A POSTCAPITALIST PARADIGM: THE COMMON GOOD OF ...

egio n al and local, recognizing their existence and setting up mechanisms
for participation.
The role of the State cannot be formulated without taking into account
the situation of the most marginalized social groups: landless peasants,
lower castes and the dalits (the former untouchables), who have been
ignored for thousands of years, as well as the indigenous peoples of
America and those of African descent who have been excluded for over
500 years and, within these groups, the women who are doubly marginalized.
Juridical processes, even constitutional ones, are not enough
to change the situation, as necessary as these are. Racism and prejudice
will not rapidly disappear in any society. In this field the cultural factor is
decisive and can be the subject of specific initiatives. Social policies protecting
people against the aggression by the ‘global market’ and providing
for the basic necessities constitute an important step in the transition
process, as long as they are not considered as just a form of charity, detached
from structural reform.
It is also important to look out for the use of vocabulary twisted from its
original meaning. The Right is outstanding for making pronouncements
in this vein. And now there are those who speak of ‘green capitalism’.
But even in countries that want change, traditional concepts such as
Sumak Kawsay (buen vivir) must be analyzed in function of their real
meaning, which could serve as elements of the transition to another
way of collective life, or simply be an adaptation of the existing system.
It is the general political context that will make it possible to understand
the difference and evaluate it.
The generalization of democracy also applies to the dialogue between
political entities and social movements. The organization of bodies for
consultation and dialogue must be part of the same approach, respecting
mutual autonomy. The project for a Council of Social Movements in
the general structures of ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance of The Peoples of
our America) is an original attempt in this direction. The concept of civil
society, often used in relation to this issue, remains, however, ambiguous,
because this too is a ground where class struggle takes place: in
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