Pete Shields 'at its best Green politics is about a radical transformation of society'

The Morning Star/Tribune debate continues on socialism and the Green Party, see what you think of Pete's thoughts.


Pete Shield has left a new comment on your post "Carl 'GPEW is close - very close - to becoming a g...":

Carl,
I just don’t think you get Green politics at all, its not another route to full employment and the empowerment of the working class a la Labour delusions in the 60s and 70s.You can’t bend green politics into your old Labour’s not rather successful political project, but you can start to take a good deep look at aspects of the green movement and see what a thoughtful socialist can learn form it, as can the green movement from the Labour movement.

At its best Green politics is about a radical transformation of society to move from a materialist value system to a sustainable one, sustainable for the planet of course but also for the people on that planet. High wages only become important when you need to buy in the basic needs for survival and if other means of gratification have become solely commoditised. Fighting for a system where there are lower energy costs, affordable and public housing, communal and affordable public transport, local work, food security, a health system based on public health and not just treating public illness may seem disassociated from your idea of a left wing agenda, but just because it uses a different language if you take off your blinkers you will see strong parallels with, well, old left wing values.

As for Greens in the UK disassociating themselves from collective action I suggest you stop smoking whatever it is has been tucked away in that pipe of your and have a look around, I am sure the comrades in the Green Trade Union Group may have a thing or two to say about that, as would those involved in a wide range of civil society organisations and campaigns.

And flaky was just flaying about… Which political party did the man who said there musn’t be a cigarette paper’s different between the Government’s and the Conservative Party’s immigration policy belong too? and I won’t mention the war- both of them.

Flaky? Have you been following the Labour leaders contest, now from a left wing green perspective it all looks kinda flaky to me.

There is a great space for debate here, and a lot to be learnt by all. The article however reads like a knee jerk reaction, which isn’t exactly going to get the ideas flowing.