In this lecture, Professor Jason Hickel examines the global ecological crisis and mass human deprivation as systemic consequences of capitalist and imperialist production. He argues that the world’s resources are currently misallocated to maximize private accumulation rather than meeting universal human needs through a democratic law of value. By utilizing data on unequal exchange, Hickel demonstrates how wealth and energy in the Global North rely on the net appropriation of labor and materials from the Global South. He suggests that achieving sustainability requires the imperial core to scale down unnecessary industries while the South reclaims economic sovereignty through de-linking from capitalist exploitation. Ultimately, the talk advocates for an ecosocialist transformation that prioritizes decent living standards for all within planetary boundaries.
