Derek Wall PhD is a British politician and current Principal Speaker of the Green Party of England and Wales as well as an environmental and social activist, academic and writer whose work concentrates on eco-socialism and the relationship between Marxism and the environment. Wall is also a Zen-practitioner and keeps a regular blog. PhD usually refers to the academic title Doctor of Philosophy PhD can also refer to the manga Phantasy Degree This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Principal Speakers are leaders and public spokespersons of the Green Party of England and Wales. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ... Eco-socialism or Green socialism is an ideology fusing Green movement values with socialism. ... Marxism is both the theory and the political practice (that is, the praxis) derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ... For other uses, see Zen (disambiguation). ...

Academic Career

Wall is is head of social science at a private sixth form college. He is also a visiting tutor at the Department of Politics at Goldsmiths College, University of London, where he teaches a course on the new radical political economy. He has a PhD in 'The Politics of Earth First! UK'^[1]. The social sciences are groups of academic disciplines that study the human aspects of the world. ... A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales or Northern Ireland where students aged 16 to 18 complete post-compulsary further education qualifications, such as A Levels. ... Goldsmiths College (founded in 1891 by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths as Goldsmiths Technical and Recreative Institute) has been a part of the federal University of London since 1904, when it took its current name. ... Website http://www. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Political economy was the original term for the study of production, the acts of buying and selling, and their relationships to laws, customs and government. ... PhD usually refers to the academic title Doctor of Philosophy PhD can also refer to the manga Phantasy Degree This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... The symbol of Earth First!: a Monkey wrench and stone hammer Earth First! is a radical environmentalist organization[1] that emerged in the USA, in the great southwestern desert during the spring of 1980. ...

He has written a series of books on Eco-socialism and green politics. Getting There: Steps Towards a Green Society was published in 1990, and looked at the strategies of green politics. A Green Manifesto for the 1990s, also written in 1990, outlined the Green vision. In 1994, a book examining the roots of ecological politics, Green History: A Reader in Environmental Literature, Philosophy, and Politics, was released. Also during 1994, he released Weaving a Bower Against Endless Night: An Illustrated History of the Green Party as a Green Party publication^[2]. Having taken a BSc in Archaelogy at the University of London, he subsequently completed a PhD at the University of the West of England, later published in revised in 1999 as a book entitled Earth First! and the Anti-Roads Movement: Radical Environmentalism and Comparative Social Movements.^[1]. Academic reviews for the book were mixed. One academic reviewer commented that the book offered ‘valuable and often original information about the radical environmentalist movement’ but ‘fails to provide a systematic analysis of the topic’ and uncritically paid little attention to possible personal agendas of the activists interviewed.[1] Eco-socialism or Green socialism is an ideology fusing Green movement values with socialism. ... Green politics or Green ideology is the ideology of the Green Parties, mainly informed by environmentalism, ecosophy and sustainable economics and aimed at developing a sustainable society. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ...

His most recent work, Babylon and Beyond: The Economics of Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Globalist and Radical Green Movements, looks at the history of anti-capitalism, including reformist capitalists (such as Joseph Stiglitz), anti-corporate critics (namely Naomi Klein and David Korten), monetary reformers, eco-socialists (especially Joel Kovel), Marxists, green localists (including Caroline Lucas, Mike Woodin and Vandana Shiva) and anarchists (particularly Michael Hardt and Toni Negri). It includes a foreword by Nandor Tanczos, the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand MP^[3]. This article lists ideologies opposed to capitalism and describes them briefly. ... Joseph Stiglitz (born February 9, 1943) is an American economist, author and winner of Nobel Prize for economics ( 2001). ... Naomi Klein is a Canadian journalist, author and activist well known for her political analyses of corporate globalization. ... Dr. David C. Korten is an author and leader within the anti-globalization movement. ... Eco-socialism or Green socialism is an ideology fusing Green movement values with socialism. ... Joel Kovel (born August 27th 1936) is an American politician, academic, writer and Eco-socialist. ... Marxism is both the theory and the political practice (that is, the praxis) derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ... Green politics or Green ideology is the ideology of the Green Parties, mainly informed by environmentalism, ecosophy and sustainable economics and aimed at developing a sustainable society. ... Caroline Lucas Dr Caroline Patricia Lucas MEP (born 9 December 1960) is an English politician, and Member of the European Parliament for the South East England region. ... Mike Woodin Cllr Dr Michael Edward Woodin (November 6, 1965 - July 8, 2004) was the Principal Speaker of the Green Party of England and Wales and a city councillor for Oxford from 1994 to 2004. ... Vandana Shiva 2007 in Cologne, Germany Vandana Shiva (b. ... Anarchist redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Antonio Negri (born 1933 in Padua) is an Italian moral and political philosopher. ... Nándor Steven Tánczos (born 1966), a member of the New Zealand Parliament since 1999, represents the Green Party as a list MP. He briefly lost his seat in the 2005 General Election, but ranked next on the party list and agreed to rejoin Parliament following the sudden death... Wikinews has related news: Greens Party refines Buy Kiwi Made scheme The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party in the New Zealand parliament. ...

Wall is an associate editor of the eco-socialist monthly Red Pepper. He has also published articles in academic journals such as Environmental Politics, Social Movement Studies and Capitalism Nature Socialism^[1]. Eco-socialism or Green socialism is an ideology fusing Green movement values with socialism. ... Red pepper may refer to: Capsicum, whose fruit is used as a vegetable or spice The ripe form of black peppercorns Red Pepper (newspaper), in Uganda Red Pepper (magazine), in the United Kingdom Red pepper (newspaper style magazine), a United States satire publication Red Pepper (acappella group), Australian rock/acappella...

Political Career

Wall first became involved in the Green movement in 1979. He joined the Ecology Party (later the Green Party of England and Wales) in 1980. By 1987, Wall was standing for the Ecology Party against Chris Patten in Bath. At the time of the European Parliament election, 1989, Wall was one of three National Speakers in the Green Party. In the elections themselves, which saw the Green Party gain over 2 million votes (14.5% of the national poll), Wall received 15% of the vote in the Bristol constituency. During his time in the Green Party, Wall has been a Parish Councillor^[1]. “Greens” redirects here. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC (born 12 May 1944 in Bath, Somerset) is a prominent British Conservative politician and a Patron of the Tory Reform Group. ... The 1989 European Parliamentary Elections were held in June across all 12 current European Community member-states. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ...

Wall rose to national prominence in the wake of the 1989 result, when he presented himself to the national press as a 'left wing' candidate for the ruling Green Party Council in opposition to the leadership. He styled himelf a 'maverick'^[4] and a Green 'fundamentalist'^[5]. He was then in turn attacked as a 'parasite'.^[6]. These divisions contributed to highly negative press coverage at the time.^[4][5][6]

Wall was also a prominent figure opposing the organisational changes by the group known as Green 2000 along with Penny Kemp and John Norris.^[7]. Organising a left grouping within the Green Party, known as the Association of Socialist Greens, this left grouping was credited by pragmatists such as Mallen Baker as being responsible for ensuring the party was "going knowhere fast".^[8] Green 2000 was a movement to streamline the constitutional arrangements of the Green Party of England and Wales in the early 1990s, with the stated aim of getting a green government by the year 2005. ...

At the 2005 general election, Wall stood as a candidate for Windsor and received 2.5% of the votes. In November 2005, he was narrowly beaten by Keith Taylor in the election to be the Male Principal Speaker of the Green Party, by 851 votes to 803^[1]. It has been suggested that Marginal constituencies in the United Kingdom be merged into this article or section. ... Windsor is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cllr Keith Taylor (born 1 August 1953 in Southend, Essex) is an English politician and senior figure in the Green Party of England and Wales. ... Principal Speakers are leaders and public spokespersons of the Green Party of England and Wales. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ...

He is a founder member of the Green Left, an anti-capitalist and eco-socialist faction within the Green Party, which held its first meeting in June 2006^[9]. Green Left is an anti-capitalist and eco-socialist group within the Green Party of England and Wales. ... This article lists ideologies opposed to capitalism and describes them briefly. ... Eco-socialism or Green socialism is an ideology fusing Green movement values with socialism. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ...

Wall has continued to be an out-spoken member of the Green Party, particularly on the issue of entering into alliances with other parties. He was given a vote of censure by the Green Party Association of Green Councillors (AGC) when he made comments concerning the alliance between Green Party, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors on the Leeds City Council; he stated in Red Pepper magazine that, "While I understand that repellent Labour councils may be the only substitute for alliances with Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, the fall in our Leeds West vote suggests that voters were displeased by a perceived shift to the right by Yorkshire Greens"^[10]. The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) is the principal Green political party in England and Wales. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ... Leeds City Council is the city council for the Metropolitan Borough of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. ... Red Pepper is an independent ‘red, green and radical’ magazine based in the UK. Origins Red Pepper was founded by the Socialist Movement – an independent left-wing grouping that grew out of a series of large conferences held in Chesterfield after the defeat of Britain’s miners’ strike. ...

He was narrowly elected as one of two principal speakers of the Green Party of England and Wales in November 2006, alongside Sian Berry, who is also a supporter of the Green Left. The position of principal speaker is the closest role to that of leader within the Green Party. Principal Speakers are leaders and public spokespersons of the Green Party of England and Wales. ...

In 2007 he was re-elected as Principal Speaker, with an increased majority, alongside Caroline Lucas. Caroline Lucas Dr Caroline Patricia Lucas MEP (born 9 December 1960) is an English politician, and Member of the European Parliament for the South East England region. ...

Beliefs

Wall is an eco-socialist and anti-capitalist who believes that "an infinitely growing capitalist economy destroys nature, fuels injustice and leads to an alienated way of life"^[1]. He describes Green politics as "the politics of survival", stressing that "unless we build a green economy based on meeting need rather than greed our children face a bleak future"^[1]. He adds that "a world dominated by the need for constant growth puts people and the rest nature behind a blind economic system of accumulation"^[1]. Eco-socialism or Green socialism is an ideology fusing Green movement values with socialism. ... This article lists ideologies opposed to capitalism and describes them briefly. ... Green politics or Green ideology is the ideology of the Green Parties, mainly informed by environmentalism, ecosophy and sustainable economics and aimed at developing a sustainable society. ...

Moving Beyond Capitalism

Strategies

In a chapter of Babylon and Beyond entitled Life After Capitalism: Alternatives, Structures, Strategies, Wall suggests that "conventional economics is surprisingly dangerous for a subject normally portrayed as a neutral science", and advocates the proposition of "solid liveable alternatives" by the anti-capitalist movement. Though he does not discount the "plots and plans" of the corporate lobby, American neo-conservatives free market liberals, which are "hardly secret", he criticises the tendency of many anti-capitalists to be attracted to "warm conspiracies" which "generate a personal enemy with a human face who can be challenged". Instead, he wishes to address the "structural element" of capitalism, drawing on the critical realist philosophy of Roy Bhaskar, who suggests that "invisible structures", like capitalism and language, shape society but can themselves be changed by human activity. This means that "the conspirators construct, where they are successful, new structures, but as capitalists they are themselves bearers of deeper structural imperatives to exploit labour, subjectivity and the earth"^[3]. This article lists ideologies opposed to capitalism and describes them briefly. ... A multinational corporation (MNC) is a corporation or enterprise that manages production establishments or delivers services in at least two countries. ... Neoconservatism describes several distinct political ideologies which are considered new forms of conservatism. ... This article lists ideologies opposed to capitalism and describes them briefly. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... In the philosophy of perception, critical realism is the theory that some of our sense-data (for example, those of primary qualities) can and do accurately represent external objects, properties, and events, while other of our sense-data (for example, those of secondary qualities and perceptual illusions) do not accurately... Ram Roy Bhaskar (born May 15, 1944) is a British philosopher, best known as a significant proponent of the philosophical movement of Critical Realism (For comparison, Bernard Lonergan, born in 1904, is another critical-realist). ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ...

Stating that "history does not march to a predictable narrative", Wall criticises the determinism of some Marxists, on the one hand, who promote "hyperglobalisation" in an attempt to move the world closer to the apparently inevitable socialist order, and, on other hand, subsistence ecofeminists, who look to turn to clock back to the time of peasant societies. He rejects productivism in favour of "in different contexts economic arrangements that fulfil need equitably, develop humanity, sustain ecosystems and lead to cooperation"^[3]. Marxism is both the theory and the political practice (that is, the praxis) derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ... Globalization is a term used to describe the changes in societies and the world economy that are the result of dramatically increased trade and cultural exchange. ... Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community[1] for the purposes of increasing social and economic equality and cooperation. ... Ecofeminism is a minor social and political movement which unites environmentalism and feminism[1], with some currents linking deep ecology and feminism. ... Productivism is the (purported) ideology that measurable economic productivity and growth is the purpose of human organization and perhaps the purpose of life itself. ...

Propositions

Wall first suggests "embedded markets", embedded in society, with "state provision decentralised", as a first step to adapt capitalism. He cites the example of the Indian adivasis, who regained the land they originally inhabited and sold tea via the Fair Trade system. Here, Wall argues that "social preference rather than profit maximisation socialised economic activity". He welcomes the movements in Argentina that have seen workers occupy and reopen bankrupt factories. He applauds the work done on creating a "decentralised, socialist economy" in Cuba and Venezuela. Also, he is encouraged by the growth in Green consumerism, noting that "we cannot shop or work our way to utopia, but such projects ease present ills and point roughly to a different future"^[3]. For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... Ādivāsīs (आदिवासी), literally original inhabitants, comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India. ... For other uses, see Fair trade (disambiguation). ...

Taking on the work of Marx on the distinction between use-values and exchange-values, Wall stresses that "exchange values must be rejected", so that "economics can be bent towards serving the needs of humanity and nature rather than its own violent abstract growth". This means building things to last and sharing resources: he advocates the increased use of libraries, permaculture and the localisation of economies where possible. He highlights the Rastafarian notion of 'Ital', a form of localism in which "what is sacred is what comes from the earth and is grown locally", and where localism and internationalism are mixed "without building walls between sects" in what Wall calls a "worldwide rooted cosmopolitanism"^[3]. Marxism is both the theory and the political practice (that is, the praxis) derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ... In Marxian political economy, any commodity, i. ... In Marxian political economy, exchange value refers to one of three major aspects of a commodity, i. ... Permaculture Mandala summarising the ethics and principles of permaculture design. ... Localism usually describes social measures or trends which emphasise or value local and small-scale phenomena. ... Haile Selassie I The Rastafari movement, or Rasta, is a cultural value system that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as God incarnate, whom they call Jah. ... I-tal or ital means Vital. ... Localism usually describes social measures or trends which emphasise or value local and small-scale phenomena. ... Localism usually describes social measures or trends which emphasise or value local and small-scale phenomena. ... Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation between nations for the benefit of all. ...

Nonetheless, Wall envisages as the ultimate aim the rolling back of both the market and the state. To this end, he wishes to "defend, extend and deepen" the commons against enclosure as a way of giving people back their means of production. He believes that the extension of the commons provides the best model for consensus-based social and ecological management and sharing. In the same vein, Wall supports Open Source Software as one of the "new commons regimes... created with technological and social change", one which "is a stunning example of how both the market and the state can be bypassed by cooperative creativity". "Marx", he quips, "would have been a Firefox user"^[3]. In England and Wales, a common is a piece of land over which other people -- often neighbouring landowners -- could exercise one of a number of traditional rights, such as allowing their cattle to graze upon it. ... For other uses, see Enclosure (disambiguation). ... In England and Wales, a common is a piece of land over which other people -- often neighbouring landowners -- could exercise one of a number of traditional rights, such as allowing their cattle to graze upon it. ... Open source software is computer software which source code is available under a license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that meets the Open_source_definition. ... Firefox may refer to: Firefox (novel), written by Craig Thomas, published in 1978 Firefox (film), the 1982 movie starring Clint Eastwood, based on the novel Firefox (arcade game), the laserdisc arcade game based on the movie Mozilla Firefox, a web browser The Red Fox or the Red Panda, based on...

Non-Violent Direct Action

Wall stresses the importance of combining electoral politics and non-violent direct action to affect change. Babylon and Beyond focuses heavily on unique and creative expressions of anti-capitalist economics and protest, and Wall tells protestors "to keep making noise"^[3]. He has cultivated ties with African-American and Afro-Caribbean Green activists and takes a strong interest in the controversial Pennsylvania-based African-American organisation MOVE. From 1995, he helped develop a British-based campaign to free US death row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal^[1]. Nonviolence (or non-violence), whether held as a moral philosophy or only employed as an action strategy, rejects the use of physical violence in efforts to attain social, economic or political change. ... For the Canadian urban guerrilla group Direct Action, see Squamish Five. ... This article lists ideologies opposed to capitalism and describes them briefly. ... Environmentalism is activism aimed at improving the environment, particularly nature. ... This article is about the organization. ... Mumia Abu-Jamal (IPA: ); (born Wesley Cook on April 24, 1954) is a former Black Panther Party activist, cab driver, author, and journalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, convicted for the murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981. ...

Zen

Wall practices zazen and is influenced by spirituality through "pursuing a pagan appreciation of the living world in a variety of ways"^[1]. In Babylon and Beyond, he argues that Zen acts as a guard against utopianism as it "is based on being in the world rather than escaping from it". He also links anti-capitalism and Zen, stating, based on the work of anthropologist and economist Marshall Sahlins, that "Zen minimises need and provides an alternative road to affluence"^[3]. Kodo Sawaki practicing zazen Zazen (坐禅) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. ... For other uses, see Zen (disambiguation). ... This article lists ideologies opposed to capitalism and describes them briefly. ... For other uses, see Zen (disambiguation). ... Marshall Sahlins (born 1930) is a prominent American anthropologist. ...

Quotes

• How to be green? Many people have asked us this important question. It's really very simple and requires no expert knowledge or complex skills. Here's the answer. Consume less. Share more. Enjoy life.^[11]
• At present cats have more purchasing power and influence than the poor of this planet. Accidents of geography and colonial history should no longer determine who gets the fish. ^[12]
• This will be a long fight and anti-capitalism may fail. Nevertheless, at the very worst, even in failure we might succeed in bearing witness to the pathological absurdities of a world where money makes human beings and the rest of nature a means rather than an end.^[3]

References

Bibliography

• Wall, Derek, Getting There: Steps Towards a Green Society, 1990. ISBN 1-85425-034-5
• Kemp, Penny and Wall, Derek, A Green Manifesto for the 1990s, 1990. ISBN 0-14-013272-4
• Wall, Derek, Green History: A Reader in Environmental Literature, Philosophy, and Politics, 1994. ISBN 0-203-41013-0
• Wall, Derek, Weaving a Bower Against Endless Night: An Illustrated History of the Green Party, 1994. ISBN 1-873557-08-6
• Wall, Derek, Earth First! and the Anti-Roads Movement: Radical Environmentalism and Comparative Social Movements, 2002. ISBN 0-203-26346-4
• Wall, Derek, Babylon and Beyond: The Economics of Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Globalist and Radical Green Movements, 2005. ISBN 0-7453-2390-1

See Also

• Green Left (Green Party of England and Wales)
• Red Pepper
• Mumia Abu-Jamal
• Zazen

Green Left is an anti-capitalist and eco-socialist group within the Green Party of England and Wales. ... Red pepper may refer to: Capsicum, whose fruit is used as a vegetable or spice The ripe form of black peppercorns Red Pepper (newspaper), in Uganda Red Pepper (magazine), in the United Kingdom Red pepper (newspaper style magazine), a United States satire publication Red Pepper (acappella group), Australian rock/acappella... Mumia Abu-Jamal (IPA: ); (born Wesley Cook on April 24, 1954) is a former Black Panther Party activist, cab driver, author, and journalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, convicted for the murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981. ... Kodo Sawaki practicing zazen Zazen (坐禅) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. ...

External Links

• Another Green World: Derek Wall's Green Blog
• Derek Wall's Books on Amazon.co.uk
• Derek Wall's Green Party Page
• Red Pepper Article, "The Future is Geek": Derek Wall Hails the Open Source Revolutionaries
• Guardian Unlimited Politics Special Reports, "The Leadership Question Is A Cop-Out": Derek Wall, an economics lecturer, is challenging to become the Green party's new principal speaker at its conference in Lancaster
• Canadian Journal of Sociology Online Review of Babylon and Beyond
• Activists Must Be Amphibians: A Review of Derek Wall's Babylon and Beyond
• Socialist Unity Network Interview with Derek Wall
• Weekly Worker Interview with Derek Wall: Going back to Marx