Task 5

Read the text- Balser, E (2008) 'Capital Accumulation, Sustainability & Hamilton Ontario'. We have copies in the CTS office, 115.

Write a 500 word critical summary of the text which explicitly adresses the following questions
How is sustainability defined in the text?
What are the main characteristics or tendencies of Capitalism
Define a 'crisis of Capitalism'. Offer an example.
What solutions have been offered to the sustainability question? Are these successful or realistic? - If not why are they flawed?
Is the concept of sustainability compatible with Capitalism?

From reading the text it seems that sustainability it produced to counter the crises happening in the world at the minute. "Sustainability is often defined as inter- and inter-generational equity in the social, environmental, economic, moral and political spheres of society" Meadows.

Capitalism is a never ending growing market, by either creating non-capital market or intensifying internal markets. Marx, "a precondition of production based on capital is therefore the production of a constantly widening sphere of circulation, whether the sphere is directly expanded or whether more points within it are created as points of production." According to the text capitalism is an opportunity for companies to expand national markets to the world.

The idea of taking national markets to the rest of the world shares the nationals cultural, political and economic lifestyle to the rest of the world. For instance, Ritzer talks about the idea of "McDonaldisation" offering the rest of the world the idea of this american icon/ lifestyle to the rest of the world, apart from the third world developing countries.

A crisis of capitalism could be the company Andrex (Toilet Roll Specialists), as they claim for every pack of toilet rolls we buy they will plant a new tree. Presenting the customers this idea of replacing whats being taken in a nice eco-friendly delivery, helps expand there market from toilet roll to also eco-friendly and toilet roll. The company has jumped on the band wagon of the eco/green morals and also gained consumers. However it takes a couple of minutes to cut a tree down but years and years to grow a new one.

The solutions offered to tackle the sustainability, is to release less co2, try to become co2 neutral, recycle and use hybrid cars. All of these offered solutions have there flaws, but could work if everyone could agree to follow them. Realistically tho for instance, if everyone was to but a new hybrid car, what would happen to there brand new diesel car they've just spent thousands on, what this be fair and would people agree with this proposal?

The idea of sustainability and capitalism would not be compatible with each other, as when there is an economic crisis this makes the businesses profit but from the products they sell it also depletes the world of its natural resources.