His thoughts summarize his views towards building “another economy” as opposed to capitalism’s “green economy”.

We interviewed Leroy in Porto Alegre, Brazil, at the seminar “In the lead-up to Rio+20: For another economy”, which began on Monday and of which FASE was one of the main participants. The event, held in parallel to the Social Thematic Forum (part of the World Social Forum process), which is also being held in Porto Alegre, aimed to expose the government and corporate drive for “green economy” and to show the alternatives proposed by social movements and organizations.

Leroy recognized the importance of the goods produced by capitalism for people’s welfare such the washing machine or electricity, and he said people should have more access to these goods.
But he said that we grow increasingly aware of the limits and begin to change our lifestyle and to think about quality of life is not about the goods we have”.

This somehow explains a central part of his thought: “We cannot place the economy at the center of the analysis”. He made reference to some of the premises for “another economy” as opposed to the commodification of nature. It is finally about promoting “another world”.

Leroy said one of the basis for this alternative economy is the need to define the ethics by which we want to live. He vindicated the “ethics of care” to the people closer to us, then the ethics of the citizens concerned for the future of our country and especially the dispossessed. He then went on to talk about “universal citizenship”, because the environmental crisis and the climate crisis in particular are extending our responsibility to the whole world”.

The member of FASE also highlighted the need for equality between human beings and he regretted the persecution and displacement suffered by different communities, peasant communities included. He expressed solidarity with the “oppressed, the dispossessed of the world”. “They are the class being massacred by the political and economic powers”.

Another aspect underlined by the Brazilian activist is the “plurality” of the social communities in different parts of the world, groups, peoples, identities, and the defense of territory of many of those communities. Leroy spoke about a “social strategy of action of peoples together with nature and not against it”. “This is what the market wants to turn into commodity”, he said.

The Brazilian leader said the local communities are watching the future of humanity through the management of territories and common goods. “We need our ecosystems outside the market as a guarantee for our future”, he said.

Photo: entornointeligente.com