Anarchy and the Global South - The Problem and the Solution

My highlight from this year's PIELC had to be standing in a decommissioned frat house and singing songs with a large group of amazing and dedicated environmental lawyers from around the world. The positive vibe which coursed through the room was encouraging. It was hard not to leave that night without feeling (at least) a little optimism about the type of change that each of these people were creating through their own actions.

I was lucky enough to  talk with one of the key note speakers named Pablo from Ecuador that night. I remember saying something along the lines of "I hope we can do something about the accounatiblity of Canadian mining companies operating in your country." He immediately said (in Spanish); "No amigo. Debamos hacer algo/ We must do something." He was right. Everyone in the room really held that message close to their hearts and the majority had acted on it in a big way.

I cannot say that I came away from what little exposure I had to Derek Jensen feeling the same shimmer of optimism or encouragement. He is a controversial figure. At the PIELC he was preaching to the choir so to speak. Nontheless, I wondered how many people were actually alienated by his message. Without a doubt he is right about the problems. The industrial revolution has represented a 'progress trap' of sorts (for more on this idea see Ronald Wright's A Short History of Progress or his Massey Lecture Series from a couple of years back). But is Jensen right about the 'solution'? Is it not more effective to seek an alliance with the masses rather than aggresively attack them? Is it wrong to use the negative of fear as a motivator rather than postive of encouragement? The 'slower' appraoch will paradoxically bring change quicker. Walk through the open door rather than trying to break through the locked one that is continuosly being reinforced in response to your efforts.

Thank you to the ELC for funding this trip. As always, the experience was a much needed push in the right direction at a time of year when most law students need a shove.