Q. Why socialism? Can't the goals outlined in the article be met under capitalism?
A. From time to time, reforms are put in place to make capitalism more stable during an economic depression, or when people get sick of this or that abuse of corporate power, racism, sexism or some other divide and conquer aspect of the system. It's a growth-based economic system, and growth on this planet has reached the planet's capacity. While growth has it's advantages, we can't permanently base an economy on it. Capitalism organizes people in the workplace based on growth and profit. Profit is one way of exploiting other people and is part of society based on class. Class society is about 7 thousand years old, and it's based on exploiting people and resources and therefore is both inherently unstable and antagonistic to human cooperation and equality, which was practiced in one form or another for most of our 4 million years as a species. Cooperative societies are more humane. Socialism, if properly built on a green and democratic footing, is the technologically advanced version of tribal cooperative (hunter/gatherer) society. It's the only way to end war, poverty and oppression. The difference is not in the reforms but in who's in charge - the corporations or the people?
Q. Didn't socialism fail?
A. Not really. As practiced, there have been many errors in attempts at socialism until now. It could take us a while to get it right. Part of the problem in some countries was reliance on an elite, bureaucratic, dictatorial government, using force and emphasizing growth. Part of the problem was international competition from capitalist countries that know no boundaries in efforts to make cheap products exploiting "cheap" labor. That's why we need a form of socialism that encourages world wide universal participation and that considers the environment and human spiritual needs, what I call "green democratic socialism".
Q. Why is it important that all things are energy, including matter, rather than energy and matter?
A. 19th century sciences let us to believe that the world was a machine that could be broken down into component parts, understood and controlled. It was a necessary blow to western religious traditions that had held back creative thinking and social change. However, the mechanistic view of 19th century science also led to the materialist thinking of Marx and followers, anxious to free the world of the chains of tradition. They used the philosophy of "everything is matter and energy" (dialectical materialism) to help people understand how social relations could change over time. Yet energy has many more forms than just matter and motion. Opening up this understanding to the understanding of the world as filled with energy, including the energies of thought, intention, emotion and spirit, can help us to bypass some of the mistakes made in the name of communism, while retaining it's ideals and some of it's other insights. Many of the traditions of indigenous peoples around the spirit world have come back into western consciousness at the same time as our physicists have discovered similar non-mechanistic truths about the nature of the universe.
Q. How can we end the stranglehold of the ruling class (capitalists) without violent revolution?
A. This remains to be played out. Activists and progressives from all of the diverse traditions (environmentalists, socialists, women's rights, gay rights, peace activists, etc) need to work together for starters. We are not just facing economic hardships, but environmental disasters as well. There is a lot that can be done in unity and solidarity, and much to be learned from the successes of non-violent movements of the past. Once we can agree on a goal and vision, they we can discuss strategy much more effectively.
Q. Why are principles important? Why can't we go straight to organizational structures?
A. Every country and culture is different. There is no one formula that will work for everyone. In order for there to be peace between countries, certain principles need to be held in common between the nations. Implementation will vary from country to country. See my notes on the principles of green democratic socialism, and you will see that the goals are very clear. How we get to these goals is living history and yet to be determined by ourselves as participants.
Q. Why democracy? Isn't democracy weaker than "dictatorship of the proletariat"?
A. Democracy seems to take longer, but dictatorship only breeds resistance. There will always be someone who is unhappy about the way things are being carried out, no matter how lofty the goals. Having a voice in how things are done empowers people, which is one of the goals of social change to begin with. That's not to say that people always act in their own best interest. However, the only way to learn is to participate. When people are powerless to control the course of the events that affect them, they can only imagine that it's all the government's fault, and they will at the very best drag their feet on anything that leaders want them to do.
