From the Andes, a Proposal for the Sustainability of Life: Ecuador’s plurinational constitution made history by enshrining a commitment to “good living” and extending rights to Mother Earth. The radical paradigm shift has yet to become a reality

Abstract

A decade ago, about 400 campesinos and Indigenous people gathered in an auditorium in Chimborazo to participate in evaluating theprovincial government’s social policies. The vice minister of Economic and Social Inclusion was giving presentation on the investments the ministry hadmade in Ecuador’s central region—investments shesaid represented the path to buen vivir (good living/living well)—when she was interrupted by an Indigenous woman from the back of the room. “That is buenvivir for you,” the woman admonished her forcefully.“Your buen vivir is every man for himself, being incompetition, you get more money, and then you getdevelopment. For us, buen vivir is community, it isrecognition, participation, and solidarity.”