What is Caracol?
We educate, exemplify, and advocate for internationalist, ecosocialist degrowth principles within the Democratic Socialists of America, as well as advocate DSA as an effective vehicle for achieving democratic, internationalist, ecosocialist degrowth in the U.S., in order to usher in an era of post-capitalist, post- growth ecology whereby everyone’s material needs are met and everyone has the leisure to enjoy friends, family, nature, and their passions — all while living within the planet’s means.
Caracol’s Theory Of Change:
Caracol DSA develops strong political education and guides for action aligned with degrowth principles, so that degrowth can become a dominant tendency within DSA. If DSA as a whole is successful in building a mass working class through labor, tenant, electoral, and other organizing, then DSA can shift national policy & social consciousness in line with its commitments to degrowth.
Outcomes/Our Goals: What preconditions need to be in place for our TOC to be realized?
Reduce material and energy throughput
Reduce the material and energy throughput (production, consumption, and waste) of the Global North, globally wealthy individuals, and capitalist class so that ecosystems can recover; and the Global South has the ecological space to grow its energy and material use for the satisfaction of human needs.
Redistribute resources and wealth
Redistribute resources and wealth within and between countries, from the wealthy and capitalist classes to the working class in payment of climate reparations; to fortify societies against worsening climate impacts; to increase quality of life, well-being, health, and human flourishing through universal public services and green infrastructure; to reduce the purchasing power and consumption among the rich who are most responsible for ecological overshoot; and to shift from private luxury to public abundance and sufficiency.
Increase and Improve free time
Increase and improve the working class’s free time to achieve greater health and human development, including better actualization of our physical, intellectual, artistic, scientific, and social potential.
Keep temperature low
Maximize humanity’s chances of keeping global heating within 1.5 degrees Celsius (C) — not 2C — above pre-industrial levels.
Just transition
Transition equitably from a fossil fuel- based, growth-dependent capitalist economy to a regenerative, steady-state, ecosocialist one.
Decolonize
Decolonize our growth-indoctrinated imaginaries to redefine prosperity not just in quantitative material but also qualitative terms.
Inputs/What we do: What has to be in place for the above outcomes to be achieved?
C A M P A I G N
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- Campaign for a radical Green New Deal—without growth.
- Campaign for internationalist and decolonial alternatives to imperialism and extractivism
- Campaign for decommodified, universal basic services & goods
- Build power with working class formations, environmental/social justice advocates, and political leaders
- Campaign for expanded and empowered democratic practices and public forums
Build Power
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- Develop and disseminate tools for politicizing growth imperative in organizing: policy docket, replicable campaigns, modular toolkits for diverse interventions (home, community, work, & play)
- Seek and collaborate with existing formations, campaigns, & projects, both within DSA and outside, to strengthen them in degrowth aligned directions
- Empower caucus members to pursue key roles in local and other DSA formations (ex. GND working group)
- Endorse, support, and seek candidates and proposals for DSA elections that understand and are aligned with degrowth ecosocialist principles
- Seek out, develop, and collaborate with degrowth aligned electoral campaigns
Raise
Consciousness
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- Produce socialist analysis from a degrowth perspective
- Highlight degrowth’s relevance through relating analysis, program, and vision to current events and culture
- Amplify “degrowth intersections” (anti colonial/ anti-imperialist thought, ecofeminism, anti-racism, economic democracy & labor movement)
- Develop and utilize effective communications style that foregrounds new imaginaries and avoids austerity conflations
- Develop messaging and campaigns centering or otherwise incorporating degrowth ideas, policies, and approaches for building working-class power
- Produce analysis and messaging that embraces just and effective technologies, but are not derailed and coopted by greenwashing and techno- optimism
Build and
Sustain Capacity
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- Conduct political education within DSA on what degrowth is and why we believe the socialist project cannot do without it
- Continually build Caucus knowledge & skill base to empower membership to be effective degrowth communicators and organizers
- Do more with less: commit to periodic strategic reviews and strong membership stewardship
- Seek and build collaborations with YDSA, local DSA chapters, & other caucuses
- Seek greater visibility and impact via collaborations with aligned groups outside of DSA (call in allies)
- Contest the idea that growth is inherently good & raise social consciousness for a post-growth paradigm shift
Caracol DSA 