Crossroads in Alberta: Climate Capitalism or Ecological Democracy

This paper situates the current political moment in Alberta, Canada, within a broader analysis of the global crisis of fossil capitalism. Alberta’s political economy and ecology are deeply riven by the conflict between its heavy dependence for revenue and employment on the exportation of fossil fuels, on the one hand, and the multiple harms, risks, and forms of opposition to this development model, on the other hand. With the election in May 2015 of a social democratic party, a rare window for change has opened, and much is at stake in the choices and strategies that the new government will adopt. Two potential paths –which parallel what is emerging globally--are becoming clearer:  rapid and deep decarbonisation underpinned by an equally deep democratization of citizenship and societal-decision making (ecological democracy), or a “climate capitalist” project to prolong the carbon extractive model.

The Chilean Left and the Question of Democratic Transition

SUMMARY This article focuses on the evolving gradualist strategies of the left opposition in Chile, and their possible outcomes. It examines the influences on the divergent Chilean tendencies of the lessons drawn from the Unidad Popular experience, the ‘historic compromise’ variant of Eurocommunism, and the revolutionary movements of Central America. RESUMEN La izquierda chilena y la cuestión de la transición democrática Este artículo se concentra en las estrategias gradualistas que se desarrollan en la oposición izquierdista chilena y sus posibles resultados. Examina las influencias de las lecciones derivadas de la experiencia de la Unidad Popular, el ‘compromiso histórico’ variante del eurocomunismo y los movimientos revolucionarios centroamericanos, en las tendencias divergentes chilenas. SOMMAIRE La gauche Chilienne et la question de la transition démocratique. Cet article se concentre sur les stratégies gradualistes en évolution de l'opposition de Gauche au Chili, et leurs résultats. Il examine les influences sur les tendances divergentes chiliennes de leçons tirées de l'experience ‘unidad Popular’ (unité Populaire), le ‘compromis Historique’, variation de l'Eurocommunisme, et des mouvements révolutionnaires d'Amérique Centrale