[PEN-L:2436] Re: women & technol

[blairs@xxxxxxxxxxx (Blair Sandler)]

At 11:02 AM 1/18/96, Peter.Dorman wrote:
>The relationship between ecology and socialism/democracy?  We need socialism
>in order to have the instruments by which to create a sustainable society.  Of
>course, having the instruments doesn't mean we will use them wisely, so even
>in a "perfect" socialist society there would be a need for militant
>environmental movements.  On the other hand, the environmental movement (among
>others), by exposing the lack of democratic instruments for controlling
>economic development under capitalism, provides a spur to the movement for
>socialism. I suspect that for most people democratic control is not important
>for its own sake, but as a means to a desired end.  Environmental ends (again,
>among others) provide the substance.
>
>Peter Dorman


I disagree that the environmental primarily exposes "the lack of democratic
instruments for controlling economic development under capitalism...." My
sense, based on first hand (participant) observation as well as study, is
that most environmentalism, dominated by the discourse of externalities,
merely exposes the lack of markets (oh joy).

What is socialism? Merely "democracy?"

Blair