Green anarchism

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Green anarchism
Schools of thought Anarcho-primitivism Deep ecology Social ecology
Theory and practice Animal rights Anti-authoritarianism Anti-capitalism Anti-consumerism Bioregionalism Decentralization Degrowth Deindustrialization Direct action Ecocentrism Environmental protection Municipalism Naturalism Neo-Luddism Neo-Malthusianism Primitive communism Radical environmentalism Return to nature Rewilding Simple living Total liberation Unity in diversity
People Abbey Bari Best Biehl Bookchin Camenisch Carter Glendinning Jensen Kaczynski Kropotkin Morris Næss Perlman Reclus Sale Semprún Snyder Thoreau Zerzan
Books and publications Walden, or life in the woods (1854) Fields, Factories, and Workshops (1899) Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution (1902) Post-Scarcity Anarchism (1971) The Ecology of Freedom (1982) Green Anarchist (1984) Future Primitive and Other Essays (1994)
Related topics Anarchism Anti-capitalism Anti-consumerism Eco-socialism Green politics Libertarian socialism Naturism
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Green anarchism, also known as ecological anarchism or eco-anarchism, is an anarchist school of thought that focuses on ecology and environmental issues.^[1] It is an anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian form of radical environmentalism, which emphasises social organization, freedom and self-fulfillment.^[2]

Ecological approaches to anarchism were first formulated during the 19th century, as the rise of capitalism and colonialism caused environmental degradation. Drawing from the ecology of Charles Darwin, the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin elaborated a naturalist philosophy that rejected the dualistic separation of humanity from nature. This was developed into an ecological philosophy by Peter Kropotkin and Éliseé Reclus, who advocated for the decentralisation and degrowth of industry as a means to advance both social justice and environmental protection.

Green anarchism was first developed into a distinct political theory by sections of the New Left, as a revival in anarchism coincided with the emergence of an environmental movement. From the 1970s onwards, three main tendencies of green anarchism were established: Murray Bookchin elaborated the theory of social ecology, which argues that environmental issues stem directly from social issues; Arne Næss defined the theory of deep ecology, which advocates for biocentrism; and John Zerzan developed the theory of anarcho-primitivism, which calls for the abolition of technology and civilization. In the 21st century, these tendencies were joined by total liberation, which centres animal rights, and green syndicalism, which calls for the workers themselves to manage deindustrialisation.

At its core, green anarchism concerns itself with the identification and abolition of social hierarchies that cause environmental degradation. Opposed to the extractivism and productivism of industrial capitalism, it advocates for the degrowth and deindustrialisation of the economy. It also pushes for greater localisation and decentralisation, proposing forms of municipalism, bioregionalism or a "return to nature" as possible alternatives to the state.