About

Communalism Aotearoa

Ko te oranga taiao, he oranga tangata

If we do not do the impossible, we shall be faced with the unthinkable.

Me te tumu kuku

 

Communalism Aotearoa is an anti-capitalist, anti-colonial and anti-hierarchical organisation located in Aotearoa, dedicated to forming a new ecological society.

We live in a time of immense inequality, ecological degradation, and economic turmoil. Simultaneously, a growing number of communities are protesting injustice, fighting environmental destruction and toppling repressive regimes. We think it is time to turn our movements into a force for fundamental systemic change.

What is Communalism?

A communalist society is based on the principle of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need.” We advocate to to abolish capitalism and private property and instead favour communal ownership of land and houses to benefit everyone. .

Communalism is the all encompassing term given to a comprehensive theory and practice that seeks to reconstruct society along ecological lines. It is based in the essential premise that all environmental problems are rooted in social problems. Along with global climate change, problems such as widespread pollution, deforestation, and species extinction are all anthropogenic in their source.

Today, almost everyone agrees that the environmental crisis is the result of human activities. However, few people recognise how interwoven these ecological problems are in in the very fabric of our society. The roots of humanity’s attempt to dominate nature and extract all its resources are found in the domination and exploitation of human by humans. As long as we allow human exploitation and class divisions to exist, the exploitation of nature will continue. We assert that an ecological society has to be a liberatory society, and we will point to solutions for the environmental crisis that respects the needs for diversity and popular participation.

What is Social Ecology?

Social Ecology is a critical social theory founded by Murray Bookchin, an American libertarian socialist. It  proposes a reconstructive, ecological, communitarian, and ethical approach to society. Social Ecology advocates for a radically transformative political outlook; it promotes a decentralised, democratic, confederal society, rather than structures built upon domination and subjugation. It envisions a moral economy that moves beyond imposed scarcity and social hierarchy, towards a harmonious relationship between human beings and the natural world, whilst simultaneously celebrating diversity, creativity and freedom.

Social ecologists claim that the roots of our current ecological and social problems can be traced to hierarchical forms of social organisation. The systemic issue of hierarchy cannot be resisted by individual actions alone (in the form of ethical consumerism, for instance), but must instead be addressed by more nuanced ethical thinking and collective activity, grounded in radically democratic ideals. The complexity of relationships between people and nature is emphasized, along with the importance of establishing mutualistic social structures which take account of this.

We are committed to entirely new forms of social organisation which are complementary to the natural ecological processes which sustain us as human beings, and from which we are inseparable. Structures of hierarchical domination (such as capitalism, the state, patriarchy and colonialism) not only reduce individual and societal autonomy, but they are also the source from which the vast majority of ecological problems arise. If we have any hope of surviving and thriving into the future as a species, we must first properly address the contradictions which pervade our entire society.

Direct and participatory democracy

As the gap between the rich and poor continues to grow, so does the mistrust of elected officials and political parties by the people increase. Representative “democracy” has failed to serve the interests of the people and instead finds itself in the service of corporations, banks, and financial elites. We need a direct and participatory democracy where decisions are made by the people affected by such decisions. This involves returning to decentralised decision-making processes that empowers communities as a means and an end to a better future.

A democratised and moral economy

We don’t accept that democracy should be reserved for narrowly defined “political” issues, but rather that it should be expanded to the economy, where the most important decisions about the well-being of both people and nature are made. Therefore, we will point to solutions for a democratic and moral economy, where ethical considerations and solidarity – and not production for the sake of accumulation – are put center stage.

Equality in diversity

We established our group to counter the myth that a classless and egalitarian society is unattainable. Our movements, however, cannot be based on the maxim that “one size fits all,” but should rather revive the old principle of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need.” We point at an egalitarian ethics that respects the diversity of human needs, experiences, and abilities, and creates arrangements that compensate for disadvantages to ensure that everyone can participate equally and live freely in all aspects of life.

New forms of political action

We are part of all struggles against oppression and exploitation – like class, feminist, queer, disability, indigenous and migrant struggles – and we present thoughts and examples on how it is possible to unite these movements into a broad-based and concerted force for social change. We point to a new type of politics that is true to the ancient meaning of the word, namely the active participation of ordinary citizens in the affairs of society. We will present communalist strategies for how create a democratic, liberatory, and ecological future – from below.

C02lonialism

In a letter to the Governor Browne, Ngāti Awa leader Wiremu Kingi Te Rangitaake made the following statement:

“Kei Mokau te rohe mai o te whenua mo mātou ake, ko enei whenua e kore e hoatu e mātou ki a kōrua ringaringa ko te Kāwana, kei rite mātou ki ngā manu o te moana e noho ana i runga i te kōwhatu, ka pari te tai ka ngaromia taua kōwhatu e te moana, ka rere ngā manu, no te mea kaore he nohoanga mo rātou.” (Wiremu Kingi Te Rangitaake to Governor Browne, 11 February 1859)

[Translation: The boundary of the land which is for ourselves, is at Mokau. These lands will not be given by us into the Governor’s and your hands, lest we resemble the sea-birds which perch upon a rock, when the tide flows the rock is covered by the sea, and the birds take flight, for they have no resting place.]

Of course we all know what happened only a year after this letter was written. The Crown attacked Wiremu Kingi and his people in Waitara on 17th March 1860 and the tide came in in an attempt to destroy everything. What is striking about the comparison to the sea-birds is that the statement is as relevant now as it was in 1859. Except that this time, the rising tide is not just a metaphor, with climate change it is a reality!

Fast-forward 160 years and the colonial project is far from over in Aotearoa. Ongoing struggles for land, resources and political self-determination demonstrate that Māori haven’t given up to live freely on their whenua, as they have done for generations.

Conclusion

A lot of work lies ahead of us in the quest for an ecological, communalist society.

Further reading and websites: