Re: humanitarian intervention in the world economy

On Tue, 18 May 1999, Institute for Global Futures Research (IGFR) wrote:

>returning to the question of 'unlimited pie' versus 'limited pie' 
>view, there are a number of limits coming into play now - CO2 
>emissions, marine fisheries, natural habitat (species extinction rates), 
>water, fertile soil.  These may be medium term limits or longterm limits.  
>Either way, it means that, to a degree, the wealth of some nations is 
>at the expense of the wealth of others.  The unlimited-pie justification 
>of neoliberal economic globalisation is less defensible. 

I like the way James O'Connor puts it: "the short answer to the question
"Is sustainable capitalism possible?" is "No," while the longer answer is
"Probably not."

He goes on to say: "Capitalism is self-destructing and in crisis: the
world economy makes more people hungry, poor, and miserable every day;
the masses of peasants and workers cannot be expected to endure the crisis
indefinitely; and nature, however 'ecological sustainability' is defined,
is under attack everywhere."

Quotes from James O'Connor, "Is Sustainable Capitalism Possible?" In
Martin O'Connor (ed.) Is Capitalism Sustainable? (New York: The Guilford
Press, 1994)

Andy Austin
http://web.utk.edu/~aaustin