Fwd: [reclaiming-spaces] The Politics of Economic Space

[Mark Barrett]

*The Global Network for Growth Objection*** * *

*The Global Network for Growth Objection, Voluntary Simplicity,
Re-Localization of Economies and Post-Development is born (see
www.r-m-o-c.net)*.

At the 3rd  summer meeting of the Growth Objection (Decroissance) Camp,
which was held at Rochejean in France from the 12th to the 15th July 2008, a
variety of concerned people from different

countries decided to coordinate themselves in order to initiate and make
functioning a global network for growth objection, voluntary simplicity,
re-localization of economies and post-development.

The initiative was conceived as a direct response to the ecological crisis
now facing humanity which puts both the sustainability of humanity and the
integrity of our planet's eco-systems at risk.  We maintain that the present
crisis – in the form of climate change and on-going environmental
degradation – needs urgent attention which in turn requires a serious
re-evaluation of our present notions of economic and social progress in the
form of unrestrained global capitalism and the western ideals of unbridled
productivism and consumerism that it supports.  In this regard, we maintain
that the concept of unlimited economic growth is fundamentally flawed and
serves only to destabilize the environmental basis of our survival.

It is generally known that it is the capitalistic model of development that
forms the practical basis on which to manifest the ideal of unlimited
economic growth – an ideal which is supported by a majority of national
state agencies and international financial institutions within both the
developed and developing worlds.  This is because these state-based
institutions maintain that economic growth models provide the best solutions
to ending global poverty, ending wealth disparities and increasing standards
of living everywhere.  However, when applied without restrictions, limits or
thresholds, the application of the capitalistic model and the drive for
qualitative and quantitative improvements in our lives puts ever increasing
demands on natural resources leading to ecological degradation and social
disasters everywhere in the world.  It becomes obvious therefore, that in
order to reverse the trend of ecological deterioration it becomes imperative
to re-evaluate our current model of productivism which tends to mobilize
capital and labour to the detriment of our environment, mostly in the form
of unnecessary goods and services.

For several decades already, ecologically-minded people from a variety of
social, cultural and political backgrounds have been coming together trying
to find alternative ways to mobilize capital and labour that both respect
and conserve the integrity of the eco-systems on which we depend.   These
alternative 'green' lifestyles are numerous and include the switch to
organic agriculture, the development of permaculture, urban to rural
relocations, efforts to re-localize economies and voluntary simplicity.  All
of these examples reflect a decision to put into practice an objection to
unbridled growth and so support ideals that promote simple and
environmentally friendly life-styles and economic models that are based on
sustainability and a post-development perspective.

It was within this context of ecologism that a group of thirty people
decided to launch the initiative for a global network in order to:-

 identify on a global basis individuals and groups which have made or intend
to make practical, visions based on a sustainable future         for all
 circulate any information to support the growth of actors and activists in
this field

evolve a common reflexion through the development of a global thinking based
on selected texts with the objective of inventing and       widely spreading
new collective practices to facilitate the emergence of authentic autonomous
societies which can master their             consumption, respect the mutual
well-being of all life-forms within the context of ecological equilibrium
and assure the social                 emancipation of all.

In order to realise these aims an 'open' group of initiators (the initiative
committee) has set up *the** Global Network for Growth Objection*. The
initiative committee is open to anyone who wishes to realise the goal of a
sustainable future without needless environmental destruction and to date
the initiative committee has created a newsletter.


To subscribe to the newsletter go to web address:
www.mail.rmoc.be/mailman/listinfo/lettre-info_rmoc.be

To contact the initiative committee email: info at rmoc.be, write to RMOC,
Ruelle du Sablon 9, BE-1495 Villers-la-Ville, Belgique or see web-site
www.rmoc.be



The current initiative committee: Réginald de Potesta de Waleffe, Joëlle
Taillefer, Antoon De Rooij, Gilles Luquet, Christian Sunt, Jean-Luc
Pasquinet, Christine Piguel, Alice Médigue, Michel Clodong, Vincent Bruyère,
Michèle Gilkinet, Steve Gwynne, Brigitte Bonnefille, Jean-Marie Robert,
Laura Blanco Grau.



For further information:

Groupe anglophone: JLP38 at wanadoo.fr ; rdepotesta at gmail.com ;
satoritree at yahoo.co.uk ;

Groupe francophone: ecolib at free.fr, christine56 at no-log.org

Groupe germanophone: aderooij at misco.fr

Groupe hispanophone: lblanco_grau at yahoo.es

Groupe Esperanto: marc at solune.com

More to follow in relation to The Politics of Economic Space.

All the best for 2009

Steve Gwynne (UK)
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