Green Left (Green Party of England and Wales)
Encyclopedia
Green Left is an anti-capitalist
and eco-socialist
grouping within the Green Party of England and Wales
. It seeks to constitute a network for socialists and other like minded invividuals in the Green Party, whilst acting as an outreach body that will communicate the party's left wing policies to other socialists and anti-capitalists outside the party. It includes some prominent members of the Green Party of England and Wales
and held its first meeting on 4 June 2006. Like members of the Alliance for Green Socialism
(who choose to organize separately from the Green Party of England and Wales), Green Left members were early supporters of the Ecosocialist International Network (EIN).
. Those who supported the group included various members of the Green Party of England and Wales Executive, including Richard Mallender (Chair), Peter Cranie (elections co-ordinator) and Siân Berry
(at that time one of the two principal speaker
s, and campaigns co-ordinator), as well as Penny Kemp (former party chair), Joseph Healy
(Secretary, London Green Party), Derek Wall
(writer, and at that time the other principal speaker) and Peter Tatchell
(human rights activist). Cllr Sarah Farrow and Cllr Matt Sellwood were elected as the co-conveners of the new group.
Statement (below), a declaration stating that Green Left hopes "to raise Green Party politics to meet the demands of its radical policies". The statement criticised the "New Labour government's abandonment of the policies of the left" and claimed "that the Green Party's progressive agenda makes it the natural home for the left".
agreed to the core beliefs and policies of the Headcorn declaration which became a launch statement of the Green left. The launch statement included the following points:
Anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism describes a wide variety of movements, ideas, and attitudes which oppose capitalism. Anti-capitalists, in the strict sense of the word, are those who wish to completely replace capitalism with another system....
and eco-socialist
Eco-socialism
Eco-socialism, green socialism or socialist ecology is an ideology merging aspects of Marxism, socialism, green politics, ecology and alter-globalization...
grouping within the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. It seeks to constitute a network for socialists and other like minded invividuals in the Green Party, whilst acting as an outreach body that will communicate the party's left wing policies to other socialists and anti-capitalists outside the party. It includes some prominent members of the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
and held its first meeting on 4 June 2006. Like members of the Alliance for Green Socialism
Alliance for Green Socialism
The Alliance for Green Socialism is a socialist and environmentalist political grouping operating across Britain...
(who choose to organize separately from the Green Party of England and Wales), Green Left members were early supporters of the Ecosocialist International Network (EIN).
Formation
Green Left was launched on 4 June 2006 by members of the Green Party of England and WalesGreen Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. Those who supported the group included various members of the Green Party of England and Wales Executive, including Richard Mallender (Chair), Peter Cranie (elections co-ordinator) and Siân Berry
Siân Berry
Siân Berry is an English politician and member of the Green Party of England and Wales. From 2006 to 2007, she was one of the Green Party's Principal Speakers...
(at that time one of the two principal speaker
Principal Speaker
Principal Speakers were the public spokespersons of the Green Party of England and Wales but have since been replaced in the party by a national Leader and Deputy Leader...
s, and campaigns co-ordinator), as well as Penny Kemp (former party chair), Joseph Healy
Joseph Healy
Joseph Healy was a United States Representative from New Hampshire. He was born in Newton, Massachusetts. He completed preparatory studies and then worked as a hotel keeper. He also engaged in agricultural pursuits....
(Secretary, London Green Party), Derek Wall
Derek Wall
Derek Wall is an English politician and member of the Green Party of England and Wales. Formerly the party's Principal Speaker, he is known as a prominent ecosocialist, campaigning both for environmentalism and socialism. Alongside his political role, Wall is an academic and a writer, having...
(writer, and at that time the other principal speaker) and Peter Tatchell
Peter Tatchell
Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British political campaigner best known for his work with LGBT social movements...
(human rights activist). Cllr Sarah Farrow and Cllr Matt Sellwood were elected as the co-conveners of the new group.
Aims and Beliefs
Green Left formulated its beliefs, agreed on at the meeting, in the HeadcornHeadcorn
Headcorn is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the floodplain of the River Beult south east of Maidstone....
Statement (below), a declaration stating that Green Left hopes "to raise Green Party politics to meet the demands of its radical policies". The statement criticised the "New Labour government's abandonment of the policies of the left" and claimed "that the Green Party's progressive agenda makes it the natural home for the left".
The Headcorn Declaration
In June 2006, 36 members of the Green PartyGreen Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
agreed to the core beliefs and policies of the Headcorn declaration which became a launch statement of the Green left. The launch statement included the following points:
- Green Left is critical of capitalismCapitalismCapitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, and sees capitalism as incompatible with ideals like sustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, peacePeacePeace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and social justiceSocial justiceSocial justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
. As such it places itself in the tradition of William MorrisWilliam MorrisWilliam Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, the British eco-socialistEco-socialismEco-socialism, green socialism or socialist ecology is an ideology merging aspects of Marxism, socialism, green politics, ecology and alter-globalization...
who operated within the Marxist Social Democratic FederationSocial Democratic FederationThe Social Democratic Federation was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on June 7, 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury and Eleanor Marx. However, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx's long-term...
and Socialist LeagueSocialist League (UK, 1885)The Socialist League was an early revolutionary socialist organisation in the United Kingdom. The organisation began as a dissident offshoot of the Social Democratic Federation of Henry Hyndman at the end of 1884. Never an ideologically harmonious group, by the 1890s the group had turned from...
. - It seeks to unite all socialists, anti-capitalists and radicalsFar leftFar left, also known as the revolutionary left, radical left and extreme left are terms which refer to the highest degree of leftist positions among left-wing politics...
, within the Green PartyGreen Party of England and WalesThe Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
and outside of it. - It welcomes and wishes to continue the grassroots democracyGrassroots democracyGrassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity....
within the Green Party of England and WalesGreen Party of England and WalesThe Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
, which should remain a "bottom-up" organisation. - Green Left wants to apply the slogan Think global, act localThink Globally, Act LocallyThe phrase "Think globally, act locally" or "Think global, act local" has been used in various contexts, including town planning, environment, and business.-Definition:...
to its own party, by increasing international contactsEuropean Green PartyThe European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...
, while also seeking to create local coalitions, made up of various groups such as trade unions, faith communities and other minority groups.
See also
- Green Party of England and WalesGreen Party of England and WalesThe Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
- Eco-socialismEco-socialismEco-socialism, green socialism or socialist ecology is an ideology merging aspects of Marxism, socialism, green politics, ecology and alter-globalization...
- Social ecologySocial ecologySocial ecology is a philosophy developed by Murray Bookchin in the 1960s.It holds that present ecological problems are rooted in deep-seated social problems, particularly in dominatory hierarchical political and social systems. These have resulted in an uncritical acceptance of an overly...
- MarxismMarxismMarxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
- Derek WallDerek WallDerek Wall is an English politician and member of the Green Party of England and Wales. Formerly the party's Principal Speaker, he is known as a prominent ecosocialist, campaigning both for environmentalism and socialism. Alongside his political role, Wall is an academic and a writer, having...
- Peter TatchellPeter TatchellPeter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British political campaigner best known for his work with LGBT social movements...
External links
- http://gptu.net/gleft/greenleft.shtml Green Left homepage