We believe veganism is necessary but not sufficient for a world that is just for all.
If you believe it is wrong to cause unnecessary suffering to other sentient beings then you already believe in veganism. Species is no more relevant a criterion to exclude other sentient beings from the moral community than race, sex, class etc. To do so is to be speciesist.
According to the Vegan Society, veganism is:
“A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude – as far as is possible and practicable – all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose”.
However, for us, veganism is not limited to an individual lifestyle choice or philosophy. Human oppression of other animals is a social justice issue. And as other social justice movements recognise, justice for other animals will not be achieved through an individual lifestyle change alone. It requires a change at all levels of society: individual, cultural, political, institutional and structural. It also requires understanding that all systems of oppression affecting humans and other animals are deeply connected and mutually reinforcing.
As such, Ethical Globe is guided by a broader definition of veganism called ‘political veganism’ coined by animal rights philosopher Robert C. Jones. Jones defines political veganism as:
“limited not only to a rejection of the consumption of animal products but also to a rejection of the structures and institutions that link the commodification and exploitation of animals, vulnerable human populations, and the environment. Thus, political veganism is not a personal dietary lifestyle choice, but rather an active and engaged worldview dedicated to an inclusion of non-human animals in social justice theory and practice.”
He argues that political veganism is an aspiration, not an identity. That it “commits us to striving for a moral goal, as something one works at rather than something one is".
The ultimate goal of political veganism and the social justice movement for other animals is not to get people to go vegan, though this is a necessary and important step. The ultimate goal is animal liberation.