Robinson (2020) proposes an overturn of capitalism and its influence in every aspect of governance, the market, and day-to-day life to help solve the climate crisis through showing the reader how other systems can work and thrive on a smaller, more local level. First, Robinson (2020) shows the reader two systems in India: a system of agriculture in Sikkim and a new system of governance in Kerala. Later, there is an entire section dedicated to the cooperative system in Mondragón.
Robinson (2020) first shows the reader the systems at work in India because India is a symbol of what it takes to change – there has to be a crux or push for change; in this case, the heatwave. After the heat wave, India becomes a model for the rest of the world. Sikkim, a state in India, “became fully organic…between 2003 and 2016, aided by the scholar-philosopher- feminist-permaculturist Vandana Shiva” (Robinson 231). This organic agriculture becomes a model for New India, as does Kerala. Kerala offers a system of local governance that is closest to direct democracy. There are councils for every village, coordinated by local governments, and then above the local governments is a state government; this focus on a more direct democracy means that there are 1,200 local councils dealing with the problems for that specific area (Robinson 232).
The next system proposed is that of Mondragón in Spain following the Basque tradition of regional solidarity. Mondragón is an employee owned cooperative, where the profits are divided three ways: one-third to the employee-owners, one-third to capital improvements, and one-third given to charities chosen by the employees (Robinson 272). This is a foreign idea to the reader, who is most likely most familiar with the practice of capitalism. For a system such as this to have so much success, especially integrated in a capitalist economy, is mind-boggling. Robinson (2020) suggests that “...if these principles were to be applied seriously everywhere, they would form a political economy entirely different from capitalism as generally practiced” (273). With a different system, maybe the climate crisis can be solved.
These three models, Sikkim, Kerala, and Mondragón, all described something completely different than how capitalism is largely practiced right now. However, they still show success and promise. They are small-scale systems that focus on the success of the people existing in them, rather than the perpetrators or creators of the system trying to make as much money as they possibly can. With the focus on the everyday people in these systems, the success of it becomes an integral part of the way they live. When they can focus on improving the world with their work, whether that is the organic agriculture of Sikkim, the direct governance of Kerala, or the employee-owned cooperative in Mondragón, the climate crisis becomes a much more manageable problem to take on. These people no longer have to focus on just getting by, and consequently perpetuating a capitalistic system that contributes to the climate crisis.
Without a doubt, one of the major takeaways that Robinson intends to leave is the proposed necessity for socialism and the overturn of capitalism, which is thought to be a major cause of the world’s environmental problems. As you well analyzed, Robinson offers a couple of small-scale examples, but the plausibility of the idea at a larger scale is hard to imagine. Later on, Robinson goes on to say that the details of this proposed Plan B to capitalism “can be worked out” and that its implementation is “not rocket science” (Robinson 410). However, as Robinson goes on to admit, the current “unequal” system has “never much changed from the start of civilization” (Robinson 410). So, what will it take to have change? Will a widescale conversion to socialism require force or violence? Will these changes only occur after tragedy strikes, such as was the case with India? Well, Robinson believes that in the age of cellphones, “No one on the planet is ignorant of the real conditions of our shared social existence” (Robinson 411). He believes that our awareness of the state of the world, thanks to technology, can cause people to act and cause legislative change. Ironically, it seems like the weapon proposed to cause change is one of the very creations of capitalism. However it may be, it seems that we can only wait and see, because as things are now, it’s hard to see the world shift away from capitalism anytime soon.
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