feminist issue: we oppose it world, often peasant farmers, would continue to have large families - and that is their there is an optimum size for their family in order to have enough labour to sustain themselves. Socialist feminists have also supported the right to autonomous organisation. The usefulness of this approach can be seen through the example of the experience of black women in the 1980s. While they recognised and suffered from the sexism of black men, they also had to deal with the racism suffered by both sexes. They needed to work out a way to deal with the complex interrelation of these different oppressions, to decide which one they wanted to raise, when and with whom. The only way to do this successfully was to meet autonomously, without the pressure of other white women arguing that sexism was the priority, or black men arguing that racism was more important. This right also applies to the oppressed in the developing world. It is not up to us in the rich world to subsistence what to do. There is also a problem with rights, women of the developing right. Why? Because they know tell those living in poverty or at
19 the argument that 'we are running out of resources' This is a highly contentious statement just as is the UN projection of population growth over the next decades. It is true that so-called peak oil is being reached but socialists condemn the profligate use of resources that is characteristic of the capitalist system. We demand a whole different approach to production and resource use that prioritises use value rather than production for profit. We also demand investment and development of alternative energy supplies such as solar and wind power. In any case just like the distribution of food across the globe, the west consumes far more than it needs. It is a question of overcoming poverty and demanding fairer distribution of resources, not arguing that they are running out. The issue of population growth is, in my opinion, a diversion from much more important problems. Overcoming poverty something ecosocialists should be concerned with, but not by arguing there are too many people, nor by telling them what to do. We support struggles for greater equality in countries run by authoritarian governments, but leave it to them to decide how to fight the problem. In the same way it is our responsibility to demand of our governments they support development of alternative energy supplies in those areas of the world that are suffering from the impact of climate change such as Bangladesh - climate change which was created by the west in the first Lastly I think this debate gives ecosocialism a bad name. The linking of the two concepts means we look for socialist solutions to the environmental crisis rather than looking to right-wing answers that pose population rather than capitalism as the problem.