?
SocialistPunk wrote:Brian wrote:In my debate with the Greens in Swansea later tonight its their blind contradictions and life on the treadmill which I'll be focusing on so the audience can get a sense of how stopping the treadmill is possible and necessary. I know my opponent will be making the claim that he considers himself an eco-socialist which will get my passion flowing! I will of course be using the paragraph above to hit home the point that the Green strategy is nothing new.Hi Brian,How did it go the other night?
See my report in the election thread.
And they say they practice a new politics !! Another ill-advised media mishap
Quote:The Green Party announced plans to hold a black tie – or alternatively green tie – fundraiser this month for its ambitious general election campaign, with the cheapest tickets at £1,000. The minimum cost of going to the bash at a central London hotel was twice the price of standard tickets to the Conservatives’ much-mocked black-and-white ball last month. Guests were being offered champagne, a three-course dinner, a speech by the leader, Natalie Bennett, and a “stimulating Q&A session”. That was to be followed by a “green auction” and a drinks reception lasting into the small hours…the plans appeared to be in the balance last night as anger grew among activists who believe the Greens are aping their rivals. A link to details of the reception vanished from the Greens’ website and party sources confirmed it was under discussion.Natalie Bennett has issued a statement, part of which reads (my emphasis)
Quote:*Up to 2,000 members expected in BournemouthThe Green Party will be holding its biggest-ever Conference on 25-28 September in Bournemouth (1).Following the Greens’ best-ever performance in a General Election (2), in which the Party achieved one million votes for the first time, up to 2,000 Green Party members from across the UK will congregate for four days of policy-making, learning and networking.- See more at: https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2015/08/06/greens-to-hold-biggest-ever-party-conference/#sthash.oa8bex2l.dpuf*Up to 2,000 members expected in Bournemouth The Green Party will be holding its biggest-ever Conference on 25-28 September in Bournemouth (1). Following the Greens’ best-ever performance in a General Election (2), in which the Party achieved one million votes for the first time, up to 2,000 Green Party members from across the UK will congregate for four days of policy-making, learning and networking….Green Party members attending Conference for the first time will be able to experience – and get involved in – the Party's uniquely democratic policy-making process, and make important decisions about our democratic structures.https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2015/08/06/greens-to-hold-biggest-ever-party-conference/
I remember going to a Green Party Conference in the mid or late 1980s (I think). At that time they had no Leader, any six members could propose a motion for their conference, and any member could attend the conference and vote on motions. I remember thinking at the time that, given our respective sizes, they had a constitution more appropriate to us and vice versa. In the meantime their constitution has changed to something more like ours, with their conference too being a conference of branch delegates. Not sure though that they then put conference motions to a referendum of the whole membership, but I don't think so.
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