RFH Ep. 83 Causes of the Climate Crisis: Consumers and Politicians, or Capitalist Production?

The co-hosts discuss Brendan’s just-published article, “Should I Turn Down the Thermostat or Overthrow the Capitalist Mode of Production?” The article offers further thoughts on Marxist-Humanist Initiative’s perspective on the relation between capitalism and the ecological crisis. Brendan pushes back against accounts that blame rising greenhouse gas emissions on consumers’ behavior or on bad leaders and corruption. He argues that the laws of capitalist production are to blame: the quest for limitless profit and the competition that enforces it are driving the rise in rising greenhouse gas emissions, and they are restricting the ability of governments, businesses, and consumers to address the crisis. Plus current-events segment: Ralph Keller and the co-hosts discuss the recent right-wing German coup attempt.