The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth

by The Red Nation, Melanie K. Yazzie (Contributor)

One-part visionary platform, one-part practical toolkit, the Red Deal is a platform that encompasses everyone, including non-Indigenous comrades and relatives who live on Indigenous land. We—Indigenous, Black and people of color, women and trans folks, migrants, and working people—did not create this disaster, but we have inherited it. We have barely a decade to turn back the tide of climate disaster. It is time to reclaim the life and destiny that has been stolen from us and rise up together to confront this challenge and build a world where all life can thrive. Only mass movements can do what the moment demands. Politicians may or may not follow--it is up to them--but we will design, build, and lead this movement with or without them.

The Red Deal is a call for action beyond the scope of the US colonial state. It’s a program for Indigenous liberation, life, and land—an affirmation that colonialism and capitalism must be overturned for this planet to be habitable for human and other-than-human relatives to live dignified lives. The Red Deal is not a response to the Green New Deal, or a “bargain” with the elite and powerful. It’s a deal with the humble people of the earth; a pact that we shall strive for peace and justice and a declaration that movements for justice must come from below and to the left.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Politics, Environment, Social Justice, History, Activism

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2021

About the author

The Red Nation is dedicated to the liberation of Native peoples from capitalism and colonialism. We center Native political agendas and struggles through direct action, advocacy, mobilization, and education.

We are a coalition of Native and non-Native activists, educators, students, and community organizers advocating Native liberation. We formed to address the marginalization and invisibility of Native struggles within mainstream social justice organizing, and to foreground the targeted destruction and violence towards Native life and land.

Reviews

[The Conspiracy is Capitalism · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decolonization or Extinction…

Preamble:
--The “Green New Deal” is such a basic step in our dire situation: hey, let's...
i) Mobilize social expectations and hoarded wealth (currently used for financial speculation, creating gentrifying booms and rust belts/opioid crises busts)
ii) And use it to prevent the worst of the climate/ecological crises, while providing long-term, community-centered employment.
--We can deal with denialism elsewhere. There will always be flat-Earthers; when oil companies (Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming) and the US military (All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon's Perspective on Climate Change) have been well-aware and planning for climate crisis, the greater concern is eco-fascism (Too Many People?: Population, Immigration, and the Environmental Crisis).
--The “Red Deal” (a brief 144-pages intro) challenges Western “Green New Deal” framing by demonstrating that radical indigenous demands (synthesizing those in settler colonies + Global South anti-imperialism) are so far ahead of compromised Western progressives groveling at the feet of liberal markets/technocracy, ex. Bill Gates (How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need), his favourite author Vaclav Smil (How the World Really Works: A Scientist's Guide to Our Past, Present and Future), etc.
...Perhaps instead of succumbing to global colonization's collapse, we might finally allow these indigenous voices to take the lead.

Highlights:

1) “Climate crisis” as the result of colonialism:
--“Climate crisis” suggests an issue with natural systems, thus requiring technical solutions. The Red Deal connects climate/ecological crises to the logic of colonization, which rejects diplomatic relationships (ex. original treaties, esp. based on indigenous interpretations) in order to render other humans and the Earth into colonized objects for domination (and today's sprinkle of liberal token recognition).
--Thus, settler colonialism is framed as imperialism (national policy of territorial expansion using political/economic power); prior social relations are colonized with direct force and covert private property regimes that (once combined with debt dependency) lead to selling off land, dislocation and further dependency. Under this occupation, “economic development” is constrained to selling land/resources and recreation (sport hunting/tourism).
--Decolonization requires abolition (synthesizing with the long history of anti-slavery), where divestment is expanded to include the occupying force of the Military-Prison-Industrial-Complex (MPIC). There are many deep connections with indigenous demands, from justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) and “bordertown violence” (from Frontier expansionism to today’s extraction-based man camps) to the relevance of “Just Transition” green jobs when prisons/militarized borders funnel so many of the undesired populations.
--After all, FDR's “New Deal” era to save US capitalism resulted in the “Indian New Deal” (i.e. 1934 Indian Reorganization Act), a reformist project that could not contend with the overwhelming force of capitalist colonialism (esp. displacements from the era's national energy infrastructure development plan, esp. dams, following the tradition of “energy sacrifice zones” including nuclear weapons testing). Today's Green New Deal proposals suffer similar omissions regarding land-use and input sourcing (i.e. Global South minerals; see later).

2) Capitalism vs. Social and Ecological Reproduction:
--This is a very brief work, so I have to supplement much of the critiques of/alternatives to capitalism (i.e. critical political economy)...
--Capitalism is an absolutist market society where market relations (impersonal exchange to seek personal gain) has spread beyond real commodities (goods that were traded in pre-capitalist markets) and infected into other social relations, resulting in the labour/land/money markets featuring fictitious commodities, i.e. humans/nature/purchasing power, which are not created (with a meaningful cost of production) just to buy/sell on markets.
...The value system of this market society requires market “exchange-value” ruling over “use-value” (esp. social needs). Social and ecological reproduction are not just undervalued in this regime; there is often great market value in their destruction! For more, see:
-Talking to My Daughter About the Economy: or, How Capitalism Works—and How It Fails
-Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World
-The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power
--Austerity is the norm in colonies (i.e. weak State with no economic sovereignty, thus no trade protectionism/social spending, deindustrialization, debt dependency, wage deflation, colonial tax drain, etc.) and is revisiting the Western working/middle classes with the erosion of the post-WWII welfare state compromise and the unleashing of financial capital to traverse the globe in nanoseconds:
-The Global Minotaur: America, the True Origins of the Financial Crisis and the Future of the World Economy
--With COVID, there is renewed recognition of social reproduction (“essential workers”, unpaid “care work”, “reproductive labour”: Feminism for the 99%: A Manifesto) as well as the hoarding of wealth, economic rent-seeking and the fictitious “economic health” of stock market casinos (The Bubble and Beyond).
--The Red Deal proposes a caretaking economy that would re-value the social needs of reproduction, which directly conflicts with capitalism’s market exchange-value hegemony. This requires more economic details on the abolition of capitalist property rights:
-Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present
-Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist
--Beyond social reproduction is ecological reproduction, which is where land back comes in. Indigenous caretaking of land is based on a framework of responsible relationship with other members of nature (or a readable intro: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants).
...This has become more visible with “water protectors” and “land defenders” in recent pipeline protests etc. Another component I didn't get much from this book is analysis of bargaining power, i.e. how feasible are the "recommendations", where are the high leverage points/choke points (Thinking in Systems: A Primer), what are the barriers and how much resources need to be mobilized? I like to start with a "historical materialist" lens to consider this (I have a checklist here: A People's History of the World: From the Stone Age to the New Millennium).
...We should stop and note how significant these protests are, where the Dakota Access Pipeline protests (#NoDAPL) required a huge amount of police/military resources, demonstrating how fragile imperialist violence is to coordinated resistance (speaking of the fragility of imperialism, let's not forget the “Vietnam Syndrome”).
--Now, protests alone are not enough. There needs to be concrete demands and direct action to build alternatives in order to keep the momentum. Alongside actually respecting treaties, land back strategies include land trusts (saving to buy back land) and honor taxes (for occupying use). Further exploration on this is needed...
--Bogey-man Marx: capitalism’s exchange-value results in “commodity fetishism” (social relations being obscured behind the commodity and its price), while capitalist endless accumulation (cancerous growth, colonial expansion) and speed-up (short-term returns) results in a “metabolic rift” (separation from Earth’s cyclic metabolism, i.e. ecological reproduction).
--The less-funded disciplines in liberalism’s science (ex. ecology) are slowly shedding scientific racism/human-nature dualism and recognizing the systems-thinking/reciprocity of indigenous science/technology/relations with nature. Besides climate change, numerous ecological crises are at play here.
...Prominent examples include indigenous forest management/agroforestry’s controlled fires and maintenance of watersheds. Biodiversity is key, from crop rotation to soil health to diverse seeds (ex. "A Declaration of Seed Sovereignty"). So much needs to be explored elsewhere to synthesize traditional experiences with the latest research techniques in agroecology etc. (ex. Nature's Matrix: Linking Agriculture, Conservation and Food Sovereignty). I’m also trying to gauge how all this scales in the minds of (rather liberal) technocrats in Earth Systems science (Earth System Science: A Very Short Introduction).
--Once again, ending the occupation of settler colonialism is synthesized with Global South’s anti-imperialism, i.e. “food sovereignty” of La Via Campesina and “climate debt/reparations” of People's Agreement of Cochabamba, described in the must-read A People’s Green New Deal!

[warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a great primer on Native issues from a left & anti colonial perspective ! it's written manifesto-style, so it's short, real easy to read and has lots of section demarcations. it got kinda weird when it would discuss tactics because they obviously aren't anarchist but they didn't make clear what the specific relationship with the state should be while pursuing decolonization,, but that's partially beyond the scope of this book so i get it. some parts i found most compelling and new to me were these sections:

anti-imperialism — they beautifully connect how amerikan and canadian increases in oil production through fracking and new pipelines on Native land just drive down the price of oil which Indigenous-led socialist states like venezuela rely on to provide for their people. it also talks about how even under the current progressive plans to pivot to green energy, the capitalist and imperial foundations mean that places like bolivia and the democratic republic of the congo would be plundered for metals like lithium and cobalt to build new solar tech while seeing almost no benefit. they make the links between settler colonialism and imperialism very tangible and clear

enforcement of treaty rights — they briefly describe the independent Native histories of diplomacy in north america, and how often, communities of animal life or bodies of water would be provided for as parties to treaties. treaties between tribes were not as confrontational in nature as colonial treaties are, and as such would often provide for overlapping tribal jurisdictions of land and in general sharing instead of exclusivity thru borders and citizenship. this gives context for existing treaties and how movements can use Native history to enforce a more expansive and liberatory program than the narrow ways in which settler states and courts view the treaties

bordertown violence — they talk a lot about how bordertowns (towns near/on the border of reservations with high Native and non-Native populations, often with non-Native being white oil or mine workers) are sites of increased policing, surveillance, cultural exploitation, and interpersonal settler violence against Native people. they connect it to the history of violence on the amerikan 'frontier,' and show how new pipelines and other extractive economic developments inherently bring bordertowns, and the accompanying rampant sexual, interpersonal, state, and cultural violence

no more suicides — "[high rates of Native suicide] is not an issue that can be fixed through better services or suicide-prevention campaigns. Studies show that suicide rates are lower in Native communities that have strong self-determination over land, education, health, and governance ... [we know what works:] restore dignity and Indigenous values. The only way this will happen is if everyone promotes decolonization, the return of Indigenous lands, and true self-determination for Indigenous people." (pg 93)

[Bek (MoonyReadsByStarlight) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This is mandatory reading. The situation we are facing with the climate is urgent and this outlines why Indigenous people have to be at the center of climate justice. This also discusses issues that are interconnected with climate justice, such as food insecurity, health, oppression among many axis, and more. It discusses the shortcomings of current attempts (or ideas) for how to address climate justice and why we need to move beyond them.

[Jollene · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This is a movement-document that comes from the humble people of the Earth.” — What a phenomenal text that agitates, easily communicates complex anti-capitalist theories, offers real-life organizing solutions, and is clearly written to bring more people into the movement. Every organizer should read this book.

[Gerj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with what to write here since I was drawn to this book because I wanted to understand and action the values articulated on the cover jacket. Unfortunately, this was a book that I felt didn't deliver on what it set out to do - despite my continuing hope that it would! - and I felt like I should say that. Fundamentally, for a book that proclaimed itself to be "one part visionary platform, one part practical toolkit," the amount of practical action in The Red Deal is sadly lacking.

For someone eager to get down to business in the work of decolonization, I was hoping The Red Deal would provide exactly what it said on the tin: a new way to bring Indigenous perspectives into contact with the principles and ideas found in activist work around the Green New Deal. Not only did I feel it failed in accomplishing that, but I also found myself facing three fundamental more specific disappointments at this book:

1. The level of practicality in this book (and I was working hard to be generous, given they also call it a manifesto in the introduction) is sorely wanting. In a section on 'healthy, sustainable, and abundant food,' the "actions" that they explore include a question - "what if the 30-40% of food produced in the United States that is currently wasted was given to families in need?" - and highlighting a single example of a community kitchen scheme in Missouri. While the ideas are often worthwhile, the entry points to starting to work on the proposed solutions are never clearly spelled out.

2. The book takes a strikingly and myopically American perspective. For a book that starts with a reference to Bolivia, and then touches on Indigenous activism in Canada, the book then pivots to recommendations and calls to action that are almost entirely US-centric. While these touch on elements of the United States' role in the world, this is generally only at the level of rhetoric, and when something more grounded is mentioned, it's almost always in reference to a particular thing that could happen in the US (e.g., eliminating ICE). For a book that preaches internationalism frequently, how a Canadian, Mexican, or other non-American would use these ideas is largely left up to the reader to figure out.

3. The balance of problems to solutions. Like a lot of leftist books, the vast majority of everything in this project is a description of the current vile state of various issue areas. Much of the book is a collection of visceral descriptions of boil-water notices on reserves, suicide rates for trans youth, the state of the global ecosphere, and police violence. In any given section, even in areas where we're supposed moving to ideas for action, you often get 70-80% descriptions of problems and a few vague mentions of solutions at a high level. I was frustrated by this not only for a lack of actionability but from a narrative perspective, the book really fails to paint a picture of what a joyful, thriving, decolonized society would look like on the other side. There's such a fixation on problems that one is often so defeated dealing by the end of a section that the passing mention of things that might be done fails to light a fire to carry them out. I want to be very clear that this is not a critique of talking about problems that exist - things are indeed grim - but I suspect anyone reading this book needs little convincing of what's wrong in the world. For a book supposedly offering "a profound vision" for a decolonized society, it rarely felt like we were being invited to imagine that society; rather, we were being reminded of how badly we need to leave this one.

Perhaps others will get more out of this book than I did, but ultimately, I can't really recommend it unless you are looking for (1) a broad and wide-ranging catalog of present-day misery and injustices, (2) an America-centric perspective on decolonization and social justice, and (3) an alternative (but closely related) set of principles to augment or replace your existing Green New Deal work.

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back, before Covid times, various versions of Green New Deals did the rounds. Initially driven from forces associated with Bernie Sanders’ campaign for the Democrat’s presidential candidacy, the Green New Deal evoked the image of the 1930s Democrats and Roosevelt’s depression recovery project of massive public lead reshaping of the US economy although that association weakened as other versions of approach developed elsewhere (in the UK, there was an invocation industrial democracy models and socially useful production, for instance). Other versions emerged, built on the same model of a gentler, greener capitalism intended to break the back of fossil fuel dependency (in its minimalist form) to a more comprehensive democratic socialist economy (in its greater form). It’s an inspiring model with bold aspirations.

The Red Deal goes a step further, welcoming the more expansive notion of the Green New Deal, and reminding its advocates that we’re not going to get far is we don’t also confront the colonialist basis of that extractivist world of which fossil fuels capitalism is the most elaborated form. So, read this as an extension of the Green New Deal, not a repudiation.

Written by group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous activists the programme rests on four key principles and three areas of struggle. The principles are staples of the left: ‘what creates crisis cannot solve it’ (despite the fantasies of managers), ‘change from below and to the left’, ‘politicians cannot do what only social movements can do’ and ‘from theory to action’. These are key tenets of any good social movement, working for democratic change not just as a form of governance but as a principle for how we live and work our lives.

The areas of struggle are a sign of the way this Indigenous programme orders the world. The first field of struggle – ending the occupation – links the abolition of borders and border violence, including violence around the borders of Indigenous spaces, to abolitionist activism around prisons to colonial and imperial borders and occupation. This is a sign of the comprehensive and integrated views of the world the programme builds. Similarly, the second field, calling for investment in ‘our common humanity’ links citizenship, housing, health, education, transport with food and environmental security and gender-based violence. It is, again, a richly compelling view. The third field centres on ‘our common future’ – energy, land, environmental restoration, treaty rights and so forth.

In each section, for each topic, there is a short essay (no more than a couple of thousand words) drawing out the key issues, highlighting major strands of struggle and practice, sketching a vision of how things might be. For the most part the author have sought to future proof the programme but in two or three areas, especially around treaty right, environmental and site restoration, there is a very specific set of recommendations that run the risk of limiting the usefulness of the section; this is frustrating not because of the issues raised but because it shifted the sense of the programme from a more open form of manifesto to a set of specific demands. Now, the movement needs those, but the specific focus on North American cases also has the effect of shifting away from the other North American focus as illustrative to in these cases making it exclusive.

This is however a relatively minor quibble. The Red Deal as a whole is not only an impressive decolonial extension of the Green New Deal, it also lays out an Indigenous vision of a socialist world that moves beyond the extractivist basis of much socialist model building to consider human and non-human life in a delicate balance shaped around the core principle – be a good relative. It merits revisiting and rethinking, it provides a holistic view of decolonial activism while the 20 short essays on each area of action (in those three fields) deserve reconsideration as ways to inspire us to act.

It may not be the answer, but it certainly a big part of it especially when taken alongside Marta Harnecker’s inspiring Rebulding the Left as ways to think and do.

[Zach Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great and accessible introduction to the principles of decolonization and how it relates to the crucial and urgent task of saving the planet. This wasn't an abstract theory about climate change--they gave very specific and important policies and actions that we have to take, relying on centuries of indigenous knowledge, relations to the earth, and opposition to capitalism and imperialism. I wish there was more in the last section, Heal our Planet, because it was the most clear connection between the need for decolonization and combatting climate change, but it was the smallest of the three sections. Otherwise a very valuable, short book that I recommend everyone buy and pass around their communities.

[Gabriella B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I think this book is a great primer into Indigenous leftist thought and provides a much needed perspective into leftist politics (a space overrun with white povs who are racist but I digress). My favorite part was the section on healing the plant - specifically the part about the need for food sovereignty.

But I think it misses the mark in how it calls itself a practical toolkit - there were realistically only three things the everyday person could do. Too much theory not enough praxis

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Red Deal explains in plain language how Indigenous sovereignty around the world is the singular most potent and direct challenge to imperialism, capitalism, and climate change. The US is the biggest proponent of violence in the world, tracing its present day acts of imperialism as far back as the Marshall Trilogy, which redefined native tribes from foreign nations into colonized subjects. These acts of warfare and genocide have been institutionalized into border towns, law enforcement, prisons, ICE, CPS, and other institutions that restrict the movement of Indigenous people, and their ability to challenge the colonial system in its own game. I credit The Red Nation in general for much of my political development when it comes to incorporating the United States' unique form of settler colonialism into revolutionary socialist analysis. The Red Nation is among the sources that can explain how land back is not just a moral imperative, but also compatible with revolutionary socialism and necessary for our collective liberation and survival. If you have any questions or uncertainties about the nature of land back, I would suggest starting here.

[Jacob Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two short passages from The Red Deal:

*

The Red Nation realizes we must undertake realistic and principled actions now that will help build our cumulative capacity for revolution in the future. We must not turn away from the truth: we do not yet possess the capacity for revolution, otherwise we would have seen a unified mass movement come out of the remarkable revolutionary energy of the past decade. And yet, we have very little time to get there. This is the contradiction and the duty of our generation: decolonization or extinction.

*

We believe in pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will. We remain accountable to our people and our nations. We do not have “perfect” politics. We do not believe in factionalism or rigid ideology. We can die having had the “correct positions” but having accomplished nothing and freed no one. The desire to be “right” or “perfect” is the highest form of cynicism. Our role as revolutionaries is to cheerlead the movement at all turns. Above all else, we desire to be free and believe we will win. Optimism will thrive so long as we struggle for freedom.

[AXL · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for everyone right now and forever.

[Eduardo Felix Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount of information contained in this short book is baffling.

The point is clear, and hard hitting. We either take action to save the planet through decolonization, or we face the consequences of total destruction.

“As of 2015, military spending accounted for upwards of 54 percent of all discretionary spending at the federal level” “with nearly 800 bases worldwide in more than 70 countries and territories” and yet, some how, we argue the USA is not colonizing the world.

It��s a tough read for sure, not because it is hard to understand, but because it’s a hard pill to swallow. Specially when you’ve been privileged enough to take advantage of the capitalistic system.

[6r36.v1073t · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vital book, and the updated edition has a fantastic introduction from April 2021 which brings it almost up to the present day. I believe everyone who considers themselves a leftist, communist, or revolutionary should read this text and grapple with its statements. It's certainly provocative, engaging, and well-considered, but more importantly, it's a clear call to action with concrete steps to follow. I am so impressed by this work and this organization and I am excited to work with them and fight for this world alongside these comrades. Humility + Clarity + Solidarity = Revolution. Up the Red Nation, up the Red Deal, Land Back!

[Paige]

highlights the importance of centering decolonization in fights for climate justice very well and brings an important Indigenous perspective to such conversations fs but for a manifesto it was sort of lacking in pragmatic action items … but also i can’t be saying much as the author of start wasian hate: a manifesto

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I consider myself a lover of nature and one that believes that we are destroying our planet. I try to read as much as I can from many different points of view to try and learn the best way to save this planet of ours which is why I picked this book up. I guess I’ll break this down a bit here.

What I loved about this book:

It was eye opening. We have heard about some of the issues that the native people around the world face and to have it laid out in a direct way was refreshing. I honestly do feel like I better understand some of the betrayals and pain of some of these tribes.

The idea that being involved in a bigger project is an important thing for one to do. The writers do a good job talking about grass roots organization and community action. They talk about the mental health benefits of doing so and how community helps people not feel so helpless.

The calling out of the industrial complex. Most of the biggest cash crops come from native horticultural and agricultural practices but because of greed we have corporations that are trademarking their seeds and making it so indigenous people can’t even use the seeds for the crops that their ancestors helped perfect over years of selection practices.

They do a great job talking about the exploitation of the planet and who really gets taken advantage of in these situations.

*******

What I did not like:

The writers call for militant environmentalist uprisings. I cannot endorse any type of violent conflict. I don’t think the way to fight a military industrial complex is by giving them a reason to use that military might against you.

They state that the only people capable of saving the planet are natives and indigenous people and that others should stay out of it. They claim that their science is better, that their carers know best, and that white conservationists are in it for money.

They claim that nonprofits and non governmental organizations are all corrupt and should be overthrown as well as the capitalistic philosophy that spawned them.

The environmental position of this book was less than a quarter of the book itself. The ideas in it were rushed and it seemed more of an afterthought than an actual cohesive plan for the betterment of our planet.

****

This book read more like a modern day communist manifesto and a call to action to overthrow capitalism than a way to save our planet. Some of the ideas are great ideas and they share some ideas of hope, but the bulk of this book is one sided anti government rhetoric without differing opinions or sources that cite a differing viewpoint. I could only give this book 2 stars because it seriously lacks any type of balance to it. It was written for one type of political thought and not to educate a broader audience. I enjoyed reading it, I enjoyed learning more about the plight of the indigenous people in the americas, but I did not like the one sided approach or the call for militancy in order to stop militancy.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sympathetic to the book's goals but found parts of it frustrating:

- What does indigenous sovereignty look like when police and prisons and borders (the usual tools of sovereignty) are abolished? The authors mention a specifically indigenous borderless non-coercive form of sovereignty but don't go far in describing how to adapt it to modernity.

- In a country where 2.9% of the population is indigenous, what exactly does 'indigenous leadership' look like? It's sometimes unclear whether the authors are calling for full-on minority rule or a softer form of leadership where non-indigenous leaders take policy cues from indigenous people. There's also not much clarity about how much of the program is directed at the US vs. the entire world.

- The authors portray indigenous societies as uniformly non-patriarchal, non-homophobic, sustainable, etc. (i.e. in line with every value professed by a 2022 leftist). I am 100% on board with the idea that they were/are uniformly better than colonizer societies, but failing to acknowledge any diversity / internal contradictions raises my Marxist alarm bells. This kind of exists in tension with their call for a 'world in which many worlds are possible'.

- Sometimes it seems like a moral equivalence between different forms of oppression is conflated with strategic equivalence.

But, there were also positives:

- It's a good introduction to indigenous liberation and clearly lays out many of the ways that colonialism continues to decimate indigenous societies. It was also interesting to learn about indigenous climate struggles elsewhere in the world.

- Despite my critiques I agree with almost all of the specific policies laid out. I also appreciate the balanced radicalism and pragmatism of the 'divest and re-invest' framing.

Cynically, the blustery manifesto-style writing seems optimized for circulating among leftists wanting to learn about indigenous liberation but poorly suited for breaking into mainstream discourse. But I'd love to be proven wrong.

[Dalibor Chrápek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Roughly 30% in the book, I was ready to give it 5 stars. It's a wonder I didn't give it 1 by the time I had finished.

While I agree with basically everything in the book (mostly the need to dismantle capitalism and colonialism), the endless barrage of the SAME statements in virtually every paragraph was more than my propaganda tolerance could handle. I thought I was gonna drop dead. The book was less than 200 pages long, though 20 pages would do.

At the end there were some slips towards arrogance, such as: 'If you are reading this book, it's your responsibility to join us in our fight’ (not verbatim). I am sorry, but I am from the Czech Republic and, though I support you in your fight, we have our problems too, and I am not tellling you you must join us in our 'fights' here in the middle of Europe.

If anything, you made me fight for 'your' cause less than I was ready PRIOR to reading the book (harangue did the trick).

[Elizabeth Burton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually hoping this book would detail what aspects of First Nations culture are available to reclaim damaged land and restore biodiversity, but I didn't read enough of it to find out. The first few chapters are mostly just repetitious sloganeering and calls for revolution, which I can find elsewhere. If you have answers, I want to read about them, not a list of grievances and promises the answers are there somewhere.

[Caleb Ingegneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiercely argued invectives against global capitalism and its evils? Count me in. The ideas The Red Nation put forth translate to direct collective action. As a concise guide to how turning to indigenous leadership will help regenerate Earth and restore dignity to millions, you can find no better book than this.

[Taylor Rios]

i would say that everyone should at least read the introduction to this book. extremely informative and eye opening. once it got to calls to action it started getting a little muddy. noticed a few contradictions. to be fair this was a short book meant to be accessible so they couldn’t go too ham on everything

[Christine Middleton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book makes a lot of important points, but it's more of a manifesto than an opportunity to learn about indigenous people's experiences and is probably better suited for people well versed in the relevant events surrounding indigenous history.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

In terms of pointing out injustices inflicted on native peoples, this book is definitely on solid ground. In terms of presenting ways to deal with and rectify that reality, this book leaves much to be desired. A worthwhile read.

[∃Ⓐ∀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book very inspiring, well written, and direct. I must say however that their references to the Venezuelan government and other populist leaders in South America made me raise my eyebrows a few times. While the Venezuelan government uses indigenous communities to decorate their speeches, their concerns for their well being, autonomy, leaves a lot to be desired. For reference:

° Pronunciamiento sobre la retención de efectivos ejército por parte de indígenas - Organización Indígena Kuyujani
https://periodicoellibertario.blogspo...

° Pueblo indígena Yanomami marcha en Puerto Ayacucho por el derecho a la vida y la salud - Organización Yanomami Horonami
https://periodicoellibertario.blogspo...

° Con la muerte de estudiante wayúu sigue la guerra en la Guajira - José M. Sánchez
https://periodicoellibertario.blogspo...

° Organización Kuyujani acudió al Ministerio Público a denunciar atropellos de la FANB contra indígenas Ye´kwana y Sanema - PROVEA
https://periodicoellibertario.blogspo...

° Edo. Bolívar: La etnia pemón y los pasivos ambientales en su territorio - Morelia Murillo
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° COIAM: Comunicado sobre la muerte de un joven yanomami en Puerto Ayacucho a manos de funcionarios policiales
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° Obra de títeres sobre Sabino Romero censurada por el chavomadurismo - Movimientos Defensores de la Causa Yukpa
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° Guayana: Piaroas denuncian atropellos de CVG Bauxilum y sus bandas armadas - Clavel Rangel
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° Infografía: Situación de los pueblos indígenas de Venezuela - Laboratorio de Paz
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° ¿En qué consiste la deuda en la demarcación del territorio indígena en Venezuela? - Provea
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° En la Guajira, la frontera cerrada es lo cotidiano para el pueblo wayúu - Aana Wainjirawa
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° Estado de excepción en La Guajira profundizará violaciones a derechos humanos de pueblos indígenas - Prensa Provea
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° Ye´kuanas se movilizan contra la minería ilegal en el alto Ventuari - Juan Noguera
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° 18 ONGs venezolanas se pronuncian sobre derechos indígenas
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° Hilarión Romero: consejos comunales, demarcación y malanga en la Sierra de Perijá - Minerva Vitto
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° Wainjirawa: el Decreto de Excepción es contra los pueblos y en favor de los intereses transnacionales
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° Wayúu en la frontera: “Todos los día tenemos que pelear con el Ejército” - Sailyn Fernández
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° Los Wayúu, el chivo expiatorio de la propaganda anticontrabando - Aana Wainjirawa
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° Organizaciones de derechos humanos exigen el cese de la violencia contra los pueblos indígenas
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° Edo. Delta Amacuro: La actual realidad de los Warao y los "derechos indígenas" que solo existen en la papelería legal - Minerva Vitti
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° Wayuu marcharon contra la militarización de La Guajira - Agencias
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° Esa desconocida llamada Consulta Previa - Rafael Uzcátegui
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° 39 ONGs rechazan ataque contra líder del pueblo Yabarana de Amazonas
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° Edo. Zulia: Denunciada formalmente represión militar en la Guajira - Sugey Díaz
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° ORPIA: La difícil construcción de autonomía para las luchas indígenas - J.G. Díaz, D.L. Dacosta y B. Arana de Díaz
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° Indígenas rechazan activación del Arco Minero del Orinoco - Prensa PROVEA
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° Los Yukpa denuncian al Estado-Gobierno por violar sus derechos humanos - Sociedad Homo et Natura
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° Comité de Derechos Humanos de La Guajira: Herramienta autónoma de lucha del pueblo wayuu - Olimpia Palmar
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° Amazonas: Comunicado de la 2ª Asamblea de Mujeres Indígenas de Autana
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° Un indígena jivi opina: El AMO y el carbón de Perijá les quitan lo poco que quedaba del disfraz de socialistas - Yoner Arrioja
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° Organizaciones indígenas de Amazonas se movilizan contra la minería ilegal y se pronuncian sobre el AMO - Prensa PROVEA
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° Comunidades indígenas serán desplazadas por el AMO, advierte antropólogo E.E. Monsonyi - Oriana Faoro
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° Situación del Derecho a la Consulta Previa en Venezuela. Informe completo para descargar - LabPaz / Provea / GTAI-ULA
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° Minería, "sindicatos" mafiosos y Arco Minero del Orinoco, combinación mortal para los indígenas del Caura - Minerva Vitti
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° Opinión: Arco y flecha al sur del Orinoco - Luis Jiménez
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° Los Yukpa: Despojados en el Zulia, indigentes en Barquisimeto - María F. Peñalver
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° Entrevista a Vladimir Aguilar sobre el Arco Minero: "Es una arremetida contra los derechos indígenas" - Rafael Uzcátegui
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° 12 de octubre. Gobierno miente al afirmar que ha hecho “Consultas” para implementar Arco Minero del Orinoco - Provea / GTAI-ULA / LabPaz
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° Una panorámica del pueblo warao - Jhonny Ramos
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° Extractivismo y Derechos Humanos en Venezuela: El caso del A.M.O. - Vladimir Aguilar y Rafael Uzcátegui
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° Sobre la 1ª Reunión Autónoma y Autoconvocada de Comunidades y Organizaciones de Base Indígenas de Venezuela - José Quintero W.
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° Encuentro Autónomo de Voceros Indígenas debate sobre organización propia y minería - Prensa Provea
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° Minería asecha a los pueblos indígenas de la Amazonía venezolana - Movimiento Regional por la Tierra y Territorios
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° Bastardos sin gloria - José Ángel Quintero W.
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° Ante el asesinato de Freddy Menare, activista del pueblo Uwottuja del Edo. Amazonas - Grupo de Trabajo sobre Asuntos Indígenas
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° Situación del pueblo Yukpa, a 4 años y 2 meses del asesinato de Sabino Romero - Sociedad Homo et Natura
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° Pueblos indígenas advierten contra espíritu autoritario tras la propuesta de Constituyente - Daniela Tabata
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° Injusticia que no cesa: Detienen en Caracas a hijo del mártir yukpa Sabino Romero - La Guarura
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° Dia de los pueblos indígenas pasó en Venezuela con demasiadas penas y ninguna gloria - Correo del Caroní
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° Delta Amacuro: No interesa a los que mandan en Caracas, pero niños indígenas siguen muriendo de mengua - Marcos Velarde
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° Edo. Zulia: Brevísimo recuento de memoria y luchas de los añuu contra el extractivismo - José Quintero W.
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° Delta Amacuro: Han muerto por sarampión 54 niños waraos en lo que va de 2018
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° “La población indígena es la más desasistida en materia de salud”: Entrevista - Prensa Provea
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° Delincuencia y gobierno en agresión genocida contra indígenas de Guayana - Jhoalys Siverio
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° Derechos territoriales indígenas y extractivismo en Venezuela: miradas cruzadas desde las comunidades y organizaciones indígenas - Vladimir Aguilar
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° Informe _El Mundo Indígena - 2018_: Caso Venezuela - Observatorio de Ecología Política de Venezuela
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° Por hambre emigra el pueblo yukpa del Zulia a Colombia - Carolina Gutiérrez
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° Masacran a cinco indígenas pemones al sur del Edo. Bolívar - Marcos Valverde y María Ramírez
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° Edo. Amazonas: El pueblo Yanomami amenazado por brote de sarampión - Wataniba
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° Edo. Bolívar: Pueblo pemón responde a jefe militar que lo criminaliza - Wainjirawa
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° Ante la dramática situación de salud de los pueblos indígenas en Venezuela - Observatorio de Ecología Política de Venezuela
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° Indígenas asesinados en nueva masacre en el Arco Minero del Orinoco - Pableysa Ostos
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° Edo. Bolívar: Consejo de Caciques denuncia agresión militar contra pueblo pemón - Clavel Rangel
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° Edo Apure: Noticia falsa intenta criminalizar a pueblos indígenas - Francisco Prada
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° Nuevo comunicado sobre investigación del ataque al pueblo pemón en Canaima - Consejo de Caciques Generales del Pueblo Pemón
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° Alto a la persecución y torturas contra integrantes del pueblo indígena Pemón - Organizaciones pro-indígenas
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° Opinión: ¿Cuántos indígenas muertos son demasiados indígenas muertos? - Fundación Causa Amerindia Kiwxi
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° Extractivismo autoritario y pueblos indígenas en Venezuela - Vladimir Aguilar
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° Indígenas de Venezuela sin garantías de atención médica - A.C. Kapé-Kapé
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° 34 lenguas indígenas venezolanas están en peligro de desaparecer - Zaida García
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° Edo. Bolívar: 966 indígenas de 14 comunidades de Gran Sabana han huido a Brasil por persecución oficial - María Ramírez
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[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Ecosocialism Working Group is hosting a reading group on The Red Nation’s The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth, and while I missed the first three sessions, I think I can make the fourth one and I do have the book, so I read it. While the book group is split into multiple sessions, presumably for the purpose of maximally in-depth discussion, the book itself is pretty short and can be read in one sitting if you’re not too fidgety.

This is solidly a manifesto (although with a side of “how to get started” advice), and as such it lays out reasonably plainly where the authors stand and what they think we should do, but it does assume that the reader is already familiar with the basics of the political context the piece was written in, i.e., it is not a baby’s first introduction to the general concept of ecosocialism, or Indigenous people existing, or what happened at Standing Rock. This is fine; I figure they are probably correct that, even if a reader is new to organizing, they wouldn’t be reading this book if they didn’t already have minimal familiarity with the news. That said it is a good 102-level introduction to Native issues here on Turtle Island and it does a really good job illustrating the links between decolonization and nearly every other major issue on the Left. It was especially interesting to read in light of having just read Seeing Like a State, which goes into a lot of depth about the ways modern industrial agriculture and general capitalist land use has been economically disastrous, which paired perfectly with the discussions about capitalist extractivism vs. Indigenous approaches to land stewardship. Anyway as manifestos go it is a very good one; it’s got some clearly laid out demands, some history and analysis, and some practical organizing advice. Definitely worth a read for anyone who wants to think seriously about climate change.

Originally posted at Decolonization or extinction.

[Jeffrey Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book examines the proposed “Green New Deal” that is meant to create green jobs and save the planet from the destructive forces of anthropogenic climate change. It also further expands upon it with Indigenous Peoples’ sovereignty being the focus via “The Red Deal.” This movement didn’t surface as a counter to the Green New Deal mentioned above. Instead, The Red Deal has sprouted as a movement of resistance to centuries of colonialism and imperialism between the Global North and the Global South.

The Red Deal is a quick read, providing insight into the damages inflicted by capitalism on the environment and earth’s inhabitants. It examines the terror inflicted against Indigenous Peoples by workers at Border Towns and the Military Prison Industrial Complex (MPIC). It looks at Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit (MMIWG2S) peoples and how this population has largely been abused and assaulted disproportionately by police officers and people in power. The devastation caused by industry and broken treaties in the form of displacement and dispossession is also touched upon, demanding the need to give land back to Indigenous communities to begin the process of healing centuries worth of genocide, pain, and suffering.

This book is anti-capitalist in nature and provides examples of what decolonization could look like under the guidance of Indigenous laws. While The Red Deal criticizes the politics of both sides for keeping the cogs of the machine turning at the expense of humans and non-humans, it also provides recommendations for actions that can help topple the system and bring about much needed change for the betterment of all life. Great resources are provided to help get involved in the community. While not exhaustive or perfect, the ideas and information provided within this book are a great start toward fighting for Indigenous sovereignty.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5
'The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth" is an informative framework for a collective future that fights against climate change. Written by the Red Nation, it lays out threats to humanity and then discusses what must be done to save the planet. The main focus is on how to undo capitalism and colonization that has led to our current climate disaster. It breaks down the violence inherent in the systems and how we can utilize a transformative Indigenous framework to restore the land and our relationships. It delves into a number of different subjects including imperialism, housing, MMIWG2S, and much more before exploring how a framework centered on Indigenous teachings and technology can help undo the current crises that we deal with. One important facet is how all our struggles are related and all stem from the violence of capitalism and colonization. I found this to be an insightful and ultimately hopeful text that looks to what is possible in our future if we work together for collective change. I think everyone should read this because it helps lay the groundwork for how we can move away from extractive systems and toward collective liberation.

[Claire C · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend lent this to me in response to my question, “What happens after the revolution?”
My question was partially answered. This book is styled similar to a manifesto and included some concrete solutions of what housing, the environment, and well-being of our communities could look like under indigenous stewardship and leadership. I think it did focus more on the “what” and the “why” than the “how”
I found this short book to be most helpful in providing an overview of indigenous history on Turtle Island through context-providing snippets throughout the book. The writing was very concise and the book was quick to read. (KEC I’m writing this review for you lol)

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The set of principles and the way this book strings together indigenous perspectives and solutions to current ecological collapse is a piece of the conversation that has been greatly needed for some time now. The authors did a fantastic job laying out how we can see the issues society as a whole faces in the future if not rectified in the way we treat Native Americans and native land. On that focus, the book would definitely be five stars.
I gave it four though for two main reason. The first was that it was so repetitive. While I agree with the points made, it felt like once the point was made in the beginning of the chapter it was just rephrased without addition for the rest of the chapter. The second issue I had was the lack of direction for the argument. Often the solution of how to get from a to b was organize. But for anyone without a strong understanding of what organizing actually looks like and all it entails, the call to organize doesn’t give much direction - and while it’s not the authors’ job to explain what organizing in a leftist sense means, the book is described as “one part practical toolkit.”

There were some other issues I had with the arguments themselves but I think I want to sit with them more to decide if I simply don’t agree or if they simply make me uncomfortable for other reasons.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

People looking for some kind of “guide” to face 2025: take a break from doom scrolling and read this. What you might really be looking for is a call to action and some context from which you can build your ethos. The Red Deal is a powerful wayfinder. You can engage more with the Red Nation on their podcast and social media, where they present equally motivating documentaries and journalism. Visit therednation.org

[Ian]

A good book that rightfully condemns capitalism and colonialism, arguing that the solution to climate change is not gentler forms of either, but their complete dismantling in favor of humane systems. While I support the ideas in this book, there wasn't enough explanation given to Land Back. Logistically, how would that work?