Who owns the sea? For centuries, this would have been a strange question. But in the past half century, the sea has been subject to the greatest capitalist enclosure in history. Although the sea covers 71% of the world’s surface and hosts two-thirds of all species, we have a Green politics, but not a Blue. The results have been ecologically and economically catastrophic. Guy Standing presented a progressive strategy that would revive the blue commons, reverse environmental decay and reduce inequalities while giving commoners basic economic security. It hinges on the creation of a Blue Commons Capital Fund, a democratic variant of a sovereign wealth fund. Standing urges all progressives, broadly defined, to remember that, ever since Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest of 1217, transformational politics has been about recovering, defending, and enhancing the commons.
The webinar, hosted by the University of Maine, took place Thursday April 13, 2023 12:30-1:45 p.m. EDT. For the recording link click here.
