In response to a comment at the Diane Rehm Show:
Environmental problems have been blamed on capitalism. An ideologue recently told me that 'imperialism' makes corporations want to rape the planet.
Capitalism or 'imperialism' in their current form, perhaps. (I should look up 'imperialism'.)
I would say that it is the persistence of economic externalities that makes environmental degradation the more profitable option. There is nothing intrinsic to the operation of a business that makes those engaged in it want to mess up the environment. They deplete resources at faster-than-sustainable rates because it is more profitable than the alternative.
If we want conserving resources to be profitable (and we want profligate use of resources to be prohibitively expensive) we need to charge fees (or charge higher fees) to those who take, degrade or deplete natural resources. When industries are paying appropriate fees for environmental impacts, they seek to do what is good for the community (reduce impacts) in order to do what is good for themselves (reduce expenses of environmental impact fees).
Natural complex organisms are made of parts (cells) that serve their own interests by and while serving the interests of the larger organism.
Our economy, as a kind of artificial organism, can work in an analogous way. As long as externalities dominate our economy, we will be somewhat like a cancer on the Earth. But when we recognize an equal ownership of or vestment in natural resource wealth, we will start accounting for externalities and will be more like brain cells of the planet. What is best for the corporation is best for the community. What is best for the individual (vote for higher fees to be paid to citizens by industry for adverse impacts) is also best for the environment (higher fees paid leads to more effort to reduce harmful environmental impacts).
Biological Model for Politics and Economics
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