A-Infos (en) France, Union Communiste Libertaire AL #310 - Ecology and animal cause debate (1/2) -- Combine animal cause and anti-capitalism (de, it, fr, pt)[machine translation]

What role for animals in human societies ? It is a central point of ecological 
reflection, where two major ethical questions converge: that of animal suffering 
and exploitation on the one hand, and on the other, that of animal husbandry as 
it is. is determined by capitalism, where peasants are just as much exploited 
subjects by a system. Is it a question of managing the breeding as it exists, of 
reducing its ecological footprint, animal and human suffering ? On the contrary, 
is it a question of completely breaking away from this model ? And how ? 
Alternative Libertaire invites this debate in its columns. ---- The animalist 
struggle is sometimes accused of complacency towards capitalism. Far from the 
individualistic aims sometimes put forward, we believe that the animal cause and 
the anti-capitalist struggle can be mutually articulated and enriched.

Libertarians have always refused the hierarchy of struggles and wanted to 
understand the specificities of each system of domination. The animal cause was 
also one of the major interests of anarchists, especially during the Belle Époque 
[1]. In this perspective, we defend the taking into account of the interests of 
animals, and denounce the refusal to worry about them on the pretext of the 
anti-capitalist struggle.

Read also: Jocelyne Porcher (Inrae): "  Peasant breeding in coexistence with 
cellular agriculture is illusory  " , Alternative libertaire, November 2020.
Take into account the interests of animals
We breed, exploit and kill animals for our food or clothing consumption, we lock 
them up for entertainment, we test our cosmetics and drugs on them - the list 
goes on. However, scientific research, particularly in ethology [2]show us that 
many species form societies, made up of sensitive individuals with specific 
interests. These individuals organize themselves with social roles, feel 
emotions: fear, joy, boredom or even empathy. They also have, to varying degrees, 
levels of consciousness allowing them to know that they exist, that others exist, 
and not wanting to die. It therefore seems to us that we must respect and take 
into account these other individuals and societies, in our way of building our own.

Although we cannot "   socialize   " with animals the same way as with humans, we 
can envision a libertarian society free from animal exploitation. Indeed, 
although they are presented as evidence of the natural order, products of animal 
origin are replaceable. We are thus defending a libertarian economic and 
agricultural project including massive revegetation of food, especially since 
plant proteins are ecologically preferable crops - they require less space and 
produce (much) less greenhouse gas. greenhouse in particular [3].


For ecology as for the animal cause, the exit from capitalism is a condition 
certainly insufficient, but essential.
red photo library
This libertarian and ecological society project does not require, contrary to 
popular belief, advanced technologies such as synthetic meat or industrial 
substitutes. The only constraint is the production of vitamin B12, not present in 
the vegetable diet, but simple to produce locally and inexpensive energy [4]..

The livestock industry is currently trying to restore its image with arguments 
about "   exploitation on a human scale   ", claiming to limit animal suffering. 
For this, it uses a few farms whose practices, on the one hand, are marginal, on 
the other hand, often stem more from the declaration of intent than from reality: 
"   small farms   " and local slaughterhouses are not idyllic places. , the 
animals also suffer there (and this, whereas no product resulting from the 
breeding is essential for us for our consumption).

As libertarians, we share the criticisms made of vegan movements which aim to 
transform society through a change in individual practices, and are often based 
on guilt. We also denounce the collusion of certain organizations with parts of 
the food industry. However, it is essential to remember that this collusion does 
not structure the entire movement.

That multinationals invest in advance in vegan products and seize a niche market, 
nothing more expected. It seems flawed to us to deduce from this a general 
complicity between animal activists and industry, at the risk of an almost 
conspiratorial overinterpretation: the whole of the animal cause would be 
manipulated by the industry to convert us to their future products, then that 
their current production already has a stranglehold on the food market  ?

A society without animal exploitation is possible
As for us, the animal cause as we see it is inherently anti-capitalist. Indeed, 
the transition from an industry based on livestock to a largely vegetated 
production would call into question entire sections of our economy (agro-food, 
clothing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.). This transition, defended for 
ethical reasons, is radically incompatible with the capitalist imperative of 
profitability.

In addition, taking into account the interests of animals also necessarily 
implies the end of the destruction of ecosystems (which are their living 
environments), which implies urgently fighting for the preservation of the 
environment - while in a capitalist regime , environmental destruction will 
continue as long as it is profitable.

In other words, for ecology as for the animal cause, the exit from capitalism is 
a condition certainly insufficient, but essential. We do not advocate a reformist 
change based on laws concerning the types of breeding or the limits of acceptable 
suffering, but a revolutionary transformation of society involving a fundamental 
rethink of our relationship to the exploitation and domination of animals. .

We are opposed to the absurd logic which would like that, in order to continue to 
live with animals, it is necessary to necessarily exploit and kill them without 
necessity. We have confidence in the capacity of a society, freed from 
capitalism, to reinvent other modes of coexistence while supporting peasant 
agriculture. While this prospect may seem distant, we won't wait any longer to 
work on it.

UCL Animal Condition Working Group

Validate

[1] On the animal cause and an analysis of anarchist differences on this 
question, we can read Anarchy and Animal Cause , two volumes, published by Le 
Monde libertaire.

[2] Discipline that studies the behavior of animal species.

[3] We also underline that the soya intended for human consumption is for the 
most part cultivated in France or in neighboring countries, and not imported from 
South America as we still read too often.

[4] We thus see the development of local productions of B12 in France.

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Allier-cause-animale-et-anticapitalisme
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://ainfos.ca/mailman/listinfo/a-infos-en
Archive: http://ainfos.ca/en