Democracy, social relations and ecowelfare

Like Marxists before, greens are trenchant critics of the commodification o f human life by consumer capitalism. They have been persistent advocates of less materialistic ways of living but, as such, have been easily dismissed as champions of frugal, small-scale community living. This essay argues th at a society which fostered non-materialistic ways of living could offer mo re rather than less to its citizens if it put at the centre of its vision t he quality of human and social relations. A relational perspective insists that human capacities aesthetic, spiritual, practical/intellectual, ethical and convivial-are developed through our relations to others and to nature, including the nature and otherness in ourselves. The primary aim of an eco welfare society should be to create the conditions for such human capacitie s to flourish in a balanced way. The essay first describes four areas of ou r everyday social relations where qualitative change is necessary if a demo cratic culture is to flourish. Capitalism privileges the development of the practical/intellectual and, in consequence, our over-extended technical po wers now put the world at risk. Green democracy must be approached in this light. Participation in political discussion and decision making at all Lev els of society enhances individual and collective ethical and convivial cap acities and therefore fosters citizens who have the capacity to respond to social and ecological insecurity. To be convincing, green democracy needs t o recognize the actual complexity of society a complexity that direct, face -to-face models of democracy cannot deal with. In opposition to the markets and managerialism of existing governments greens should develop a vision o f the extended democratization of all Levels and institutions of society, f rom housing estates and health centres to universities and non-departmental public bodies like the Arts Council. In doing so it must recognize the dif ferences, tensions and conflicts in all communities irrespective of whether these are generated around place, identity or lifestyle. It must therefore promote the maximum diversify of democratic forms.