Capitalism causes ecological problems, says eco-socialist

Joel Kovel visits U of M campus

KERRI WOLOSZYN STAFF

The connections between capitalism and an international ecological crisis were explored at a lecture on Nov. 2, 2006. College professor and ecosocialist activist Joel Kovel visited the University of Manitoba to give a series of three lectures in hopes of spreading his insights on this subject.

Entitled “Is Capitalism the Core Problem behind the Ecological Crisis?” the hour and a half-long lecture took place in the Graduate Students’ Association lounge at the U of M to an audience of about 50 people.

Kovel explained that for the good of civilization it is important to see beyond capitalism, adding that capitalism “is at most a stage in human endeavour.” He described the current world as “exciting” because of the changes that are occurring in the environment but was also quick to point out that this is not a pleasant time in human history.

He stressed that the idea of capitalism as the core of the ecological crisis is “the most important issue that people today can be discussing.”

Capitalism was described as an “ever-growing monstrosity of money” and Kovel commented that it is, at heart, a system of exploitation, mainly an exploitation of labour. He explained that with wealth there is also poverty and that the division between the rich and the poor increases with a capitalist system. He said that the destructive nature of capitalism “invades habitats,” including human habitats who are not immune.

He concluded by stating that capitalism was both “fundamentally eco-destructive” as well as “incorrigible.” He described the crisis as a “cancer.”

During his lecture, Kovel referred to his most recent book, The Enemy of Nature: the End of Capitalism or the End of the World, which he explained has been both “widely used and widely ignored.” Describing the book, he mentioned that despite the many potentially scary things that are outlined in his book it is, in the end, a “hopeful” piece of writing.

Writing the book’s opening line was a challenge for Kovel. Eventually he came up with: “Growing numbers of people are beginning to realize that capitalism is the uncontrollable force driving our ecological crisis, only to become frozen in their tracks by the awesome implications of the insight,” a line that sums up his ideas both in the book and during the lecture.

“The capitalist system is taken for granted,” said Kovel, “and is a fatal condition for our species.” He added that people must first stop thinking of capitalism as “natural.”

Kovel promised to cover possible ways to change the way our society functions and our reliance on capitalism in his following lectures at the U of M.

He also said that he made no claims that his theories are correct, saying, “I’d love to be proven wrong.” Kovel has been a professor of social studies at Bard College in Annandale, N.Y. since 1998. He has published nine books, including White Racism, which was nominated for the National Book Award. He is also the editor-in-chief of the quarterly journal Capitalism Nature Socialism.

He has also been involved with the Green Party in the United States since 1990. In 2000, he sought the candidacy for presidential nomination from the Green Party. This position was eventually won by Ralph Nader. Kovel is currently working on his next book, Beyond Zionism, which is scheduled to be completed next spring.