Having promoted a steady state revolution in Shoveling Fuel for a Runaway
Train, a revolution in which the liquidating class is proactively
castigated by the steady state class, I can empathize with the ELF. I
suspect that posterity will appreciate ELF’s actions much more than they
appreciate the liquidators’. On the other hand, the ELF actions were
illegal and, if our Constitution is still working, legality is correlated
with democracy. These ELFers are the rogue and vandalous steady staters
I mentioned in Shoveling Fuel.
To me, one of the biggest questions is: Are vandalous and other illegal
acts required to precipitate the steady state revolution? If not, ELF
was "wrong" (with "right" being equated with sustainability). The
ethical dilemma is that we don’t know the answer, so that risk (i.e., of
an ecological and economic trainwreck) aversion tends to let ELF off the
hook.
Brian Czech
www.steadystate.org
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