133 lines
5.1 KiB
Plaintext
133 lines
5.1 KiB
Plaintext
The Environment
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and Animal Rights
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1. We place humanity above all other life on the earth
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although we recognize that the continued survival of
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humanity is based on the continued survival of the variety
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of species that make up the biosphere.
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2. We believe humanity has the right to make use of the
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worlds material resources as it sees fit providing
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decisions are made democratically after free discussion
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and production is to satisfy need and not profit.
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3. The current crisis of the environment is not due to
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industrialization or over-population but rather an
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inevitable product of a system (capitalism) which places
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profit above all else including life.
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4. Not only do we not wish to reduce the present
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productive powers of industry, we wish to see this
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increased to ensure a comfortable life for all.
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5. We recognize however that much of current production
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is unnecessary due to built in obsolescence or advertising
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pressure. This again comes down to the problem of a
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capitalist system.
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6. The major problem of capitalist pollution and
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destructive extraction of raw materials is that those who
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make the profits are not those that suffer the
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consequences. Environmental degradation is a class issue
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as it is primarily the working class which bears the
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consequences of polluted water, contaminated food etc. It
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is therefore a nonsense to try and tackle it on a non-class
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basis.
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7. We reject the argument that the environmental crisis
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or famines in the Less Developed Countries (LDC's) are due
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to the over consumption of workers in the West. Western
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workers have more in common with the workers and
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peasants of the third world and then own ruling class, it
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is estimated that between 12 and 30 million people living
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in the US, one of the richest of the western countries can
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not afford a proper diet.
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8. We oppose in general the call for the closing down of
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polluting factories etc. We call on the workers in such
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factories to enforce safety rules and monitor pollution.
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We support action of workers and the local community to
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stop/reduce pollution. In cases where factories can not be
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made safe we demand there closure with employment at
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the same skill and pay levels for the workers in the local
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area.
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9. We call for the shutting down of all nuclear power
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stations under capitalism, as the placing of profits before
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safety means they can never be safe and the effect of
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accidents is too drastic to allow any risk. We do however
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not rule out the remote possibility of using such power
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stations in an anarchist society. This will be decided in
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the future by the workers of that society and not by us
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now.
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10. The destruction of the rainforests is due to large
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capitalist concerns strip mining the trees. We call for
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strike action against such companies to force them to re-
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forest and manage extraction. It is also due to the
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emigration of land hungry peasants and unemployed
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workers from the countries in these regions. This is a by-
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product of the grinding poverty produced in these
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countries by capitalism and imperialism. As such the
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problem will only be solved by revolution and development
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in those countries. We call for the building of unions
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among such workers and the carrying out of education
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programs by revolutionaries within these unions.
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11. Practically in Ireland this involves calling on Irish
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unions to support the construction of these unions and aid
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in their financing. It involves organising solidarity
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campaigns with the struggles of these workers. We note
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that union recognition disputes are already a major part of
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the workers struggles in this region e.g. Brazilian rubber
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tappers.
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12. We oppose the testing of atomic, biological and
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chemical weapons in all circumstances and support
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blacking of goods and services as well as other direct
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action to halt such tests.
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13. We call on the trade unions to fund their own
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environmental monitoring section answerable to the
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workers and community affected, and to publicize and
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organise action against industries which expose workers
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or the community at large to toxic substances, pollution
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etc.
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14. Within unions we also demand industry uses re-cycled
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products where possible and finds alternatives for
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products or by-products which harm the environment.
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Industrial action should be used to force the bosses to
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comply.
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15. Although we reject unnecessary cruelty to animals we
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recognize that humanity does have a right to use animals
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in necessary experiments. Under capitalism much of
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animal experimentation is un-necessary but even in an
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anarchist society some experimentation may be necessary.
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We oppose all experimentation for military and cosmetic
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purposes.
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16. We support the right of students and laboratory
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workers to refuse to experiment on animals or dissect
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animals. We support workers who are victimized for
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leaking details of experiments.
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17. We oppose animal liberation campaigns which
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endanger workers lives through firebombing of stores or
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labs, and the harmful contamination of foodstuffs etc.
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January 1991
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This is a position paper of the
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Workers Solidarity Movement
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which can be contacted at
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WSM
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PO Box 1528
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Dublin 8
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Ireland
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