We live in a time of immense inequality, ecological degradation, and economic turmoil. Simultaneously, a growing number of movements are protesting injustice, fighting environmental destruction and toppling repressive regimes. We think it is time to turn our movements into a force for fundamental changes, and contribute by publishing articles and books on the following issues...

Direct and participatory democracy

As the gap between the rich and poor continues to grow, so does the mistrust of elected officials and political parties by the people increase. Representative “democracy” has failed to serve the interests of the people and instead finds itself in the service of corporations, banks, and financial elites. New Compass will present alternatives to parliamentarism, and will look at how it is possible to use direct and participatory democracy as both a means and an end to a better future.

A democratized and moral economy

We don't accept that democracy should be reserved for narrowly defined “political” issues, but rather that it should be expanded to the economy, where the most important decisions about the well-being of both people and nature are made. Therefore, we will point to solutions for a democratic and moral economy, where ethical considerations and solidarity – and not production for the sake of accumulation – are put center stage.

Social ecology

Today, almost everyone agrees that the environmental crisis is the result of human activities. However, few people recognize how interwoven these ecological problems are in in the very fabric of our society. According to social ecology, the roots of humanity's attempt to dominate nature and extract all its resources are found in the domination and exploitation of human by humans. As long as we allow human exploitation and class divisions to exist, the exploitation of nature will continue. New Compass asserts that an ecological society has to be a liberatory society, and we will point to solutions for the environmental crisis that respects the needs for diversity, popular participation, and a human scale.

Equality in diversity

We established New Compass to counter the myth that a classless and egalitarian society is unattainable. Our movements, however, cannot be based on the maxim that “one size fits all,” but should rather revive the old principle of “to each according to need, from each according to ability.” New Compass points at an egalitarian ethics that respects the diversity of human needs, experiences, and abilities, and creates arrangements that compensate for disadvantages to ensure that everyone can participate equally and live freely in all aspects of life.

Defence of reason

We live in a time where progressive ideals like reason and freedom are threatened by a wave of spiritual and religious fundamentalism. New Compass believes that it is impossible to achieve a better world without combating ignorance and fanaticism, and we uphold the right of human beings to decide their own fate and to be free from oppression from religious or spiritual authorities.

New forms of political action

New Compass is a natural part of all struggles against oppression and exploitation – like class, feminist, queer, disability, and migrant struggles – and we present thoughts and examples on how it is possible to unite these movements into a broad-based and concerted force for social change. We point to a new type of politics that is true to the ancient meaning of the word, namely the active participation of ordinary citizens in the affairs of society. On the website and in our publications we will present communalist strategies for how create a democratic, liberatory, and ecological future – from below.

Intersted in reading more about the views of New Compass?

The Communalist Project is a comprehensive exposé of our critique of capitalist society and a new politics for the future. Communalism as Alternative further elaborates on the ideas of social ecology and libertarian municipalism, and the former purpose declaration of the Communalism journal briefly sums up the main views of this movement.