Kevin Mackay - Radical Transformation: Oligarchy, Collapse, and the Crisis of Civilization

praise for

Radical Transformation

Kevin MacKay forges an inspiring and empowering repertoire of new ways to think and act collectively to defend our social and ecological life systems. Radical Transformation offers an honest, fresh perspective on the most pressing question of our time: how ordinary people working together on the basis of solidarity, cooperation, and direct action can rescue the future from the destructive systems and corrupt oligarchs that threaten it. MacKays arguments deserve a wide audience and a lively debate.

Stephen DArcy, associate professor of philosophy, Huron University College, author of Languages of the Unheard: Why Militant Protest is Good for Democracy

Kevin MacKay has produced an eyes-wide-open account of our civilizational crisis. With rare honesty and integrity, his Radical Transformation embodies a radicalism in the best sense of going to the root of the matter and its implications for our embattled species. MacKay moves effortlessly from the local to the universal and back again to tease out our human foibles and possibilities. A cri de ceour for sense and sanity in the face of the bulldozers of mindless growth.

Richard Swift, author of SOS: Alternatives to Capitalism

Radical Transformation provides a lucid overview of a central issue of our times: the potential collapse of industrial civilization and the political changes needed to avoid it. Kevin McKay argues convincingly that an egalitarian, democratic political culture, which reigned for much of human history, is a prerequisite for avoiding cataclysm. Read this important book and join the movements working for radical transformation.

Yves Engler, co-author of Stop Signs: Cars and Capitalism on the Road to Economic, Social and Ecological Decay

Techno-industrial society is in a perilous state of ecological overshoot and decaying social order but seems paralyzed to inaction. Fatal implosion seems inevitable. Kevin MacKay traces this conundrum to a drearily repeating historical cycle in which economic and political elites establish oligarchic control of moral authority. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens conspire in their own demise through misplaced fealty to the hegemonic powers that rule them. In a gut-wrenching analysis of this Death Systems pathology and consequences MacKay shows why mere reform is no remedy any real solution resides in societys radical transformation. The question is whether modern society is already too far gone to reinvent itself. Let the reader ponder the odds that we can yet establish an eco-centric social democracy a Life System that truly reflects humanitys unique high intelligence, moral vision, and cooperative nature.

William E. Rees, PhD, FFSC, human ecologist, originator of the Ecological Footprint concept and professor emeritus of planning and ecological economics, University of British Columbia

Radical Transformation is a brilliant, provocative book. It argues that todays Death System of oligarchic power is promoting global economic and ecosystem collapse. Before it is too late, Kevin MacKay calls on us to create a new System of Life based on cooperative, moral communities and a genuinely democratic, socialist, and ecological politics. This book can play an important part in helping to make this alternative politics of life and hope a reality.

Don Wells, professor emeritus of labour studies and political science, McMaster University

In its power to reframe our contemporary problems borrowing from left analysis, for example, while helping us to see through a simplistic left-right dichotomy Kevin MacKays extremely thoughtful book helps us discern what Life System revolutionaries are and how they can recognize the path they must take.

Dr. Graeme MacQueen, author of The 2001 Anthrax Deception

Oligarchy, Collapse, and the
Crisis of Civilization

Kevin MacKay

Between the Lines

Toronto

Radical Transformation: Oligarchy, Collapse, and the Crisis of Civilization

2017 Kevin MacKay

First published in Canada in 2017 by

Between the Lines

401 Richmond St. W., Studio 281

Toronto, Ontario M5V 3A8

1-800-718-7201

www.btlbooks.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be photocopied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of Between the Lines, or (for photocopying in Canada only) Access Copyright, 56 Wellesley Street West, Suite 320, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2S3.

Every reasonable effort has been made to identify copyright holders. Between the Lines would be pleased to have any errors or omissions brought to its attention.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

MacKay, Kevin, 1972, author

Radical transformation: oligarchy, collapse, and the crisis of civilization / Kevin MacKay.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-1-77113-260-2 (softcover). ISBN 978-1-77113-261-9 (ePub). ISBN 978-1-77113-262-6 (PDF)

1. Social change. 2. Social history. 3. Democracy. 4. Oligarchy. 5. Civilization. I. Title.

Cover design by Jennifer Tiberio

Cover image YouWorkForThem/RuleByArt

Text design and page preparation by Steve Izma

We acknowledge for their financial support of our publishing activities the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout this country, and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Arts Council, the Ontario Book Publishers Tax Credit program, and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.

This book would not have been possible without the insight, support, and contributions of many people.

A number of friends provided both encouragement and critical feedback on early drafts. Dr. Graeme MacQueen, Dr. Jolen Beccaria, Leanne Forsythe, and Martyn Kendrick all helped shape the first version of Radical Transformation and spurred the project onward at its inception. Their patience and generosity in reading early chapter drafts were invaluable.

Matt Adams and Amanda Crocker at Between the Lines took a chance on an ambitious book and gave critical and helpful direction during the editing process. Mary Newberry provided excellent editorial suggestions that strengthened the manuscript and clarified my arguments. Her firm, yet collaborative editorial hand helped make this a much better book.

My comrades and colleagues in labour and social movements have helped me understand civilizations crisis and provided me countless inspiring examples of how this challenge might be met. My fellow executive at OPSEU Local 240 Geoff Oncercin-Bourne, Heather Giardine-Tuck, Gaspare Bonomo, and Mary Allen continually demonstrate what principled social unionism can accomplish.

Co-workers and sustainers in the Sky Dragon Community Development Co-operative Dan Smith, Marg Ann Roorda, Don Wells, Graeme MacQueen, Rashne Baetz, Philippa Tattersal, Lauren Olson, Karen Burson, Todd Bulmer, Susan Moore, Dana Fisher, Mark Ellerker, Ray Cunnington, Tom Bernacki, Dave Gould, Gordon Odegaard, Steven Lake, George and Lenore Sorger, Don MacLean, Dean Carriere, Irina Aoucheva, Caroline Fram, Javad Khansalar, Gordon Guyatt, Trish Beddows, Ed Mallon, Simon DeAbreau, Melanie Skene, and Sandra Preston have taught me that radically transformative models of economy and community can be practically realized.