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ECOLOGY OF EVERYDAY LIFE
dialogue, the intricate mediations of self-consciousness and consideration for
others, requires and nurtures a highly differentiated tody politic’, a body of
citizens capable of thinking for themselves. In turn, the idea of direct
democracy draws from the principle of development by encouraging members
to cultivate their abilities to discuss and debate with others in a collaborative
decision making process. Through the process of participating in a direct
democracy, members develop both the capacity for self-knowledge and the
maturity to critically consider the perspectives of others as well.
In contrast, a representational democracy (really, a contradiction of
terms) reduces dimensions of mutualism, social complexity, and development.
Countering the principal of mutualism, a representational democracy reduces
citizens to individual voters or separate ‘constituencies’ who back particular
representatives, depriving them of the opportunity to work cooperatively to
make policy that provides for a common good. While direct democracy offers
a rich process of discussion and debate that engages a wide range of complex
social issues, a representational democracy opposes the principle of social
differentiation by reducing social issues to campaign slogans and ‘platforms’
which simplify social and political issues to appeal to the lowest common
denominator. Finally, a representational democracy goes against the principle
of development by centralizing not only decision-making power, but also by
depriving citizens the opportunity to develop their abilities to think, speak,
write, and debate about public issues that determine their very own lives.
We can apply the same principles to a discussion of economics as well.
The practice of a directly democratic economy, or a moral economy fosters
social complexity.1^ According to Bookchin, a moral economy is based on the
principle of mutualism as goods are produced and distributed democratically
according to needs and abilities of all members of a community. Fostering
relationships based on interdependence and complementarity,
a moral
economy allows communities to try to minimize, rather than enhance,
disparities of wealth or privilege that could otherwise emerge from physical
differences and abilities. The practice of complementing individual need with
the abilities of the community allows for ever greater degrees of participation,
freedom, choice, and subjectivity by all, for all.
A moral economy is in accordance with the principle of social
differentiation and complexity as community members reflect upon, discuss,
and decide how to provide for a common good. The rich social relationships
that emerge as community members provide collectively for their own needs
and desires opens up ever new avenues for the development of creativity,
sek-determination, and cooperation. Free of the constraints of a market
economy that requires workers to stunt their own development by spending
die majority of their lives engaged in alienated labor, a cooperative moral