CONVERSION ENVIRONMENT: WHAT ROLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT?
For those who look to the current crisis from the perspective of a different world issues were widely debated in other forums can be taken for granted. First, if there is or there will be a "recovery" of the crisis - which has yet to be seen - not much, the three main indicators by which we measure the economic performance (GDP, profits and employment), the recovery may relate to the GDP of some countries, the profits of a part, and only a part, businesses, but certainly will not affect employment and labor income. Less than ever can think of getting a new phase of economic expansion, like that of so-called "Thirty Glorious" (1945-1975), at least in the world that affects us. Investments and profits are now irreversibly separated from employment and better working conditions.
Planet Earth is on the brink of an abyss due to the excessive consumption of environment, both to the transfer of resources from that of the waste, residues and wastes. The economic crisis and environmental crisis are inextricably linked. Therefore, to ensure income and living conditions and decent work for all requires a profound change both of our patterns of consumption that the productive apparatus that supports them. Consumption and production structure are inextricably linked: renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy saving and recycling of land and resources, sustainable transport and farming, multicolturale, multifunctional and km0 are the cornerstones of needed change. This change requires a radical change of paradigm in economic processes, to shift from economies of scale based on large installations and large networks of economic and financial control (such as the hydrocarbon cycle, from cradle to grave) the principles of decentralization, dissemination, of territorial differentiation, integration through a relationship direct, including staff, including production of goods or provision of services and consumption. The need to relocate and "territorialization" of course, regards consumption and production resources and physical goods (atoms) and not information and knowledge (bits), but this corresponds perfectly to the rule of thumb to think globally and act locally.
The current ruling elites, both political (majority and opposition) and managerial or business are not equipped or substantially affected in a different genre. The crisis could develop processes and compaction authoritarian disintegration of the connective tissue of the economy and society. In both cases, dangerous per tutti. C’è pertanto bisogno di una diversa forza trainante, non solo per realizzare, ma anche solo per concepire e progettare nelle loro articolazioni qualsiasi trasformazione sostanziale. Una forza del genere oggi non c’è, ma nel tessuto sociale di un pianeta globalizzato si sono andate sviluppando nel corso degli ultimi due decenni pratiche, esperienze, saperi e consapevolezze nuove, anche se prive di una “voce” commisurata alla loro consistenza o di collegamenti adeguati; sia per mancanza di risorse e di accesso ai media, sia, soprattutto, per le loro caratteristiche ancora in gran parte locali o settoriali. Ma per una riconversione di vasta portata non bastano la difesa, la rivendicazione e il conflitto; servono anche planning, enhancement of knowledge and expertise mobilized, aggregation not only associations, but also entrepreneurship and institutional presence. A combination like that outlines a variable scope, but essential to a participatory democracy - compatible and designed for a long time to live with the traditional institutional representatives - whose forms may not necessarily be similar everywhere.
I have so far avoided the appointment of terms such as sustainable development, decline, Km0 democracy, ecological conversion, socialism, class struggle, party and similar words that can divide. Trying to focus on what unites, or can combine an array of ideas, practices and organizations as widely as possible. Here, however, takes a stand on issues that can not find it all in agreement.
First, I believe that the state and the states are the counterparty and not as agents of transformation that set, which can not be governed or managed, but not designed, and from a centralized. Nor can play a role such as finance or international bodies that are to be global, or those which make up their own power.
Secondly, I consider sacred and essential to the defense of employment and income in the workplace, but if it takes place without questioning the logic and type of goods and services produced outside of a view to modifying the structure of production and consumption patterns in force is a losing battle. For example, does not lead to asking for anything that Fiat will produce more cars, which produce more in Italy, producing more models with higher added value, that is luxury, which produces "green car" (also, an oxymoron). So I think the focus of the conversion step individual access to goods and services to more and more daring forms of shared consumption. It is not "collectivization" consumption, but to join forces to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Examples at hand are the GAS (groups joint purchasing) and over the past two years have spread exponentially, the most promising associations to manage the energy savings, installing renewable energy installations or promote flexible mobility. It 's a model that can invest all local public services, transport, energy, waste, water, maintenance of the territory, the municipal welfare. And then, culture, entertainment, education, vocational training and lifelong learning, but also reuse of abandoned or assets to be divested, by promoting a culture and practice of maintenance.
Certainly we need a policy framework in general, not only nationally but also International. But in the absence of players and agents are able or willing to take responsibility - and those otherwise unable to achieve in its geographical locations - is at the local level that you play the game, today's overall programmatic design can only come from the competition of initiatives at local , even if designed with a global approach and thinking.
why the preservation or the recapture of a key role for local authorities - municipalities and their operational arms - is a fundamental strategic general thing that the global campaign against water privatization has revealed.
Nothing to do with "federalism" heralded by the League. There has never been so much centralization and expropriation of local authorities - ICE decisions on the location of nuclear facilities, seizure of funds from Fas-cutting transfers and the centralization of the special measures in the hands of civil protection, ie the Presidency of the Council, namely the "clique" - as when the league to the government. But the threat further obstacle to any prospect of radical change this state of affairs are represented by the privatization of local public services, promoted and carried forward under the false guise of their "liberalization". Not only because it replaces the profit to the value and purpose of social "commons." But mainly because the prohibition or limitation of IN-house operation, far from promoting the efficiency of services, trigger processes of aggregation and management of financial activities, and with it a progressive and violent expulsion of decision-making powers from the territory of reference in activities that are essentially "proximity services", whose effectiveness depends on the degree of control and conditioning - but also the participation and involvement - that users can place on them. The case of municipal waste in Campania, whose management was entrusted in its entirety to a multinational foreign to the area after being stolen, with the establishment of the Special Commissioner and the militarization of the territory, control of the already weak institutional representatives and protest from below, is a textbook case. As is the story of the seizure of privatized water services in the province of Latina.
why the promotion of new forms of shared consumption - meaning control or air conditioning on the conditions under which the goods or services are produced, distributed or paid - is both a way and the result of a participatory democracy that involves active citizenship and make her grow in number and capacity of self-government: protagonists should become, in the manner peculiar to each specific actor, workers and their organizations, volunteering el'associazionismo base, local governments or any of their segment, and those social enterprises, including private, especially when based on local available change. The design and implementation of this step still requires an open dialogue among all potential stakeholders, a comparison that in most cases will be imposed in connection with the fight, but in others may be favored by precipitating the crisis.
The proposals gained significant and in some cases had already been tested through years of reflection and practice within the movement are winners. In an open and transparent manner, wherever possible it can not but prevail. This does not mean that you dictate the solutions proposed: between saying and doing is half the sea.
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