baudl-cap-k

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BAUDL 08-09 Capitalism K

CAPITALISMKRITIKCapitalism Kritik................................................................................................................................................11nc alternative energy link.............................................................................................................................21nc - impact.........................................................................................................................................................1nc - impact.........................................................................................................................................................!

1nc - impact........................................................................................................................................................."1nc - Alternative.................................................................................................................................................#1nc Link envir$nmental %&stice......................................................................................................................'Link (egem$ny................................................................................................................................................)Link single iss&e envir$nmentalism...............................................................................................................*Link ec$n$mic c$llapse.................................................................................................................................1+Link invcentives.............................................................................................................................................11Impact gen$ci,e.............................................................................................................................................12Impact p$verty...............................................................................................................................................1Impact Calc&l&s................................................................................................................................................1"Link r$n/iel,s ..........................................................................................................................................1#

alternative- s$lves envir$nment......................................................................................................................1'0eg rame$rk..............................................................................................................................................1)A2 perm&tati$n..............................................................................................................................................1*A2 Rev$l&ti$n -3 vi$lence...............................................................................................................................2+A2 capitalism Inevita4le.................................................................................................................................21555A//555..........................................................................................................................................................22A// rame$rk................................................................................................................................................22ac envir$nmental %&stice.............................................................................................................................2!2ac envir$nmental %&stice ............................................................................................................................2"Alternative a,.................................................................................................................................................2#Capitalism is inevita4le....................................................................................................................................2'

Re/$rm 6$$,7Perm..........................................................................................................................................2)Capitalism 6$$, 8ar....................................................................................................................................2*Capitalism 6$$, envir$nment.......................................................................................................................+

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10C ALT9R0ATI:9909R6;LI0K

T(9AIRMATI:99LS6L=ALI09?>ALIT; ;R9>SI06T=?>9STI=0CAPITALISM@ T(9ASIMPL;(9LPSS>STAI0A:I=L90T9C=0=MICS;ST9MT(ATR99S9BCL>SI=0A0P=:9RT;.

Trainer +'(Senior Lecturer, School of Social or!, Uni"ersit# of $e% South ales (&e', Renewable EnergyCannot Sustain A Consumer Society,p) 1*+-1*&he core .limits to ro%th/ claim is that the hue loal prolems %e are facin cannot e sol"e' in a societ#that is 'ri"en # osession %ith hih rates of pro'uction an' consumption, affluent li"in stan'ar's, mar!etforces, the profit moti"e an' economic ro%th) &he resource 'eman' enerate' # this societ# is the 'irectcause of ecoloical 'estruction, &hir' orl' po"ert#, resource 'epletion, conflict an' social rea!'o%n) &heseprolems cannot e sol"e' unless %e mo"e to simpler lifest#les, more self-sufficient an' cooperati"e %a#s, an' a"er# 'ifferent econom#) Chapter 11 %ill 'etail %hat man# see as .&he Simpler a#)/ Aain ener# 'epletionis onl# one of the alarmin prolems %e are runnin into, an' $&r limits t$ gr$t pre,icament $&l, stilleDist even i/ rene4le energy s$&rces c$&l, pr$vi,e all te energy e nee,. In,ee, te m$re energy e

get $&r an,s $n@ te m$re ent&siastically e ill ,ig &p minerals@ l$g /$rests@ mine te sea /l$$rs@ ,amrivers@ ,evel$p cities@ clear lan,@ travel@ an, 4&y) &here are t%o maor faults uilt into our societ# causin themain prolems facin the planet) &he first is the osession %ith affluent li"in stan'ar's an' economic ro%th,i)e), the insistence on hih an' e"er-increasin le"els of pro'uction an' consumption) &he secon' fault isallo%in competition %ithin the mar!et to e the maor 'eterminant of %hat is 'one in our societ#) 10)1)2AUL& 13 4 A54 2A5 B467$D SUS&A$ABL4 L&S &7 :57DUC&7$ A$D C7$SU:&7$2ollo%in are some of the most forceful limits-to-ro%th aruments) ; 5ich countries, %ith aout one-fifth ofthe %orl'hauste' # *0+0 (&rainer, 198+, Chapters ? an' +) ; :etroleumappears to e especiall# limite') As %as note' at the start of Chapter 1, a numer of eoloists ha"e conclu'e' that %orl' oil suppl#%ill proal# pea! # *010 an' e 'o%n to half that le"el # *0*+@0, %ith i price increases soon after the pea!) $one of the

limits-to-ro%th themes is as potentiall# terminal in the short term for consumer societ# ); f all 9 illion people %ere to use timer atthe rich-%orl' per capita rate, %e %oul' nee' )+ times the %orl'plaine' in Chapter 1, the nter-o"ernmental :anel on Climate Chane estimates that if the caron 'io>i'e content of the atmosphere is to e !ept to sensile le"els,

an' caron use %as share' e=uall# amon the %orl'


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10C- IMPACTITISIMP=SSIL9T=S=L:99C=L=6ICAL9STR>CTI=08IT(I0T(9S;ST9M=CAPITALISM9CA>S9ITPRI=RITIE9SPR=IT=:9RALL9LS9. T(ISS;ST9MIST(9R==TCA>S9=ALL90:IR=0M90TALPR=L9MSA090S>R9ST(9I09:ITAL9=LIT9RATI=0=(>MA0IT;A0T(99ART(. MI0IMALC(A069SLIK9T(9PLA0=0L;STR906T(90T(IS9STR>CTI:9S;ST9MA0MASKITS:I=L90C9.

Eohn Bellam# $ster@4'itor monthl# re"ie% , +'F&he 4colo# of 'estructionG

t is a characteristic of our ae that loalecoloical 'e"astation seems to $verelm all $ter pr$4lems, threatenin thes&rviva4ility $/ li/e $n eart as %e !no% it) Ho% this is relate' to social causes an' %hat social solutions miht e offere' in response ha"e thus

ecome the most pressin =uestions facin humanit#) &he %orl' has so far con"ene' t%o maor earth summits3 in 5io 'e Eaneiro, BraIil in 199* an' Eohannesur,South Africa in *00*) &hese summits too! place a mere ten #ears apart) 6et, the# can e seen as l#in in the 'i"i'in line separatin one historical perio' from another,re"ealin the contra'ictions of an entire centur#Jthe t%ent#-first) continue' &he Destruction of the :lanet n the almost fi"e #ears that ha"e elapse' since the

secon' earth summit it has ecome increasinl# 'ifficult to separate the class an' imperial %ar inherent to capitalismfrom %ar on the planet itself) At a time %hen the Unite' States is attlin for imperial control of the richest oilreion on earth, the ecolo# of the planet is e>periencin rapi' 'eterioration, mar!e' most 'ramaticall# #loal %armin) ean%hile, neolieral economic restructurin emanatin from the ne% reime of monopol#-

finance capital is not onl# un'erminin the economic %elfare of much of humanit#, ut in some reions isremo"in such asic ecoloical con'itions of human e>istence as access to clean air, 'rin!ale %ater, an'a'e=uate foo') 4coloists %ho once %arne' of the possiilit# offutureap$calypse no% insist that loal 'isasteris $n $&r ,$$rstep)Bill cKien, author of The End of Nature, 'eclare' in his article .&he Deate is 7"er/ in the $o"emer 1, *00+, issue of Rolling Stone maaIine that %e areno% enterin the .Oh ShitF era of loal %armin) At first, he %rote, there %as the .I wonder what will happen?/ era) &hen there %as the.Can this really be true?/era$o% %e are in the !h Shit era) e no% !no% thatit is too late to a"ert loal 'isaster entirel#) All %e can'o is limit its scope an' intensit#) uch of the uncertaint# has to 'o %ith the fact that .the %orl')))has some trap'oorsJmechanisms that 'oni'eas the permafrost of the arctic tun'ra tha%s 'ue to loal %armin,constitutes another such "icious spiral) Eust as ominous,the re'uction of the earthpan' nuclear

po%er facilities throuhout the earth as a limite' sustitute to the caron-'io>i'e emittin fossil fuel econom#) &he thouht that such a 2austian arain %oul' pa"e its o%n path tohell seems scarcel# to ha"e crosse' his min')Lo"eloc!


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10C- IMPACTHansen sa#s, .at most ten #earsJnot ten #ears to 'eci'e upon action ut ten #ears to alter fun'amentall# the traector# of reenhouse as emissions/Jif %e are to pre"ent such 'isastrousoutcomes from ecomin ine"itale) 7ne crucial 'eca'e, in other %or's, separates us from irre"ersile chanes that coul' pro'uce a "er# 'ifferent %orl') &he contra'ictions of the entireHoloceneJthe eoloical epoch in %hich human ci"iliIation has 'e"elope'Jare su''enl# ein re"eale' in our time)10n the !h shitera, the 'eate, cKien sa#s, is o"er) &here is no loner an# 'out that loal %armin represents a crisis of earth-sha!in proportions) 6et, it is asolutel# essential to

un'erstan' that this is onl# one part of %hat %e call the en"ironmental crisis) &he loal ecoloical threat as a %hole is ma'e up of a lare

numer of interrelate' crises an' prolems that are confrontin us simultaneousl#) n m# 199? oo!,The 'ulnerable (lanet, starte' out %ith a rief litan# of some of these, to %hich others miht no% e a''e'3 7"erpopulation, 'estruction of the oIone la#er, loal%armin, e>tinction of species, loss of enetic 'i"ersit#, aci' rain, nuclear contamination, tropical 'eforestationthe elimination of clima> forests, %etlan' 'estruction, soil erosion, 'esertification, floo's, famine, the'espoliation of la!es, streams, an' ri"ers, the 'ra%in 'o%n an' contamination of roun' %ater, the pollution ofcoastal %aters an' estuaries, the 'estruction of coral reefs, oil spills, o"erfishin, e>pan'in lan'fills, to>ic%astes, the poisonous effects of insectici'es an' herici'es, e>posure to haIar's on the o, uran conestion,an' the 'epletion of nonrene%ale resources)11&he point is that not ust loal %armin ut man# of these other prolems as %ell can each e seen as constitutin a loal ecoloical crisis) &o'a# e"er# maor ecos#stem on the earth is in

'ecline) ssues of en"ironmental ustice are ecomin more prominent an' pressin e"er#%here %e turn) >n,erlying this is the fact that the classNimperial%ar that 'efines capitalism as a %orl' s#stem, an' that o"erns its s#stem of accumulation, is a uernaut that

kn$s n$ limits.n this 'ea'l# conflict the natural %orl' is seen as a mere instrument of %orl' social'omination) Hence, capital 4y its very l$gic imp$ses %hat is in effect a sc$rce, eart strategy) &heplanetar# ecoloical crisis is increasinl# all-encompassin, a pr$,&ct $/ te ,estr&ctive &nc$ntr$lla4ility $/a rapi'l# loaliIin capitalist ec$n$my@ %hich !no%s no la% other than its o%n 'ri"e to e>ponentiale>pansion) &ranscen'in Business as Usual ost climate scientists, inclu'in Lo"eloc! an' Hansen, follo% the :CC in asin their main proections of loal %armin on asocioecnomic scenario 'escrie' as .usiness as usual)/ &he 'ire tren's in'icate' are pre'icate' on our fun'amental economic an' technoloical 'e"elopments an' our asic relation to nature

remainin the same) &he =uestion %e nee' to as! then is %hat actuall# is usiness as usualO hat can e chane' an' ho% fastO ith time runnin out theimplication is that it is necessar# to alter usiness as usual in ra'ical %a#s in or'er to sta"e off or lessencatastrophe) 6et, the 'ominant solutionsJthose associate' %ith the 'ominant i'eolo#, i)e), the i'eolo# ofthe 'ominant classJemphasiIe minimal canges in usiness as usual that %ill someho% et us off the hoo! )After ein 'irecte' to the ro%in planetar# threats of loal %armin an' species e>tinction %e are tol' thatthe ans%er is etter as mileae an' etter emissions stan'ar's, the intro'uction of h#'roen-po%ere' cars, the capture an'se=uestration of caron 'io>i'e emitte' in the atmosphere, impro"e' conser"ation, an' "oluntar# cutac!s in consumption) 4n"ironmental politicalscientists specialiIe in the construction of ne% en"ironmental polic# reimes, emo'#in state an' mar!et reulations)4n"ironmental economists tal! of tra'alepollution permits an' the incorporation of all en"ironmental factors into the mar!et to ensure their efficient use)Some en"ironmental socioloists (m# o%n fiel' spea! of ecoloical mo'erniIation3 a %hole panopl# of reen ta>es, reen reulations, an' ne% reen technoloies, e"en thereenin of capitalism itself) 2uturists 'escrie a ne% technoloical %orl' in %hich the %eiht of nations on the earth is miraculousl# lifte' as a result of 'iital .'ematerialiIation/

of the econom#) n all of these "ie%s, ho%e"er, there is one constant3 te /&n,amental caracter $/ 4&siness as &s&al isar,ly cange, at all.n'ee', %hat all such anal#ses intentionall# a"oi' is the fact that usiness as usual in oursociet# in an# fun'amental sense means the capitalist econom#Jan econom# run on the loic of profit an'accumulation) oreo"er, there is little ac!no%le'ement or e"en appreciation of the fact that the Hoesian %ar of all aainst all that characteriIescapitalism reG&ires /$r its /&l/illment a &niversal ar $n nat&re. n this sense ne% technolo# cannot sol"ethe prolem since it is ine"ital# use' to further the class %ar an' to increase the scale of the econom#, an' thusthe 'era'ation of the en"ironment) hene"er pro'uction 'ies 'o%n or social resistance imposes arriers on the e>pansion of capital theans%er is al%a#s to fin' ne% %a#s to e>ploitN'era'e nature more intensi"el#) &o =uote :ontecor"o


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10C- IMPACT&he secon' of these notions, thesecond contradiction of capitalism, is the i'ea that capitalism, in a''ition to its primar# economic contra'iction stemmin from class

ine=ualities in pro'uction an' 'istriution, also un'ermines the human an' natural con'itions (i)e, en"ironmental con'itions of pro'uction on%hich its economic a'"ancement ultimatel# rests) 2or e>ample,# s#stematicall# remo"in forests %e la# theroun's for increasin scarcities in this areaJthe more so to the e>tent that loaliIation ma!es this

contra'iction uni"ersal) &his heihtens the o"erall cost of economic 'e"elopment an' creates an economic crisisfor capitalism ase' on suppl#-si'e constraints on pro'uction)1

&he thir' notion, the metabolic rift, suests thatthe loic of capital accumulation ine>oral# creates a rift in the metaolismet%een societ# an' nature, se"erin asic processes of natural repro'uction)&his raises the issue of the ecoloical sustainailit#Jnot simpl# in relation to the scale of the econom#, ut also e"en more importantl# in the form an' intensit# of the interaction et%een nature an' societ# un'ercapitalism)1?

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10C- ALT9R0ATI:9T(>S@ T(9ALT9R0ATI:9 R9H9CTT(9AIRMATI:9T=R9>S9T(9:I=L90TL=6IC=CAPITALISM.

R9H9CTI06CAPITALISMISCR>CIALT==P90I06>P098T(9P=SSIILIT;=A098@ 9TT9R8=RL.=0L;C=MPL9T9R9>SAL@ 0=TPI9C9M9ALR9=RM@ CA0PR9:90T=T(9R8IS9I09:ITAL9SLA:9R;A09BTI0CTI=0.

(er$, +!(Eames, http3NNsite)%%%)um)e'uNfacult#NsalImanQNStrateNet2reN?th4'N?-in'e>)htm, ettin 2ree,?th 4'ition

t is time to tr# to 'escrie, at first astractl# an' later concretel#,a strate# for 'estro#in capitalism) &his strate#, at itsmost asic, calls for pullin time, ener#, an' resources out of capitalist ci"iliIation an' puttin them intouil'in a ne% ci"iliIation) &he imae then is one of empt#in out capitalist structures, hollo%in them out, # 'rainin %ealth, po%er, an' meanin outof them until there is nothin left ut shells) &his is 'efinitel# an aressi"e strate#) t re=uires reat militanc#, an' constitutes an attac! on the e>istin or'er)

&he strate# clearl# reconiIes that capitalism is the enem# an' must e 'estro#e', ut it is not a frontal attac!aime' at o"erthro%in the s#stem, ut an insi'e attac! aime' at uttin it, %hile simultaneousl# replacin it%ith somethin etter, somethin %e %ant) &hus capitalist str&ct&res (corporations, o"ernments, an!s, schools, etc) are n$t

seized s$ m&c as simply abandoned. Capitalist relati$ns are n$tfought s$ m&c as tey are simplyrejectedestop participating in acti"ities that support (finance, con'one the capitalist %orl' an'startparticipating in acti"ities that uil' a ne% %orl' %hile simultaneousl# un'erminin the ol') e create a ne%pattern of social relations alonsi'e capitalist relations an' then %e continuall# uil' an' strenthen our ne%pattern %hile 'oin e"er# thin %e can to %ea!en capitalist relations) n this %a# our ne% 'emocratic, non-hierarchical, non-commo'ifie' relations can e"entuall# o"er%helm the capitalist relations an' force them out ofe>istence) &his is ho% it has to e 'one)&his is a plausile, realistic strate#) &o thin! that %e coul' create a %hole ne% %orl' of 'ecent social arranementso"erniht, in the mi'st of a crisis, 'urin a so-calle' re"olution, or 'urin the collapse of capitalism, is foolhar'#) 7ur ne% social %orl' must ro% %ithin the ol', an' in opposition to it, until it is stron enouh to 'ismantle

an' aolish capitalist relations) Such a re"olution %ill ne"er happen automaticall#, lin'l#, 'eterminal#, ecause of the ine>orale, materialist la%s of hi stor#) t %ill happen, an' onl#happen, ecause %e %ant it to,an' ecause %e !no% %hat %eistinthins as ostacles to ettin %hat the# %ant) t is not useful to thin! of this as a ne% i'eolo#) t is not merel# a elief-s#stem that is nee'e', li!e a reliion, or li!e ar>ism, or Anarchism) 5ather it is a ne% pre"ailin

"ision, a 'ominant 'esire, an o"erri'in nee') hat must e>ist is a pressin 'esire to li"e a certain %a#, an' not to li"e another %a#) f this pressin 'esire %ere a 'esire to li"efree, to e autonomous, to li"e in 'emocraticall# controlle' communities, to participate in the self-reulatinacti"ities of a mature people, then capitalism coul' e 'estro#e') 7ther%ise %e are 'oome' to perpetual sla"er#an' possil# e"en to e>tinction)
http://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/Strate/GetFre/4thEd/4-index.htmhttp://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/Strate/GetFre/4thEd/4-index.htm


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10CLI0K 90:IR=0M90TALH>STIC9T(9AIRMATI:9RA09C=L=6ICALR99:9L=PM90TA09C=0=MICPR=IT

>LTIMAT9L;==MSP==RC=MM>0ITI9ST=MAR6I0ALIEATI=0 8IT(I0T(9(=RIE=0=CAPITALISMI0=AKLA0@ PR=ITS8ILLAL8A;STAK9PR9C990C9=:9RM9A0I06>LS=CIALC(A069@ 90S>RI06T(ATT(9RIC(R9APT(9909ITS8(IL9T(9P==R69TP==R9R.

CorinaMcKendry, Department of Politics, University of California, SantaCruz08[Competing for GreenNeoliberalism and te rise of sustainable cities!"

7nl# a han'ful of authors ha"e use' the ao"e frame%or! to e>amine uran sustainailit# prorams, an' none ha"e loo!e' specificall# at these policies in cities in the Unite' States) After

stu'#in sustainale cit# prorams in Britain, Australia an' else%here, these scholars arue that uran reenin represents the latest form of uran entrepreneurialism, particularl# in post-

in'ustrial cities %here reen technolo# an' usiness are seen as offerin a competiti"e a'"antae as tra'itional in'ustries mo"e else%here) hile, Eonas, an' is, for e>ample, use

sustainailit# proects in anchester an' Lee's in the Unite' Kin'om to illustrate their assertionthat e"en if a particular o"ernment or political lea'er'oes hol' a enuine commitment to en"ironmentalism, .o"ernin for sustainailit# at the uran scale isconsistentl# un'ermine' # place competition an' the limite' fiscal an' political opportunities for the localstate to pursue alternati"e economic 'e"elopment strateies)/ hitehea', in his e>amination of Sto!e-7n-&rent an' the Blac! Countr#uran reion of the UK reaches a similar conclusion) hitehea' pro"i'es an o"er"ie% of the application of reulation theor# to =uestions of ecolo#) He then arues

thatthe .sustainale cit#/ can e .un'erstoo' as part of the %i'er regulari+ation (or normali+ation of the socio-ecoloical contra'ictions of capitalist uraniIation)/ As such,.the sustainale cit# represents an economic space%ithin %hich the social, economic an' ecoloical contra'ictions of capitalism are ein manae' an'strateicall# a''resse')/ He 'outs, ho%e"er, that this attempt at reulariIin the ecoloical contra'ictions ofcapitalism %ill satisfactoril# a''ress issues of sustainailit#) continue'7a!lan'ample of the limits of ecoloical mo'erniIation) &he i'ea that people %ho ha"e limite' o s!illsan' e'ucation shoul' recei"e trainin to install solar panels, etc) hol's at least t%o important assumptions that nee' to ecriticall# e>amine') &he first assumption is that proponents of ecoloical mo'erniIation are correct an' a %i'esprea'reenin of the econom# %ill occur) &he secon' is that this trainin %ill lea' to a note%orth# impro"ement in theeconomic %ell-ein of the countr#


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LI0K (969M=0;

CAPITALISMMAK9S1AM9RICA0(969M=0;:I=L90TIMP9RIALISM. ITA>T(=RIE9S690=CIAL:I=L90C9A0R9S>LTSI0(=STILIT;A0C=0LICT@ 8(IC(>9L6L=AL8AR. T(9IMPACTIS9BTI0CTI=0.

$ster@co-e'itor of onthl# 5e"ie%, professor of sociolo# at the Uni"ersit# of 7reon, 2kFEohn, .&he ne% Ae of mperialism,/ onthl#5e"ie% ++)GAt the same time, it is clear that in the present perio' of loal heemonic imperialism the Unite' States is eare' ao"eall to e>pan'in its imperial po%er to %hate"er e>tent possile an' suor'inatin the rest of thecapitalist%orl'to its interests) &he :ersian ulf an' the Caspian Sea Basin represent not onl# the ul! of %orl' petroleum reser"es, ut also a rapi'l# increasin

proportion of total reser"es, as hih pro'uction rates 'iminish reser"es else%here) &his has pro"i'e' much of the stimulus for the Unite' States to

ain reater control of these resourcesJat the e>pense of its present an' potential ri"als) But U)S) imperial amitions 'o not en' there,since the# are 'ri"en # economic amitions that !no% no oun's) As Harr# a'off note' in the closin paes of &he Ae ofmperialism in 199, it is the professe' oal of U)S) multinational corporations to control as lare a share of the %orl' mar!et as the# 'o of theUnite' States mar!et, an' this huner for forein mar!ets persists to'a#) 2lori'a-ase' ac!enhut Corrections Corporation has %on prison

pri"atiIation contracts in Australia, the Unite' Kin'om, South Africa, Cana'a, $e% Tealan', an' the $etherlan's Antilles (:rison n'ustr# oesloal, %%%)futurenet)or, fall *000):romotion of U)S) corporate interests aroa' is one of the primar# responsiilities of the U)S) state) Consi'er

the cases of onsanto an' eneticall# mo'ifie' foo', icrosoft an' intellectual propert#, Bechtel an' the %ar on ra=) t %oul' e impossileto e>aerate ho% 'anerous this'ual e>pansionism of U)S) corporations an' the U)S) state is to the %orl' atlare)As st"an esIaros oser"e' in *001 in Socialism or Bararism,theU)S) attempt to seiIe loal control, %hich is inherent in the%or!ins of capitalism an' imperialism,is no% threatenin humanit# %ith the e>treme "iolent rule of the %hole %orl'# one heemonic imperialist countr# on a permanent asis)))an asur' an' unsustainale %a# of runnin the%orl' or'er) &his ne% ae of U)S) imperialism %ill enerate its o%n contra'ictions, amonst them attempts# other maor po%ers to assert their influence, resortin to similar ellierent means , an' all sorts of strateies# %ea!er states an' non-state actors to enae in as#mmetric forms of %arfare) i"en the unprece'ente'

'estructi"eness of contemporar# %eapons, %hich are 'iffuse' e"er more %i'el#, the conse=uences for thepopulation of the %orl' coul' %ell e 'e"astatin e#on' an#thin e"er efore %itnesse') 5ather thaneneratina ne% :a> Americana the Unite' States ma# e pa"in the %a# to ne% loal holocausts)&he reatest hope in these 'ire circumstances lies in a risin ti'e of re"olt from elo% , oth in the Unite' States an' loall#) &he ro%th of theantiloaliIation mo"ement, %hich 'ominate' the %orl' stae for nearl# t%o #ears follo%in the e"ents in Seattle in $o"emer 1999, %as succee'e'in 2eruar# *00 # the larest loal %a"e of anti%ar protests in human histor#) $e"er efore has the %orl'Vs population risen up so =uic!l# an' insuch massi"e numers in the attempt to stop an imperialist %ar) &he ne% ae of imperialism is also a ne% ae of re"olt)&he ietnam S#n'rome, %hich has so %orrie' the strateic planners of the imperial or'er for 'eca'es, no% seems not onl# to ha"e left a 'eep leac#%ithin the Unite' States ut also to ha"e een couple' this time aroun' %ith an 4mpire S#n'rome on a much more loal scale--somethin that no

one reall# e>pecte')&his more than an#thin else ma!es it clear thatthe strate# of the American rulin class to e>pan' theAmerican 4mpire cannot possil# succee' in the lon run, an' %ill pro"e to e its o%n--%e hope not the%orl'VsJun'oin)

8


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LI0K SI06L9ISS>990:IR=0M90TALISMSI06L9-ISS>990:IR=0M90TALM=:M90TSAILT=AR9SSCAPITALISM M>ST(A:9STR>CT>RAL

C(A069I0P=LITICAL9C=0=M;

Sim$n, onthl# 5e"ie%, +) FEohn, 4colo# The -oment of Truth.An IntroductionG

Such rational reoraniIation of the metaolism et%een nature an' societ# nee's to e 'irecte' not simpl# atclimate chane ut also at a %hole host of other en"ironmental prolems) Some of these are a''resse' in thepresent issue3 the eopolitics of pea! oil (Eohn Bellam# 2oster, the pro'uction of iofuels as a li=ui' fuelalternati"e an' its conse=uences (2re' a'off, the economics of climate chane (in=i Li, the science ofclimate chane (Eohn ) 2arle#, the ocean crisis (Brett Clar! an' 5eecca Clausen, the prolem of lare 'ams(5ohan Dtinction (an' loss of ioloical 'i"ersit# in eneral, 'eforestation,'esertification, soil 'era'ation, aci' rain, the proliferation of to>ic %astes (inclu'in in li"in tissues, mar!et-reulate' iotechnolo#, uran conestion, population ro%th, an' animal rihts)

$o sinle issue captures the 'epth an' rea'th of %hat %e call .the en"ironmental prolem,/ %hichencompasses all of these ecoloical contra'ictions of our societ# an' more) f %e are facin a .moment oftruth/ %ith respect to ecolo# to'a#, it has to 'o %ith the entire amut of capitalismplicit treatment of thepolitical aspects of this strule %ill appear in a secon' special issue of-onthly Re"iew on ecolo# (meant to

complement this one to e pulishe' this comin fall)

9


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LI0K 9C=0=MICC=LLAPS9

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JIJ9K@1**'FSla"oi, .UL&CUL&U5ALS, 75, &H4 CUL&U5AL L7C 72 UL&$A&7$AL CA:&ALS,/$4 L42&544 W**?, :)?+-?G

&o'a#, financial crisis is a permanent state of thins the reference to %hich leitimiIes the 'eman's to cutsocial spen'in, health care, support of culture an' scientific research, in short, the 'ismantlin of the %elfarestate) s, ho%e"er, this permanent crisis reall# anoecti"e feature of our socio-economic lifeO s it not rather one of the effects of the shift of alance in theXclass strule< to%ar's Capital, resultin from the ro%in role of ne% technoloies as %ell as from the 'irectinternationaliIation of Capital an' the co-'epen'ent 'iminishe' role of the $ation-State %hich %as further ale to impose certain minimal re=uirementsan' limitations to e>ploitationO n other %or's, the crisis is an Xoecti"e fact< if an' onl# if one accepts ina'"ance as an un=uestionale premise the

inherent loic of CapitalJas more an' more left-%in or lieral parties ha"e 'one) e are thus %itnessin theuncann# spectacle of social-'emocratic parties %hich came to po%er %ith the et%een-the-lines messae toCapital X%e %ill 'o the necessar# o for #ou in an e"en more efficient an' painless %a# than theconser"ati"espen'iture an'Xeffect< (economic crisis is not a 'irect oecti"e causal one3 it is al%a#s-alrea'# eme''e' in a situation ofsocial antaonism an' strule) &he fact that, if one 'oes not oe# the limits set # Capital, a crisis Xreall#follo%s


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AC(RAM@ R9S9ARC(ASS=CIAT9ATTRA0S0ATI=0ALI0STIT>T9PR=H9CT@ +! (9II CLIMAT9RA>A0CAR=0C=L=0IALISM T(9098TRA9I06R990(=>S96AS9S@ CAPITALISM0AT>R9S=CIALISM@ :=L>M91"@ 0>M9R!@(TTP77888.CAR=0TRA98ATC(.=R67P>S7C0S.P

hile man# hun're's of millions of 'ollars are ein in"este' in settin up emissions tra'in schemes all o"erthe %orl'(the UK o"ernment alone has spent UK Z*1+ million on its trial tra'in scheme, "irtuall# no resources are ein channele' intotheir reulation) &his imalance can onl# lea' to an emissions mar!et 'aner ousl# reliant upon the interit# ofcorporations to file accurate reports of emissions le"els, an' re'uctions)n practice, corporations such as :rice%aterhouseCoopersare actin as oth accountants for an' consultants to pollutin firms, an' as "erifiers of emission re'uction proects) Some entrepreneurial firms such as CH* Hill an'C2 Consultin are also offerin consultanc# an' ro!erae as %ell as "erification ser"ices) &hese potential conflicts of interest %ere at the heart of scan'als relatin to4nron an' Arthur An'ersen, %ho %ere oth pioneers in emissions tra'in)

7pportunities for frau' aoun' as the poorl# reulate' emissions mar!ets 'e"elop) &his is ine"itale in thelaisseI-faire en"ironmentin %hich emissions tra'in is con'ucte') n the first #ear of the UK


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ass 'eath, an' enoci'e, the 'elierate an' s#stematic e>termination of %hole roups of humaneins, ha"e ecome an interal part of the social lan'scape of capitalism in its phase of 'eca'ence) Ausch%itI,Kol#ma, an' Hiroshima are not merel# the names of 'iscrete sites %here human eins ha"e een suecte' toforms of in'ustrialiIe' mass 'eath, ut s#nec'oches for the 'eath-%orl' that is a component of the capitalistmo'e of pro'uction in this epoch) n that sense, %ant to arue that the Holocaust, for e>ample, %as not aEe%ish catastrophe, nor an ata"istic re"ersion to the ararism of a past epoch, ut rather an e"ent pro'uce' #the unfol'in of the loic of capitalism itself) oreo"er, Ausch%itI, Kol#ma, an' Hiroshima are not past, utrather futural e"ents, oecti"e-real possiilities on the 2ront of histor#, to use concepts first articulate' # thear>ist philosopher 4rnst Bloch) &he ethnic cleansin %hich has een unleashe' in Bosnia an' Koso"o, theenoci'e of the &utsis in 5%an'a, the mass 'eath to %hich Chechn#a has een suecte', the prospect for a

nuclear %ar on the n'ian su-continent, are so man# e>amples of the future %hich a%aits the human species asthe capitalist mo'e of pro'uction enters a ne% millenium) n'ee', it is ust such a 'eath-%orl' that constitutesthe meanin of one pole of the historic alternati"e %hich 5osa Lu>emur first pose' in the mi'st of theslauhter inflicte' on masses of conscripts 'urin orl' ar 3 socialism or ararismP

1*


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CAPITALISM90S>R9SC=0TI0>ALP=:9RT;@ I09?>ALIT;A09BPL=ITATI=0 T(9ACTT(ATT(9MAH=RIT;=P9=PL9I0T(98=RLLI:9I0T(9S9C=0ITI=0SCA00=T9S9PARAT9R=MT(90=RMAL@ 9:9R;A;>0CTI=0I06=T(9 9C=0=MICS;ST9M)

Mag,$//@ e'itor monthl# re"ie% maaIine@ + FHarr#, .Approachin socialism/G

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C$$k@:rof) of :hil) Uni") in'sor,2++#FDeorah, .S&A6$ AL43 AD75$7 A$D HAB45AS 7$ S4L2-:54S45A&7$ U$D45LA&4 CA:&ALS,/Rethin%ing -ar/ism, 18(3?-??Gn the passae in $eati"e Dialectics %here he %arns aainst self-preser"ation one %il', A'orno states that it is .onl# as reflection upon self-

preser"ation that reason %oul' e ao"e nature/ (19, *89) &o rise ao"e nature, then, reason must ecome .coniIant of its o%n natural essence/(1998, 18) &o e more full# rational, %e must reflect on %hat Hor!heimer an' A'orno once calle' our un'erroun' histor# (19*, *1) n other%or's, %e must reconiIe that our eha"ior is moti"ate' an' shape' # instincts, inclu'in the instinct for self-preser"ation (A'orno 1998a, 1+) nhis lectures on Kant, A'orno ma!es similar remar!s %hen he summariIes his solution to the prolem of self-preser"ation one %il') &o reme'# this

prolem, nature must first ecome conscious of itself (A'orno *000, 10?) A'optin the 2reu'ian oal of ma!in the unconscious conscious, A'orno

also insists that thiscritical self-un'erstan'ineaccompanie' # ra'ical social, political, an' economic chanes that%oul' rin to a halt the self-immolatin 'omination of nature) &his is %h# min'fulness of nature is necessar# ut not sufficientto reme'# unri'le' self-preser"ation) n the final anal#sis, societ# must e fun'amentall# transforme' in or'er rationall# to accommo'ate instincts

that no% run %il' o%in to our foretfulness of nature in oursel"es)B# insistin on min'fulness of nature in the self, A'orno champions a form of rationalit# that %oul' tame self-preser"ation, ut in contrast to

Haermas, he thin!s thatthe tamin of self-preser"ation is a normati"e tas! rather than an accomplishe' fact) Because self-preser"ation remains irrational, %e no% encounter serious en"ironmental prolems li!e those connecte' %ithloal %armin an' the reenhouse effect, the 'epletion of natural resources, an' the 'eath of more than onehun're' reions in our oceans) 7%in to self- preser"ation one %il', %e ha"e coloniIe' an' 'estailiIe' lareparts of the %orl', a'"ersel# affectin the li"es of millions, %hen %e ha"e not simpl# ensla"e' or mur'ere'their inhaitants outriht) 2amine an' 'isease are often the result of ra"ain the lan' in the name of sur"i"alimperati"es) ars are %ae' in the name of self-preser"ation3 %ith his no% notoriousl# in"isile %eapons ofmass 'estruction, Sa''am Hussein %as sai' to represent a serious threat to the li"es of citiIens in the est) &he

%ar aainst terrorism, %ae' in the name of self-preser"ation, has seriousl# un'ermine' human rihts an' ci"illiertiesR it has also een use' to ustif# the mur'er, rape, an' torture of thousan's As it no% stan's,the o%ners ofthe means of pro'uction ensure our sur"i"al throuh profits that, at est, onl# tric!le 'o%n to the poorestmemers of societ#) &a!en in chare # the capitalist econom#, self-preser"ation no% 'ictates that profitsincrease e>ponentiall# to the 'etriment of social prorams li!e %elfare an' health care)n a''ition, self-preser"ation has one %il' ecause our instincts an' nee's are no% firml# harnesse' to commo'ifie' offers ofsatisfaction that 'eflect an' 'istort them) Ha"in surren'ere' the tas! of self-preser"ation to the economic an'political s#stems, %e remain in thrall to untame' sur"i"al instincts that coul' %ell en' up 'estro#in not ust theentire species, ut all life on the planet)

1+


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Corina McKendry, Department of Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz08[Competing for Green Neoliberalism and te rise of sustainable cities!"

Chicao ase # attractin ne% usinesses an' the resi'ents %ho %ill %or! there)/ &his is not to sa#that a#or Dale# an' cit# officials 'o not ha"e a enuine commitment to en"ironmentalism) 5ather, it is important to reconiIe that the 'iscursi"e frame%or! in %hichthis concern has een successfull# articulate' is that of the %in-%in premise of ecoloical mo'erniIation)

an# of the proramsChicao has un'erta!en are archet#pal e>amples of uran entrepreneurialism) Lu>ur# housinin the inner cit# has lure' professionals in from the suurs, pulic-pri"ate partnerships an' cooperati"e efforts et%een the cit# an' usiness are the en"ironmental

polic# tools of choice, an' sinificant pulic in"estment has een use' to encourae pri"ate 'e"elopment of hih en' consumption (such as the conference in'ustr#)Aain, this is not to sa# that Chicaopansion an' reenin of open space pro"i'es =ualit# of life enefitsfor all resi'ents of the cit#)

Ho%e"er,the reenin of Chicao also faces limitations that hint at prolems %ith uran entrepreneurialismas a frame%or! for en"ironmental politics) 7ne of the most important is the issue of social e=uit#, particularl#in affor'ale housin) 7ne of the proclaime' success stories of Chicao


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Eohn Bellam# $ster@4'itor monthl# re"ie% , +'F&he 4colo# of 'estructionG:ontecor"o


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=&r interpretati$n is tat ,e4ate is a space ere e@ as intellect&als@ can G&esti$n an, interr$gatesystems $/ p$er an, ,$minati$n in $r,er t$ ,isr&pt teir /&ncti$n y$& s$&l, v$te negative in $r,er t$en,$rse $&r pr$%ect $/ 4reaking ,$n capitalism -

Tey 4ree, p$litical passivity teacing &s merely t$ ,e4ate a4$&t g$vernment p$licy silences teG&esti$n $/ at e can an, s$&l, ,$ t$ c$ncretely cange $&r $rl, an, makes &s 4elieve tatg$vernment is te s$l&ti$n t$ all $&r pr$4lems. 8en e learn t$ tink tis ay@ e l$$se $&r spark /$rp$litical activism.

P$litical &tility $&teigs te$retical c$nsi,erati$ns ,e4ate 4eing /air is &nimp$rtant c$mpare, t$ teG&esti$n $/ eter $r n$t e can c$ncretely cange te $rl, tey s$&l, G&it ining a4$&t ,e4ate4eing /air@ an, start ,$ing s$meting meaning/&l t$ act&ally cange tings. 0$ne $/ &s are g$ing t$4ec$me g$vernment $rkers s$ e s$&l, /$c&s $n 4ec$ming active citiens. =&r alternative act&allycanges tings@ ereas tey %&st talk a4$&t at s$&l, 4e cange,.

8e pr$vi,e te 4est e,&cati$n teir type $/ e,&cati$n merely teaces &s a4$&t g$vernment p$licy@ereas e all$ /$r critical tinking $ver real $rl, i,eas $/ at e can ,$. Te type $/ in,ivi,&al epr$vi,e teaces &s n$t %&st t$ analye at c$&rse $/ acti$n e s$&l, take@ 4&t t$ tink ,eeper a4$&t$ e g$t int$ te pr$4lems e nee, t$ s$lve in te /irst place. Tis is 4etter since e learn t$ G&esti$n$&r ass&mpti$ns@ ic is m$re p$litically an, pers$nally &se/&l.

Te ,e4ate is still /air tey s$&l, 4e prepare, t$ G&esti$n te ass&mpti$n tey make a4$&t te $rl,4eca&se tey c$$se t$ make tem. Criticiing capitalism is a pre,icta4le test $/ incentives as amecanism t$ s$lve envir$nmental pr$4lems@ ic tey s$&l, 4e a4le t$ ,e/en,.

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A2 P9RM>TATI=0ITISIMP=SSIL9T=S>ICI90TL;R9=RMCAPITALISM89M>C(C(A069C=>RS9.$ster@ Clark@ an, ;$rk@ +)(Eohn Bellam# 2oster, e'itor of onthl# 5e"ie% an' professor of sociolo# at theUni"ersit# of 7reon) Brett Clar!, assistant professor of sociolo# at $orth Carolina State Uni"ersit#) 5ichar'6or!, coe'itor of 7raniIation ] 4n"ironment an' associate professor of sociolo# at the Uni"ersit# of

7reon) .4colo#3 &he oment of &ruth - An ntro'uction)/ Eul# *008)http3NN%%%)monthl#re"ie%)orN08001foster-clar!-#or!)php

Accor'in to en"ironmentalist Lester Bro%n in his :lan B )0, .e are crossin natural threshol's that %ecannot see an' "iolatin 'ea'lines that %e 'o not reconiIe) $ature is the time !eeper, ut %e cannot see thecloc!))))e are in a race et%een tippin points in the earthpansion are often presente' in strictl# =uantitati"e,economic terms, the sta!es for ar>ist theorists are primaril# political) &his 'oes not mean that the economiccalculations (an' the criti=ues of them shoul' not e ta!en seriousl#R it means, rather, that the economicrelationships must e consi'ere' as the# are reall# articulate' in the historical an' social conte>t, as part ofpolitical relations of rule an' 'omination)F1G &he most important political sta!e for these authors in the=uestion of economic e>pansion is to 'emonstrate the ineluctale relationship et%een capitalism an'imperialism) f capitalism an' imperialism are essentiall# relate', the loic oes, then an# strule aainstimperialism (an' the %ars, miser#, impo"erishment, an' ensla"ement that follo% from it must also e a 'irectstrule aainst capitalism) An# political strate# aime' at reformin the contemporar# confiuration ofcapitalism to ma!e it nonimperialist is "ain an' nai"e ecause the core of capitalist repro'uction an'accumulation necessaril# implies imperialist e>pansion) Capital cannot eha"e other%ise-this is its nature) &he

e"ils of imperialism cannot e confronte' e>cept # 'estro#in capitalism itself)

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T>CK9R, :5724SS75 72 :7L&CS A& :5$C4&7$ U$45S&6,'+ F57B45& C, &H4 A5YA$547LU&7$A56D4A,:)1?1G&he notion that %orl' communistre"olution can continue un'er peaceful international con'itions is a post-Stalinist inno"ation in So"ie

part# 'octrine ) At the &%entieth :art# Conress in 19+,the Leninist-Stalinist thesis on the inseparailit# of imperialism an' %ars %as finall#re"ise'R %ars %ere 'eclare' to e a"oi'ale calamities in the nuclear aeR an' the no"eli'ea %as put for%ar'thatinternational peace an' coe>istence miht pro"e propitious for the further sprea' of communist re"olution)Socialist re"olution is not necessaril# connecte' %ith %ar,proclaime' the ne% So"iet :art# :roram in this connection) Althouh oth%orl' %ars, %hich %ere starte' # the imperialists, culminate' in socialist re"olutions, re"olutions are =uite feasile %ithout %ar) &his proposition%as accompanie' # the thesisJalso promulate' at the &%entieth :art# ConressJthat a communist re"olution can, an' if possile shoul', ta!e place # a peaceful

parliamentar# path)Un'er fa"orale con'itions, asserte' the :art# :roram,the %or!in class can %in a soli' maorit# inparliament, transform it from a tool ser"in theclass interests of the oureoisie into an instrument ser"in the %or!in people, launch a roa' massstrule outsi'e parliament, smash the resistance of the reactionar# forces, an' pro"i'e the necessar# con'itions for a peaceful socialistre"olution)

*0


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K$vel 2(Eoel, :rofessor of Social Stu'ies at Bar' Collee, &he 4nem# of $ature, p) 11+-12or e>ample, it is a commonl# hel' opinion that capitalism is an innate an' therefore ine"itale outcome for thehuman species)f this is the case, then the necessar# path of human e"olution tra"els from the 7l'u"ai ore to the $e% 6or! Stoc! 4>chane, an' to thin! ofa %orl' e#on' capital is mere a#in at the moon) t onl# ta!es a rief reflection to 'emolish the recei"e' un'erstan'in) Capital is certainl# a potentialit# for human

nature, ut, 'espite all the efforts of i'eoloues to arue for its natural ine"itailit#, no more than this) 2or if capital %ere natural, %h# has it onl#occupie' the last +00 #ears of a recor' that oes ac! for hun're's of thousan'sO ore to the point, %h# 'i' it ha"e toe impose' throuh "iolence %here"er it set 'o%n its ruleOAn' most importantl#, %h# 'oes it ha"e to e continuall#maintaine' throuh "iolence, an' continuousl# re-impose' on each eneration throuh an enormous apparatusof in'octrinationO h# not ust let chil'ren e the %a# the# %ant to e an' trust that the# %ill turn into capitalists an' %or!ers for capitalists J the %a# %e let

a# chic!s e, !no%in that the# %ill relial# ro% into chic!ens if pro"i'e' %ith foo', %ater an' shelterO &hose %ho elie"e that capital is innateshoul' also e %illin to 'o %ithout police, or the in'ustries of culture, an' if the# are not, then their arumentsare h#pocritical) But this onl# sharpens the =uestions of %hat capital is, %h# the path to it %as chosen, an' %h# people %oul' sumit to an econom# an' thin!so much of %ealth in the first placeO &hese are hihl# practical concerns) t is %i'el# reconiIe', for e>ample, that haits of consumption in the in_'ustrial societies%ill ha"e to e 'rasticall# altere' if a sustainale %orl' is to e achie"e') &his means, ho%e"er that the "er# pattern of human nee's %ill ha"e to e chane', %hich

means in turn that the asic %a# in %hich %e inhait nature %ill ha"e to e chane') e !no% that capital forcil# in'octrinates people toresist these chanes, ut onl# a poor an' superficial anal#sis %oul' stop here an' sa# nothin further aout ho%this %or!s an' ho% it came aout) Capitalploration)

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IRST PR9ICTAILIT; 9ATI066=:9R0M90TP=LIC; ISIMPLI9 I0T(9=RMAT=T(9ACTI:IT;A0IST(9=0L;PR9ICTAL9I0T9RPR9TATI=0=R8(AT9AT9IS9CA>S9ITSAS9I0T(9T=PIC 9AT9ISA=>TP=LIC;9>CATI=0A00=TI0I:I>ALC(A069ASPR=:90;T(9R9S=L>TI=0. ALL=8I06T(9MT=9AT9A0;I0I:I>AL=RMISACTI:ISMIS>0PR9ICTAL99CA>S9T(9R9AR9A0I0I0IT90>M9R ==RMS=S=CIALC(A069T(9;CA0A:=CAT9=R T(9=0L;8A;89CA09PR9PAR9T=9AT9T(9MISI89STICKT=9ATI068(ATT(96=:9R0M90TS(=>L=RS(=>L=. T(IS>09RMI09SAIR09SS;9BPL=I06T(9AM=>0T=R9S9ARC(89CA0=A0ALL=8I06T(9MT=MAK9T(990TIR91ACIRR9L9:A0T;SA;I0689S(=>L=C>S=0I0I:I>ALC(A069.

S9C=0 P=LITICS- =>RI0T9RPR9TATI=0PR=:I9ST(99ST9>CATI=0- =>RI0T9RPR9TATI=090S>R9S9>CATI=0A=>T90ACTI06P=LICI9S.T(ISISIMP=RTA0T=RP=LIC;A:=CAC;A0L9AR0I06A=>TT(9P=LITICALPR=C9SS. ITT9AC(9S>ST=9P=LITICALL;906A69CITIE90S8(=AR9I0T9R9ST9I0C(A06I066=:9R0M90TP=LIC;A0M=TI:AT9=RACTI:ISM. T(9IRI0T9RPR9TATI=0SM9A0S8909:9RL9AR0A=>T8(AT89S(=>L=RS(=>L0CATI=0- 9AAT9A=>TP=LIC;90C=>RA69SCRITICALT(I0KI06SKILLSAS9=09L:I06I0T=ASI06L9T=PIC=RAS>STAI09P9RI==TIM9 IT(9;CA0C(A069T(9T=PICA0M9T(==9AT99:9R;TIM9@ T(9R9IS0=8A;89CA09:9R;L9AR0(=8T=A0AL;E9T(9C=STSA0909ITS=P=LICI9S. ITSLIK9R9AI06A090C;CL=P9IA 89MA;

69TAL=T=0IC9I0=RMATI=0=>T=T(9IR=RM=9AT9@ >T8909:9RL9AR0(=8T=T(I0KCRITICALL;A=>TT(ATK0=8L969SI0C9ITSAL8A;S098.

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=0T(9IRC=0T9BT T(9IRI9AT(99:9R;CAPITALISTP=LIC;S(=>L9R9H9CT9I60=R9ST(AT89(A:9T(9P=89RT=I0L>90C9T(9C=>RS9=(=8P=LICI9SAR9IMPL9M90T9@==MI0690:IR=0M90TALR9=RMT(AT(9LPST(=>SA0S=P9=PL9.

CorinaMcKendry, Department of Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz08[Competing for GreenNeoliberalism and te rise of sustainable cities!"

As %ithman# stu'ies of neolieralism, the ao"e authorsoffer a rather.monolithic an' functionalistconception of neolieraliIation

as an un'ifferentiate' loal ehemoth, runnin on autopilot or ui'e' # some in"isile han')/ &his !in' of anal#sis fails

to reconiIe te agency $/ pe$ple t$ callenge ne$li4eral l$gic even as tey are /$rce, t$ $rk itin te very realstr&ct&ral limitati$ns $/ gl$4aliati$n. As %ill e arue' elo%,uran reenin must e un'erstoo' oth as a form of uranentrepreneurialism and as importantl# influence' # other loics an' phenomenon, particularl# transmunicipal cooperation an'

str&ggles /$r envir$nmental %&stice) Secon', e>istin research on uran reenin as a form of uran entrepreneurialism an'capitalist reulation are unsatisfactor# in their 'ismissal of the possiilit# ofan# sustanti"e en"ironmental impro"ements

emerin from uran en"ironmental prorams) n the face of ro%in e"i'ence that cities are in'ee' ta!in on important

en"ironmental challenes in concrete %a#s, 'ismissin these policies ecause the# are forms of neolieralism is lessilluminatin than anal#Iin ho% neolieralism has oth enale' an' constraine' uran reenin ) Before attemptin to offer a more

nuance' anal#sis of the relationship et%een local sustainailit# initiati"es an' neolieralism thouh case stu'ies of four U)S) cities, t%o more theoretical frame%or!s that are crucial to

un'erstan'in uran reenin nee' to e e>amine') &hese frame%or!s are ecoloical mo'erniIation theor# an' en"ironmental ustice)7ne of the %ea!nesses in much of

the scholarship on neolieralism is to see neolieralism as not onl# ui=uitous, ut also monolithic) n criti=uin

neolieralismtent to %hich an# one of these is the pre'ominant 'ri"in force in a cit#


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(AS9MPIRICALL;S>CC999I0MAKI06AR9ALIMPACT=0P9=PL9I0=>RC=MM>0IT;.T(9IR8(=L9SAL9R9H9CTI=0==>R90:IR=0M90TALR9=RM==MST(=>SA0ST=P=:9RT;A09SPAIR.

Corina McKendry, Department of Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz08[Competing for Green Neoliberalism and te rise of sustainable cities!"

7a!lan', California offers a some%hat 'ifferent ta!e on the relationship et%een neolieralism an' localsustainailit# initiati"es) &his cit# has trie' more than most to comine social an' en"ironmental ustice oals%ith uran reenin an' economic ro%th)&houh 7a!lan'


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ALT9R0ATI:9AT(9ALT9R0ATI:9IS(=P9L9SS--I9=L=6ICALC(A069S8ILL09:9RSPILL=:9RA09:90IT(9;=@

I9ASAL=09AR9I0A9?>AT9T=C(A069S=CI9T;.Leis *!(artin, lecturer in international histor# an' interim 'irector of the proram in nternational 5elationsat Stanfor' Uni"ersit#, #reen 0elusions1 An En"ironmentalist Criti2ue of Radical En"ironmentalism,:ae 11-

1*

an# eco-ra'icals hope that a massi"e i'eoloical campain can transform popular perceptions, lea'in oth toa fun'amental chane in lifest#les an' to lare-scale social reconstruction) Such a "ie% is hihl# cre'ulous) &henotion that continue' intellectual hectorin %ill e"entuall# result in a mass con"ersion to en"ironmentalmonasticism (5osIa! 1993*891-mar!e' # "o%s of po"ert# an' nonprocreation-is 'ifficult to accept) hilera'ical "ie%s ha"e come to 'ominate man# en"ironmental circles, their effect on the populace at lare has eenminimal) Despite the reenin of 4uropean politics that recentl# a"e stal%arts consi'erale hope, the more recent reen plune suests that e"en the 4uropean electorate lac!s commitment to en"ironmentalra'icalism) n the Unite' States se"eral 'eca'es of preachin the same ecora'ical ospel ha"e ha' little appreciale effectR the pulic remains, as efore, %e''e' to consumer culture an' creature comforts) &he stuorn hope

that nonetheless continues to inform reen e>tremism stems from a per"asi"e philosophical error in ra'ical en"ironmentalism) As Da"i' :epper (1989 sho%s, most eco-ra'ical thouht is mire'in i'ealism3 in this case the elief that the roots of the ecoloical crisis lie ultimatel# in i'eas aout nature an'

humanit#) As Doson (19903 puts it3 Central to the theoretical canon of reen politics is the elief that our social, political, an' economic prolems are sustantiall# cause' # our intellectual relationship %iththe %orl' (see also ilrath 198938) f onl# such i'eas %oul' chane, man# a"er, all %oul' e %ell) Such a elief has inspire' the %ritin of elo=uent eremia'sR it is less con'uci"e to 'esinin concrete strateies foreffecti"e social an' economic chane) t is certainl# not m# elief that i'eas are insinificant or that attemptin to chane othersV opinions is a futile en'ea"or) f that %ere true %oul' har'l# feel compelle' to %rite a polemic

%or! of this !in') But am also con"ince' that chanin i'eas alone is insufficient) i'esprea' i'eoloical con"ersion, e"en if it %ereto occur, %oul' har'l# e a'e=uate for enuine social transformation) Specific policies must still e formulate',an' specific political plans must e 'e"ise' if those policies are e"er to e realiIe')

T(9ALT9R0ATI:9ISI0(9R90TL;T=TALITARIA0ATRA0SITI=0A8A;R=MCAPITALISM8=>LKILLMILLI=0S.

R$ckell@ +)FLle%ell#n, presi'ent of the Lu'%i "on ises nstitute, 4"er#thin 6ou Lo"e 6ou 7%e toCapitalism, +N1, http3NNmises)orNstor#N*98*G

hate"er the specifics of the case in =uestion, socialism al%a#s means o"erri'in the free 'ecisions ofin'i"i'uals an' replacin that capacit# for 'ecision ma!in %ith an o"erarchin plan # the state) &a!en farenouh, this mo'e of thouht %onVt ust spell an en' to opulent lunches) t %ill mean the en' of %hat %e all!no% as ci"iliIation itself) t %oul' plune us ac! to a primiti"e state of e>istence, li"in off huntin an'atherin in a %orl' %ith little art, music, leisure, or charit#) $or is an# form of socialism capale of pro"i'infor the nee's of the %orl'Vs si> illion people, so the population %oul' shrin! 'ramaticall# an' =uic!l# an' in amanner that %oul' ma!e e"er# human horror e"er !no%n seem mil' # comparison) $or is it possile to'i"orce socialism from totalitarianism, ecause if #ou are serious aout en'in pri"ate o%nership of the meansof pro'uction, #ou ha"e to e serious aout en'in free'om an' creati"it# too) 6ou %ill ha"e to ma!e the %holeof societ#, or %hat is left of it, into a prison) n short, the %ish for socialism is a %ish for unparallele' humane"il) f %e reall# un'erstoo' this, no one %oul' e>press casual support for it in polite compan#) t %oul' e li!e

sa#in, #ou !no%, there is reall# somethin to e sai' for malaria an' t#phoi' an' 'roppin atom oms onmillions of innocents)

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CAPITALISMISI09:ITAL9CAPITALISMIST=TALL;I09:ITAL9T(9L9T=0L;L==KSCRAE;8(90T(9;=C>S=0MARBISM

=:9RPRACTICALR9=RMS.8ils$n@ 2+++@ Author of man# oo!s inclu'in X&he #th of :olitical Correctness< @ *000 (Eohn K) ilson,.Ho% the Left can in Aruments an' nfluence :eople/ p) - 10

Socialism is 'ea') Kaput) Stic! a for! in LeninVs corpse) &a!e the 2i'el posters off the %all) elcome to thet%ent#-first centur#) a!e up an' smell the capitalism) ha"e no particular hostilit# to socialism) But nothincan !ill a oo' i'ea in America so =uic!l# as stic!in the socialist lael on it) &he realit# in America is thatsocialism is aout as successful as ar>ist foot%ear (an' ha"e #ou e"er seen a sic!le an' hammer on an#o'#VsshoesO) Allo% #our position to e 'efine' as socialist e"en if it isnVt (rememer ClintonVs capitalist health careplanO, an' the i'ea is 'oome') nstea' of fihtin to repair the tattere' remnants of socialism as a mar!etin sloan, the left nee's to a''ress the core issues of social ustice) 6ou can form the%or' socialist from the letters in social ustice, ut it soun's etter if #ou 'onVt) At least 90 percent of America opposes socialism, an' 90 percent of America thin!s social ustice miht e a oo' i'ea) h# alienate so man#people %ith a %or'O 4"en the true elie"ers ha%!in copies of the 5e"olutionar# Socialist or!er must realiIe # no% that the %or' socialist 'oesnVt ha"e a lot of 'ra%in po%er) n the mo"ie Bul%orth, arren Beatt#'eclares3 Let me hear that 'irt# %or'3 socialismP Socialism i snVt reall# a 'irt# %or', ho%e"erR if it %ere, socialism miht ha"e a lit tle un'erroun' appeal as a fori''en topic) nstea', socialism is a forotten %or', part ofan archaic "ocaular# an' a 'ea' lanuae that is no loner spo!en in America) 4"en ichael Harrinton, t he foun'er of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA, 'i'nVt use the %or' socialism in his influential oo! on

po"ert#, &he 7ther America) &he est reason for the left to aan'on socialism is not :5 ut honest#) ost of the self-'escrie' socialists remainin in America 'onVt =ualif# as real socialists in an# technical sense) f #ou loo! at

the DSA (%hose prominent memers inclu'e Har"ar' professor Cornel est an' former &ime columnistBarara 4hrenreich, most of the policies the# ure-a li"in %ae, uni"ersal health care, en"ironmentalprotection, re'uce' spen'in on the :entaon, an' an en' to corporate %elfare-ha"e nothin to 'o %ithsocialism in the specific sense of o"ernment o%nership of the means of pro'uction) 5ather, the DSA proramis reall# nothin more than %hat a lieral political part# ouht to push for, if %e ha' one in America)4uropeans, to %hom the h#steria o"er socialism must seem rather strane, %oul' ne"er consi'er aan'oninsocialism as a leitimate political i'eolo#) But in America, socialism simpl# isnVt ta!en seriousl# # themainstream) &herefore, if socialists %ant to e ta!en seriousl#, the# nee' to pursue socialist oals usinnonsocialist rhetoric) hene"er someone tries to attac! an i'ea as socialist (or, etter #et, communist, thereVs an eas# ans%er3 Some people thin! e"er#thin 'one # a o"ernment, from SocialSecurit# to e'icare to pulic schools to pulic liraries, is socialism) &he rest of us ust thin! itVs a oo' i'ea) (hene"er possile, thro% pulic liraries into an arument, %hether itVs aout oo' o"ernment prorams or$4A fun'in) $oo'# %ith an# sense is oppose' to pulic liraries) &he# are # far the most popular o"ernment institutions) f an arument turns into a 'eate o"er socialism, simpl# 'efine socialism as the totalo"ernment o%nership of all factories an' natural resources--%hich, since %e 'onVt ha"e it an' no one is reall# aruin for this to happen, ma!es socialism a rather pointless 'eate) 7f course, socialists %ill al%a#s arue

amon themsel"es aout socialism an' continue their internal 'eates) But %hen it comes to influencin pulic polic#

, astract 'iscussions aout socialism are %orse thanuseless, for the# alienate the proressi"e potential of the American people) tVs onl# # pursuin specificproressi"e policies on nonsocialist terms that socialists ha"e an# hope in the lon term of con"incin thepulic that socialism isnVt (or shoul'nVt e a lon-'ea' i'eolo#)

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R9=RM6==7P9RM

M=9RAT9R9=RMST(ATATTRACTR=AS>PP=RTAR9T(9=0L;8A;T=SA:9T(990:IR=0M90T.Leis *!(artin, lecturer in international histor# an' interim 'irector of the proram in nternational 5elationsat Stanfor' Uni"ersit#, #reen 0elusions1 An En"ironmentalist Criti2ue of Radical En"ironmentalism, :ae

*+0-*+1

n conclusion, en"ironmentalismVs challene must e more than to criticiIe societ# an' imaine a lissfulalternati"e) 7n the contrar#, the mo"ement must 'e"ise realistic plans an' concrete strateies for a"oi'inecoloical collapse an' for reconstructin an ecoloicall# sustainale economic or'er) &o 'o so %ill entail%or!in %ith, not aainst, societ# at lare) &he est hope see is throuh a ne% alliance of mo'erates from oththe left an' the riht-a coalition in %hich mo'erate conser"ati"es continue to insist on efficienc# an' pru'ence,an' %here lierals for%ar' an aen'a aime' at social proress an' en"ironmental protection, ut in %hich othcontinents are %illin to compromise in the interests at a common nation an', ultimatel#, a common humanit#)&he en"ironmental reforms necessar# to ensure planetar# sur"i"al %ill re=uire the forin of such a roa'-ranin political consensus- B# th%artin ts 'e"elopment, eco-ra'icalism un'ermines our est chance at sal"ain theearth-offerin instea' onl# the peace of min' that comes from !no%in that oneVs o%n i'eolo# is ecoloicall# an' politicall# pure) t is time for the en"ironmental mo"ement to reconiIe such thin!in for the fantas# that it

is) e must first relin=uish our hopes for utopia if %e reall# %ish to sa"e the earth) :romethean 4n"ironmentalism is not simpl# a %atere''o%n, compromise' form of the ra'ical 'octrine) Althouh its concrete proposals an' its philosophical positions are consistentl# at o''s %ith those of eco-ra'icalism (see the appen'i>, its ultimate purpose is in fact the same

to return the surface of the earth to life, to life in all its aun'ance, 'i"ersit#, an' e"olutionar# potential) :rometheans maintain, ho%e"er, thatfor the foreseeale future %e mustacti"el# manae the planet to ensure the sur"i"al of as much ioloical 'i"ersit# as possile)

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ST>I9SPR=:9T(AT6L=ALIEATI=0A0CAPITALISML9SS90T(9R9?>90C;A0I0T90SIT;=8AR.6ris$l,@ +"(Daniel, 'irector of the Center for &ra'e :olic# Stu'ies at Cato, .:eace on earthO &r# free tra'eamon men/, http3NN%%%)freetra'e)orNno'eN*8*

As one little-notice' hea'line on an Associate' :ress stor# recentl# reporte', ar 'eclinin %orl'%i'e, stu'iessa#) Accor'in to the Stoc!holm nternational :eace 5esearch nstitute, the numer of arme' conflicts aroun'the %orl' has een in 'ecline for the past half centur#) n ust the past 1+ #ears, onoin conflicts ha"e 'roppe'from to 18, %ith all of them no% ci"il conflicts %ithin countries ) As *00+ 'ra%s to an en', no t%o nations in the %orl' are at %ar %ith each other) &he'eath toll from %ar has also een falli n) Accor'in to the A: stor#, &he numer !ille' in attle has fallen to its lo%est point in the post-orl' ar perio', ' ippin elo% *0,000 a #ear # one measure) :eacema!inmissions, mean%hile, are ro%in in numer) &hose estimates are 'o%n sharpl# from annual tolls ranin from ?0,000 to 100,000 in the 1990s, an' from a pea! of 00,000 in 19+1 'urin t he Korean ar) an# causes lie

ehin' the oo' ne%s -- the en' of the Col' ar an' the sprea' of 'emocrac#, amon them -- ute>pan'in tra'e an' loaliIation appear to e pla#in amaor role) 2ar from sto!in a orl' on 2ire, as one misui'e' American author has arue', ro%incommercial ties et%een nations ha"e ha' a 'ampenin effect on arme' conflict an' %ar, for three mainreasons) 2irst, tra'e an' loaliIation ha"e reinforce' the tren' to%ar' 'emocrac#, an' 'emocracies 'onVt pic!fihts %ith each other) 2ree'om to tra'e nurtures 'emocrac# # e>pan'in the mi''le class in loaliIin countries an' e=uippin people %ith tools of communication such as cell phones, satellite &,an' the nternet) ith tra'e comes more tra"el, more contact %ith people in other countries, an' more e>posure t o ne% i'eas) &han!s in part to loaliIation, almost t%o thir's of the %orl'Vs countries to'a# are 'emocracies --

a recor' hih)Secon', as national economies ecome more interate' %ith each other, those nations ha"e more to loseshoul' %ar rea! out) ar in a loaliIe' %orl' not onl# means human casualties an' ier o"ernment, utalso rupture' tra'e an' in"estment ties that impose lastin 'amae on the econom#) n short, loaliIation has'ramaticall# raise' the economic cost of %ar) &hir', loaliIation allo%s nations to ac=uire %ealth throuhpro'uction an' tra'e rather than con=uest of territor# an' resources) ncreasinl#, %ealth is measure' in termsof intellectual propert#, financial assets, an' human capital)

CAPITALISM90C=>RA69SI0T9R0ATI=0ALC==P9RATI=0T(AT=ST9RSP9AC9.an,$@ +"(Dou, Senior 2ello% at Cato, .Sprea'in Capitalism is oo' for :eace/,http3NN%%%)cato)orNpuQ'ispla#)phpOpuQi'`+19

n a %orl' that seems constantl# aflame, one naturall# as!s3 hat causes peaceO an# people, inclu'in U)S) :resi'ent eore ) Bush, hopethat sprea'in 'emocrac# %ill 'iscourae %ar) But ne% research suests that e>pan'in free mar!ets is a far more important factor, lea'in to %hat Columia Uni"ersit#Vs 4ri! artI!e calls a capitalist peace) tVs a reasonfor e"en the left to support free mar!ets) &he capitalist peace theor# isnVt ne%3 ontes=uieu an' A'am Smith elie"e' in it) an# of BritainVs classical lierals, such as 5ichar' Co'en, pushe' free mar!ets %hile opposinimperialism) But orl' ar 'emonstrate' that increase' tra'e %as not enouh) &he prospect of economic ruin 'i' not pre"ent rampant nationalism, ethnic hatre', an' securit# fears from trumpin the po%er of mar!ets) Ane"en reater conflict follo%e' a eneration later) &han!full#, orl' ar left %ar essentiall# unthin!ale amon lea'in in'ustrialiIe' - an' 'emocratic - states) Support re% for the arument, oin ac! to mmanualKant, that repulics are less %arli!e than other s#stems) &o'a#Vs corollar# is that creatin 'emocracies out of 'ictatorships %ill re'uce conflict) &h is contention animate' some support outsi'e as %ell as insi'e the Unit e'States for the in"asion of ra=) But artI!e arues that the V'emocratic peaceV is a mirae create' # the o"erlap et%een economic an' political free'om) &hat is, 'emocracies t#picall# ha"e freer economies than 'oauthoritarian states) &hus, %hile 'emocrac# is 'esirale for man# reasons, he notes in a chapter in the latest "olume of 4conomic 2ree'om in the orl', create' # the 2raser nstitute, representati"e o"ernments are

unli!el# to contriute 'irectl# to international peace) Capitalism is # far the more important factor) &he shift from statist mercantilism tohih-tech capitalism has transforme' the economics ehin' %ar) ar!ets enerate economic opportunities thatma!e %ar less 'esirale) &erritorial aran'iIement no loner pro"i'es the est path to riches) 2ree-flo%incapital mar!ets an' other aspects of loaliIation simultaneousl# 'ra% nations toether an' raise the economicprice of militar# conflict) oreo"er, sanctions, %hich interfere %ith economic prosperit#, pro"i'es a coerci"e step short of %ar to achie"e forein polic# en's) :ositi"e economic tren's are notenouh to pre"ent %ar, ut then, neither is 'emocrac#) t lon has een o"ious that 'emocracies are %illin to fiht, ust usuall# not each other) Conten's artI!e, lieral political s#stems, in an' of themsel"es, ha"e noimpact on %hether states fiht) n particular, poorer 'emocracies perform li!e non-'emocracies) He e>plains3 Democrac# 'oes not ha"e a measurale impact, %hile nations %ith "er# lo% le"els of economic free'om are 1?

times more prone to conflict than those %ith "er# hih le"els) artI!e consi'ers other "ariales, inclu'in alliance memerships, nuclear 'eterrence, an' reional 'ifferences)Althouh the causes ofconflict "ar#, the relationship et%een economic liert# an' peace remains)

*9
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CAPITALISM6== 90:IR=0M90T

CAPITALISMISK9;T=90:IR=0M90TALS>STAI0AILIT;89ALT(6909RAT9S90:IR=0M90TALPR=T9CTI=0S.

Tayl$r@ +(Eerr#, Director of natural resource stu'ies at Cato, .Happ# 4arth Da#O &han! Capitalism/,http3NN%%%)cato)orNpuQ'ispla#)phpOpuQi'`0

n'ee', %e %oul'nVt e"en ha"e en"ironmentalists in our mi'st %ere it not for capitalism) 4n"ironmental amenities, after all, are lu>ur# oo's) America -- li!e much ofthe &hir' orl' to'a# -- ha' no en"ironmental mo"ement to spea! of until li"in stan'ar's rose sufficientl# so that %e coul' turn our attention from simpl# pro"i'in

for foo', shelter, an' a reasonale e'ucation to hiher =ualit# of life issues) &he richer #ou are, the more li!el# #ou are to e anen"ironmentalist) An' people %oul'nVt e rich %ithout capitalism) ealth not onl# ree's en"ironmentalists, iteets en"ironmental =ualit#) &here are 'oIens of stu'ies sho%in that, as per capita income initiall# rises from susistence le"els, air an' %aterpollution increases correspon'inl#) But once per capita income hits et%een [,+00 an' [1+,000 ('epen'ent upon the pollutant, the amient concentration ofpollutants eins to 'ecline ust as rapi'l# as it ha' pre"iousl# increase') &his relationship is foun' for "irtuall# e"er# sinificant pollutant in e"er# sinle reion of the

planet) t is an iron la%) i"en that %ealthier societies use more resources than poorer societies, such fin'ins arein'ee' counterintuiti"e) But the 'ata 'onVt lie) Ho% 'o %e e>plain thisO &he o"ious ans%er -- that %ealthiersocieties are %illin to tra'e-off the economic costs of o"ernment reulation for en"ironmental impro"ements

an' that poorer societies are not -- is onl# partiall# correct) n the Unite' States, pollution 'eclines enerall#pre'ate' the passae of la%s man'atin pollution controls) n fact, for most pollutants, 'eclines %ere reaterefore the fe'eral o"ernment passe' its panopl# of en"ironmental reulations than after the 4:A came uponthe scene) uch of this ha' to 'o %ith in'i"i'ual 'eman's for en"ironmental =ualit#) :eople %ho coul' affor' cleaner-urnin furnaces, for instance, ouht them) :eople %ho %ante' recreational ser"ices spenttheir mone# accor'inl#, creatin profit opportunities for the pro"ision of untrammele' nature) :ropert# "alues rose i n cleaner areas an' 'ecline' in more pollute' areas, shiftin capital from Bro%n to reen in"estments)

ar!et aents %ill suppl# %hate"er it is that people are %illin to spen' mone# on) An' %hen people are %illin to spen' mone# on en"ironmental =ualit#, the mar!et %ill pro"i'e it) ean%hile, capitalismre%ar's efficienc# an' punishes %aste) :rofit-hunr# companies foun' inenious %a#s to re'uce the natural resource inputs necessar# to pro'uce all !in's of oo's, %hich in turnre'uce' en"ironmental 'eman's on the lan' an' the amount of %aste that flo%e' throuh smo!estac!s an' %ater pipes) As %e learne' to 'o more an' more %ith a i"en unit of resources, the %aste in"ol"e' (%hich manifests

itself in the form of pollution shran!) &his tren' %as manifie' # the shift a%a# from manufacturin to ser"ice in'ustries, %hichcharacteriIes %ealth#, ro%in economies) &he latter are far less pollution-intensi"e than the former) But theformer are necessar# prere=uisites for the latter) :ropert# rihts -- a necessar# prere=uisite for free mar!eteconomies -- also pro"i'e stron incenti"es to in"est in resource health) ithout them, no one cares aout

future returns ecause no one can e sure the#Vll e aroun' to reap the ains) :ropert# rihts are also importantmeans # %hich pri"ate 'esires for resource conser"ation an' preser"ation can e realiIe')

6R=8T(CR9AT9SCL9A09RT9C(0=L=6I9ST(ATAR9T(99ST(=P9=RT(990:IR=0M90T.Eey@ *)Fichael, e>ecuti"e 'irector of the 4>pansionar# nstitute an' professor at ontclair State Uni"ersit# School of Business, SeiIin the 2uture, p)-G

&hir', ro%th itselfcontains the solutions to the prolems it pro'uces) Supportin this principle is the orl' Ban!

baudl-cap-k

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