In this discussion, Jason Hickel, a Professor of Global Justice and the Environment at the University of Oslo, dives deep into the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the U.S.'s complicity in ongoing imperialist strategies. He explores how Israel's actions reflect a broader capitalist agenda while drawing parallels with apartheid South Africa. Hickel critiques the two-state solution, advocating for democracy and equal rights for all, and emphasizes the shifting global power dynamics, particularly with the rise of BRICS. A thought-provoking conversation on justice and advocacy!
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insights INSIGHT
US Support for Israel Tied to Capitalism
The U.S. ruling class supports Israel's actions due to their perceived benefit to U.S. capitalism.
They aim to control resources and labor markets in the Global South.
insights INSIGHT
Israel's Right to Exist
Israel's existence as a state is often unquestioned, but its legitimacy should be examined.
States founded on ethnic cleansing and apartheid lack the right to exist.
insights INSIGHT
Beyond the Two-State Solution
The two-state solution is no longer viable; Israel wants ethnic cleansing and apartheid.
The alternative is a democratic Palestine with equal rights for all.
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In 'Less is More', Jason Hickel argues that the primary cause of climate breakdown and ecological collapse is the perpetual expansion demanded by capitalism. He advocates for degrowth as the solution, emphasizing the need to shift from a philosophy of domination and extraction to one rooted in reciprocity and regeneration. The book critiques the notion of 'green growth' and 'decoupling' and outlines specific policies such as cutting advertising, scaling back ecologically destructive industries, ending economic inequality, and expanding common goods. Hickel also explores the philosophical and ideological underpinnings of degrowth, drawing on insights from economics, anthropology, philosophy, and science to envision a more just, caring, and sustainable society.
The divider
Trump in the White House, 2017-2021
Peter Baker
Susan Glasser
This book provides an inside story of the four years when Donald Trump went to war with Washington, from the chaotic beginning to the violent finale. It is an ambitious and lasting history of the full Trump presidency, containing dozens of exclusive scoops and stories from behind the scenes in the White House. The authors, based on unprecedented access to key players, reveal how close the country came to nuclear war with North Korea, details about cabinet members' resignation pacts, and other significant events. The book also explores the moral choices confronting those around Trump and how they justified working for a man they considered unfit for office.
Arab Development Denied
Arab Development Denied
Ali Khadri
“A capitalist economy requires constant imperialist wars because it has to constantly suppress prices and wages and reorganize production in the global south around accumulation in the core. That is ultimately the system that we have to overcome.”
Jason Hickel, who won our hearts a while back by accepting MMT, talks with Steve about the burning issue of our time. (No, not the US election, though they touch on the electoral system.) As much as Gaza is dominating social media, we must continue to stress its place in the capital order. Jason points us to Israel’s true role: sowing chaos and instability in the region.
The conversation covers the historical and ongoing imperialistic strategies of the U.S. and its reactions to the mid-century liberation movements of the Global South, placing US support for Israel's actions as part of a broader capitalist agenda to maintain control over the world's resources and labor markets. Jason looks at China’s domestic successes and how they have led to the US virtually declaring war. He also touches on recent news about BRICS.
Jason compares the history of the state of Israel to that of apartheid S. Africa. They used many of the same tactics and rationalizations. When it comes to the future for Israelis and Palestinians, S. Africa again provides a model:
“What is the actual solution for this region? And I think we have to be clear. The alternative is democracy. The alternative to apartheid is democracy. Democracy and equal rights for all people in the land of Palestine, from the river to the sea...
“We have to start thinking about what this means... This is exactly what South Africa did after they abolished apartheid... They disestablished the apartheid state. They disestablished the apartheid institutions. They ensured equal rights and democracy for all within the territory.”
Dr. Jason Hickel is an economic anthropologist, author, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is Professor at the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Visiting Senior Fellow at the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics, and Chair Professor of Global Justice and the Environment at the University of Oslo. Health.
Macro N Cheese 
