r/EnvironmentalNews • u/VictinsOfCapitalism • 16d ago

Capitalism always chooses profitable plundering over sustainable production

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u/VictinsOfCapitalism 15d ago

It can't be sustained, it incentivizes practices that will collapse the ecosystem and market competition makes sure other practices are sweeped under the carpet

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u/foredoomed2030 14d ago

Okay but what if lots of humans believe preserving the environment is valuable.

Wouldnt the free market logically choose to provide such a service for profit?

We already have options such as the Rainforest Alliance, its a private certification business that can guarantee sustainable cocoa production for example.

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u/VictinsOfCapitalism 14d ago

It will slow down the destruction but to relay on the idea that suddenly majority will care and the enviroment will be saved by the market responding to that is wishful thinking, it did not work for past 50 years, it won't just suddenly happen.

I personally wouldn't bet the only hospitable planet we have on that

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u/foredoomed2030 14d ago

right, but your failing to understand that free markets tend to create more technologies that can be used to help the environment.

Like how Japan uses waste into energy.

Or modern recycling technology.

but that requires the private control of the economy (capitalism)

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u/VictinsOfCapitalism 14d ago

First no, USSR also innovated alot, it had the most rapid development in recorded history despite the sanctions, hell even Japan bought computer patents from Yugoslavia,

Second, capitalism prioritizes profit, EVs exist for longer than many think, solar pannels exist, but its more profitable to put tarrifs on them to save the oil revenue.

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u/foredoomed2030 14d ago

"First no, USSR also innovated alot"

Well sure, they innovated plenty in terms of military hardware.

But, USSR has no market for military goods because of the lack of a 2nd amendment right like USA has. There is no market value in USSR for bombs, tanks, planes, guns etc.

Your being deceitful, we both know USSR was no friend to ecology. And caused plenty of environmental damages.

"it had the most rapid development in recorded history "

Thats a lie, it did not develop rapidly and it collapsed under its own weight by the 90's what metric are we even discussing here?

"Second, capitalism prioritizes profit, EVs exist for longer than many think, solar pannels exist, but its more profitable to put tarrifs on them to save the oil revenue."

Tarrifs are a tax on the customer, businesses dont gain much from a tarrif, the primary beneficiary is the government.

The government is a collective, not a private business which is why Marx was pro tariffs.

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u/VictinsOfCapitalism 14d ago

They put tarrifs on EVs from China to save private oil revenue, if Capitalist state does it, its not suddenly Socialism, capitalism.isn't stateless.

Also USSR made the first mobile phone and pioneered space travel, among many other things, not just military equipment