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Title: “Décroissance” and Anarchy
Author: Clément
Date: 2006
Language: en
Topics: IAF, France, Anarchist Federation (France)
Source: Retrieved on 2020-04-02 from http://www.i-f-a.org.gridhosted.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/anarkiista_debato.pdf

Clément

“Décroissance” and Anarchy

The concept of «décroissance» has lately become fashionable, even among

anarchists, with the recent publication of a brochure in the FA on the

topic. It is being discussed at length by many. What I want to emphasize

today, is not the necessity to practice «décroissance», but how to

effectively put it into practice, in our everyday lives. Too often I

heard people say that the answer is easy: we should consume less. Some

even go as far as praising poverty and self-restraint. But that is not

all, and if we linger on this idea, we won’t understand the whole notion

of «décroissance».

As a matter of fact, is it really necessary to go back to the days when

human beings lived in caves? Is that what «décroissance» is all about?

On the contrary, most people wish to lead a relatively comfortable life,

and who can blame them? Consuming less will not solve anything: what is

the use of buying just one pair of shoes, if the pair of shoes was made

by children at the other end of the world, and if we buy it in a

supermarket? That surely is no «décroissance»... There is, behind the

concept, an economic and political system. The real problem is

capitalism ! Thus, questioning consumption without questioning

production: where are things produced? by whom? how? in what conditions?

— means we do not question the capitalist operating mode

(production–distribution-consumption). Even more so, we accept the

necessity – or fatality – behind it...

The noxious perversity of this system is that it has established

constraints that ensure its own survival: the idea is to create acts of

mass consumption, as well as the apparent need to satisfy them in order

to live decently. And consumption itself, even if it is very little, is

the best guarantee that the system will survive. Indeed, although we

curse and plague the Medef (the bosses’ union in France) and those in

power, nothing will change if we do not get involved in the effective

alteration of this system. Not only do we not question it, but we allow

it to regenerate itself by supporting it ! Shall we find the strength to

stop buying from Auchan or Carrefour supermarkets, McDonald’s, Elf,

Total, Nike, Microsoft etc.? So, what shall we do? The idea is that

people themselves should decide on what they want to produce, how they

want to produce it, and also why, and for whom, where, etc. Locally,

they decide on what lifestyle they want: they are open-eyed and active

actors of their mode of own lives. This organization is much less energy

wasting; an end to super production. There would be less transportation

of goods, more collective discussions on the production modes – which

would pollute less.

We must therefore go further: we should think of the anarchist

organization mode as the only way to “décroître” harmoniously, once we

are rid of the capitalist monster! We should also defend the idea that

the libertarian society is healthy ecologically, realistic economically,

fair and equal socially, and is inscribed within the humanist frame of

“décroissance”.

So the point is not to stop consuming, but rather to produce and consume

better. In order to frighten the capitalist system, we should be able to

give ourselves the means – in spite of the obstacles– to get a

libertarian society working; let’s take our responsibilities! Let me

insist: the anarchist society project is coherent and attainable! Let’s

create, invent and get involved in local alternative networks of

production and distribution, which smack of “décroissance”. We want to

define together what we want to consume and how to produce this

according to our principles and ecological constraints. Let’s use the

tools and production means to make them fit people’s needs wherever they

live. And let’s not take “But there is no such thing in my town as an

autonomous and self-catering network now” for an answer. For giving 1€

to alternative systems and giving 1€ to the capitalists do not have the

same political value: we vote everyday by consuming!

In France, for example, there are associations of small farmers and

nearby consumers, like AMAP (Association for the maintenance of peasant

agriculture). Together they decide beforehand on what and how they will

produce and distribute; meanwhile the consumers make a promise to buy

the production, thus enabling the farmers to free themselves from the

policies that ensnare and stifle them. The benefits are twofold: first,

it enables the small farmers to survive, even though the capital has

programmed to destroy them; secondly, it greatly reduces the waste of

energy and food which is the usual side-effect of industrial –and

chemical– production, of transport and storage. So the system is

directly attacked where it hurts most! No more intermediaries, just

people self-organizing... And this type of initiatives can be conceived

and created for all sorts of productions. These examples of alternatives

can become a real answer, completely anti-capitalist, ecological and

realistic. Yet if we do not get involved in such initiatives, there is a

risk they will be absorbed by the system. Indeed, these AMAP are based

on nearly libertarian principles, but are in the hand of the association

Alliance PEC – which does not particularly like libertarians. If we are

not careful, these initiatives could very well become the new fashion

for bourgeois to feel ‘closer to the people’... It is the same with SEL

(System of local exchange) and any other sort of local alternative. So

the thing is, to not only stop buying stuff from chain stores and big

producers, but also to put into practice, as soon as possible and as

much as possible, a positive and efficient organization of society.

Let’s help to the implement of an anarchist organization of society by

creating and supporting local alternative networks of production and

distribution, of recycling and exchange, as well as friendly meeting

places, like libraries, squats, self-managed kitchens, free services,

lessons etc.

What is very interesting is that these networks attract a lot of people

who are not militants: anarchy is too beautiful for people not to be

seduced! It is our role as anarchists to show that, through practice, a

libertarian society is attainable and sustainable (!!!). This

libertarian society is the only means to achieve both individual and

collective comfort, and “décroissance”. The more we act, the more

coherent we get!