Discussion on Climate Camp and The State (Kingsnorth Climate Camp , August 2008)

In 2008 we had a wide ranging discussion at the Climate Camp in Kent. The event was a week long protest at the proposed site of the first new coal power plant in the UK for over 30 years. The climate camp has a politically radical herritage, with influences from the anti-roads movement of the 1990's and the later alter-globalization movement. However, the camp has attracted many people (including myself) who more liberal than anarchist and this creates a tension that some argue is creative, but which can be an obsticle to our work. This discussion highlights a divergence of opinions but also includes people arguing that our ability to eschew a full on confontation with this issue and work together on our common ground is why we have so far been succesful. My view is that our common cause is primarily climate change with broader social critiques and environmental concerns important but still secondary issues.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• climate change
• climate camp
• coal power
• kingsnorth
• politics
• anarchism
• socialism
• liberalism
• captialism
• role of state

[HaleyMary]

Cool! Thanks for posting and sharing this.

I found it interesting when they said there was no need for the state to tax anyone for doing work, but that they could use the tax of land/emissions.

Is the fight on climate change there mostly volunteering?