Debate on green anarchism vs. eco-socialism

Time and again neoliberal techno-capitalism has demonstrated an inability to address global challenges such as the climate crisis. Two movements, which have been called Green Anarchy and Eco Socialism, share a similar urgency and critique on the role techno-capitalism and fossil capital are playing in global ecocide, but there are substantial differences between them. Green Anarchists and other “small is beautiful” advocates aspire to empower local communities through mutual aid in a decentralized response to societal and ecological collapse, while those who identify as Eco-Socialists are focused more on harnessing the coercive power of the state for a centralized intervention that will transform society at national and ultimately international scales. Acknowledging that both perspectives have a substantial diversity of views within them, this debate focuses on the essential differences, including scale and tactics to transform society, between the communitarian/anarchist and more centralized socialist approaches. This special edition of Economics for Rebels is a recording of a panel discussion exploring these two potentially opposing points of view, Green anarchism and Eco Socialism organised by Mark McCaffrey, debated by Benjamin Sovacool and Matthew T. Huber and facilitated by Alexandra Köves. The discussion was held online live to an audience. Edited by Aidan Knox.