Step into ’The Modern Maze,’ a collective exploration of the challenges our society and Earth face today. Together, we delve into the origins of our global dilemmas, asking ourselves if changing our existing systems is enough for true change or if a deeper transformation within us all is needed. Let’s forge a path towards an ecologically sustainable and socially equitable world for everyone, one conversation at a time.
All content for The Modern Maze is the property of themodernmaze and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Step into ’The Modern Maze,’ a collective exploration of the challenges our society and Earth face today. Together, we delve into the origins of our global dilemmas, asking ourselves if changing our existing systems is enough for true change or if a deeper transformation within us all is needed. Let’s forge a path towards an ecologically sustainable and socially equitable world for everyone, one conversation at a time.
#6: The Birth of Capitalism Part 2 - Colonisation and the Paradox of Artificial Scarcity
The Modern Maze
38 minutes
8 months ago
#6: The Birth of Capitalism Part 2 - Colonisation and the Paradox of Artificial Scarcity
In this episode, we continue our exploration into the origins of capitalism. Following the enclosures of Europe, the next chapter of this story follows the Age of Discovery, as Europeans took to the seas in search of resources, wealth and new trading routes. When Europeans started to colonise the Americas after 1492, they were not driven by the romance of 'exploration', 'discovery' and 'adventure' as our schoolbooks tell us.
Guided by Dr. Jason Hickel's book 'Less is More', we will trace how colonisation wasn't merely an expansion of territories but a fundamental reshaping of global economies and societies. As we unravel this chapter, we discover that colonisation was far from the benign process often depicted in conventional narratives. Instead, it involved aggressive strategies that deliberately imposed scarcity on abundant resources, securing the wealth and power structures that laid the groundwork for modern capitalism.
This journey through the darker passages of history invites us to reflect on how deeply ingrained ideologies of capitalism and colonisation continue to influence our world.
In our next episode, we will be discussing the Melbourne Doughnut! I am very excited to sit down with Alison Whitten, The Director of Research from Regen Melbourne, and discuss the Melbourne Doughnut in all its glorious detail. I highly recommend checking out the Melbourne Doughnut before our conversation, which is scheduled to take place in two weeks.
https://doughnut.regen.melbourne/
References:
📚 Less is More - Dr Jason Hickel
📄 Degrowth: A theory of radical abundance - Dr Jason Hickel
📄 Arora, S. and Stirling, A. (2023). Colonial modernity and sustainability transitions: A conceptualisation in six dimensions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, [online] 48, p.100733. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2023.100733.
🌐 What Was the Age of Exploration? - ThoughtCo
The Modern Maze
Step into ’The Modern Maze,’ a collective exploration of the challenges our society and Earth face today. Together, we delve into the origins of our global dilemmas, asking ourselves if changing our existing systems is enough for true change or if a deeper transformation within us all is needed. Let’s forge a path towards an ecologically sustainable and socially equitable world for everyone, one conversation at a time.
