‘Deep Green Resistance’ — how not to build a movement

I disagree with this negative review of Deep Green Resistance, not only in the conclusion, but in the lacking of actual information to back up your opinion in this review. First of all, you say that the "strategy and tactics advocated in this book are a path to certain defeat". I read the book and I found a detailed discussion of strategies and tactics that have worked in the past, this book is a perfect introduction into the history of successful resistance. In this article of yours, you don't mention any tactic or strategy that might be a better option. What do you suggest instead? It seems that you lean towards a mass movement, but after learning about historical struggles I have to agree with the authors that a mass movement isn't likely nor do we have time to waste waiting for one (that doesn't mean it isn't preferable, even the authors admit that a mass movement would be preferred). You call this an "elitist" strategy and yet this book is supportive of oppressed people, I don't understand why you use the word "elitist". This is the opposite of what Derrick Jensen says about needing it all. I understood the Deep Green Resistance to apply to anyone who cares about the planet. When I think of elite I think of those with the most privilege and the most to lose when industrial civilization crashes, and it is going to crash one way or another eventually. If we wait for it to crash on its own, will we have a livable planet left? A big flaw in your argument is this," If even partially successful, the social and economic chaos caused by such a campaign would be felt most severely by the poor and oppressed." I have to disagree here. If industrial civilization stopped taking "resources" from many of the poorest in the world ,especially those who still remember traditional ways of living, they would immediately be able to go back to their land (if it isn't too far damaged) and grow or collect their own food. In my opinion it is the privileged ones like most of us living in the U.S., who will suffer the most when civilization crashes. Does that justify the continuing oppression to people in other lands? In most places of the world, the poor will benefit the most from taking this system down, since the system keeps them in poverty. It is those with the most who in the end will lose the most. I am not denying that people will suffer when this destructive way of life comes to an end, but I also know that this way of life can't continue indefinitely. Suffering for humanity is in the future whether we follow the advice in Deep Green Resistance or continue on with industrial civilization and all its benefits for those with privilege. All of us will suffer, and those with the most degraded/overpopulated land will suffer the most, not the poor. I agree with the authors, the sooner industrial civilization is stopped, the less the suffering will be. Every day we wait more land is destroyed, more rivers and are polluted and more living beings are gone forever. "Decisive Ecological Warfare is pure fantasy"? It has been done before, and as for it being a fantasy, I'm sure those in power would be happy if we believed it to be a fantasy. How is fighting back a "favorable result" for those in power? History says we can win, even if the chances are low. If we do nothing we have already lost by default. And finally...how does this article help? Why not write articles about how to build that mass movement you mentioned? Why not spend time "working to build an effective counter-power by educating and organising the oppressed"? We need it all, these are great ideas, please implement them. It doesn't help when people who should be allies are wasting energy in horizontal hostility. Why not spend your energy working together, even if you disagree with the method? It seems to me that you agree about the goal, stopping industrial civilization from destroying the planet. Does it matter that different groups have different methods? Why not work towards the goal instead of criticizing the methods others are using? At least can you suggest another path? I see no one else suggesting a better way to save the planet. I'm wondering if you are instead happy to be living a life of privilege and truly don't want to stop this culture that is destroying our world. I am also privileged as I sit here typing on my computer, but I am ready any moment to toss out all these gadgets when the power is turned off forever, even though I know it will be a struggle for those of us with privilege. We should be preparing for those days instead of trying to prevent it. I certainly won't be criticizing anyone who is trying to take down the system. I will support them (or at least stay silent), even if I disagree with their methods. One thing I won't support however, is horizontal hostility, and that is what this article is. Deep Green Resistance is an excellent book, for getting a basic political education and for learning the basics of resistance. There is much to learn from this book.

"Decisive Ecological Warfare" is a puerile fantasy. Where has this kind of tactic worked before? There is a world, mass movement against neoliberalism, against ecocide. It's not homogeneous, and its very weak in some countries - especially wealthy imperialist nations. That doesn't excuse these people writing off the struggles of the world's poor. And posturing about eco-warfare is only likely to get you locked up. Remember the Weather Underground, SLA, RAF, Red Brigades? It's been tried and it was a stupid waste of activists, at best.

DGR is basically a Leninist model of intellectual elites that organize along cadre lines. It is a personality cult built around its intellectual heads who provide all strategy and philosophy to the cadre members. Because it is so centered on the leading personalities loyalty is especially promoted in DGR, that is, as loyalty to the central leadership and DGR in general. The military organization advanced by DGR is an authoritarian hierarchy that reflects their organization as a whole and is itself based on elite 'special forces' carrying out high level sabotage attacks. DGR cadre members can't even answer how decisions are made in the group, and least not publicly. And despite a policy of not collaborating or talking to law enforcement, Jensen himself called the FBI after he received death threats presumably from right-wing extremists pissed at his call for CEOs to be assassinated. He's an opportunist and a whiner. Unfortunately DGR will be cycling through quite a few young, naive student types (their main recruits, probly due to the intellectual elitism of DGR).