u/Tortured_Poet_2001

sudanese coptics have the funniest names wdym your name is كريستينا عوض

Sudan has a unique and rich environmental landscape that varies from one region to another. The same goes for its natural resources. Despite that, poverty, social inequality, low access to basic education and healthcare remained a huge problem in the development of Sudan throughout the years. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that the extreme poverty in Sudan could rise to 60% due to the ongoing war [1]. The average monthly income per capita ranges between 85,000 to 150,000 SDGs (Roughly 140 - 250 USDs) according to the Global Wage and Income Data estimates [2].

So, what exactly is Ecosocialism, and can it work in the context of Sudan?

Ecosocialism is a political and economical system that puts the wellbeing and welfare of both humans and the environment before anything else. It’s a vision beyond the existing capitalist market system [3]. In an ecosocialist society, production is driven by human need, not capital. This system calls for the emancipation of both human beings and the environment from the grip of capitalism. Ecosocialism also takes into account: imperialism, colonialism, racism, feminism, working class struggles, regional and equitable development, and other important - often neglected - socioeconomic factors.

Some may argue that such a system is utopian and impossible to build. That’s exactly how the current system of the world wants people to think. It wants people to believe that it’s irreplaceable, and this is “the end of history” as Frances Fukuyama said in his book with the same title. It’s not impossible. But it’s not easy either. Capitalism did not emerge out of nowhere. It came as an evolutionary result of the feudalism that existed between the 16th and 18th century in Europe [4]. And it’s a system built fundamentally on the exploitation of workers and the environment. Capitalism views workers as commodities, not human beings. Their value comes from the work they do. It views the environment in the same way; a place for exploitation, not coexisting and mutual beneficence with humans.

This is very evident in Sudan. The vast majority of the people can’t afford basic human needs (shelter, quality food, education, and access to healthcare). Since its independence in 1956, Sudan did not have one uniform economic model. Instead, different governments, both democratic and authoritarian, implemented different economic systems and policies, ranging from a brief episode of socialism (as in the case of Ja’afar Nimery) to the free market economy (late 80s and till now). Poverty, wealth inequality, low access to basic education and healthcare remained a huge problem and has increased over the years. Because no proper socioeconomic planning has been made, in addition to great internal and external political and economic pressures. Economic policies were made and then stopped according to the political directions of the existing government, without taking into consideration the socioeconomic implications of these policies based on comprehensive and holistic data. For example, when the government lifted subsidies on fuel and other basic goods in 2013 this led to large scale anti-government protests in different areas of Sudan [5].

Back to the important question, can ecosocialism work in Sudan? The simple answer is yes. The transformation from free market economy to a state planned one is not going to be an easy process, and it will be met with huge resistance, mainly from the capitalists and oligarchs. But again, it’s not impossible. Radical change is not impossible. It will need many years, if not decades. To ensure that this is what the majority of people want, it must be put into debate. It must be discussed, and people’s opinions must be taken into account. With the ongoing war, this is difficult. The current political sphere is disrupted. What we can do now is educate ourselves and spread awareness as much as we can. Assembling ourselves into groups is another way that serves the cause. We, the people, are the only ones who can, and must decide our future. We can no longer let the few control our lives. We must resist.