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    The Politics of Social Ecology - Libertarian Municipalism - Janet Biehl PDF

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    Anonymous mzDoe8

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    of 37
    The Polities of Social Ecology Libertarian Municipalism Janet Biehl with Murray Bookehin Montreal ® New York ® London 1£/ The Politics of Social Beology: Libertarian Municipatism. raised with Bookehin some of the questions that in my ten-year association with him, [have heard most frequently asked in dis- ‘cussions of these ideas, ‘Lam grateil to Bookchin for his support for this project and for the interview. Let me emphasize that the ideas that “appear in these pages ae all Bookhin's; only their articulation is imine, Inthe interview that appears in the second part of the ‘book, Ihave raised with Bookchin some of the questions that in ‘my tenjear association with him, Thave heard most frequentiy ‘eked in diouesions of theee ideas. He road the manuscript in raft and commented on it, to its immense benefit. Cindy Milstein and Gary Sisco also read an early draft and made invalu- able suggestions, for which they have my warm thanks. Dimi Roussopoulos of Black Rose Books has my deep gratitude for his, _unlagging support for this project. have tred to present these ideas inthe simplest possi- ble tems, forthe benefit of readers who are wholly unfamiliar ‘with them. Bookehin's own writings contain philasophical and ‘istorical nuances that are absent here. Readers who are inter ested in Teaming more about libertarian municipalism and should of course consult the wiltings listed at the end of this ‘book. In no way should this book be considered a substitute for Bookhin’s original works, only a summary introduction to them. {ul forthe left on an international scale. Probably inevitably, my presentation is refracted through the prism of the culture in ‘which Ilse and write; I hope that readers outside the United ‘States willbe able to interpret the main priniples inthe context of their own cultures. Janet Biehl ‘Burlington, Vermont ‘November 27, 1996 Chapter 1 er Politics versus Statecraft Libertarian municipalism is one of many politcal theories that ‘concern themselves with the principles and practices of democ- racy. In contrast to most such theories, however, it does not accept the conventional notion that the State and governmental systems typleal of Western countries today are truly democra- cles. On the contrary, it considers them republican States with pretensions of being democratic. Republican States, to be sure, fare more democratic’ than other kinds of States, like monar- chles and dictatorships, n that they contain various kinds of rep resentative institutions. But they are nonetheless States—overarching structures ‘of domination in which a few people rule over the great majority A State, by its very nature ie structurally and professionally sep- arated from the general population—in fac, itis set over and above ordinary men and women. It exercises power over them, ‘making decisions that affect thei lives. Its power in the last instance rests on violence, over whose legal use the State has a ‘monopoly, in the form of its araies and police forces, Ina strue- ture where power is distributed so unevenly, democracy is impossible. Far from embodying rule by the people, even a republican State is incompatible with popular rule. Libertarian municipalism advances a kind of democracy, by contrast, that is no mere fg leaf for State rule. The democra- yitadvancesis direct democracy—in which citizens in comunu- nities manage their own affairs through face-to face processes of

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