I was suggested a book by Professor Taylor, the Handbook of Land and Water Grabs in Africa, you may have noticed I drew on sources from that book in my previous posts. I thoroughly recommend it for those interested in land acquisitions and, crucially, its implications for water security in Africa. There is one chapter in particular that has caught my interest, and it ties in well to the recent discussions on this blog: Land and water grabs and the green economy, by Martin Keulertz.
Keulertz argues that fundamentally the nature of current economic philosophy is not geared towards a green economy - that being the system of economic activities that result in improved human well-being over the long term without exposing future generations to significant environmental risks. Keulertz applies the theory of Kondratiev Waves (referred to as Kondratieff economic cycle theory in the chapter), claiming that we are in a current period of creative destruction, where excess and slow-moving companies are outpaced by innovation. With the view that neoliberal practises will mismanage water resources and force a change in paradigm, a green economy will be established where land rights may be properly respected and water properly managed.
I'd argue however that it presents an overly simplistic assessment of what is happening, and rather wishful in its hopes for the future. Whilst there may be changes in the neoliberal order, there is nothing to genuinely suggest that a green economy will be established. A green economy fundamentally requires a sustainable and long-term outlook, which empowers all actors to ensure well-being is improved. Such a shift in power, away from the economic and political elites, would require seismic change. Even if renewable energy becomes the norm and we reduce plastic consumption etc., there is nothing to suggest that such movements would begin to spread wealth away from banks, institutional investors (including pension funds) and the elite. There is little to suggest that companies will write-off investments and risk losing their shareholders to give the farmers of Africa a better deal with sustainable farming. The creative destruction that is referred to has been seen countless times, with the shift from CDs, to MP3 players to now streaming being a good example (Warf, 2013). But these instances of innovation have, ultimately, been guided (and funded) by the drive for more profit.
Once the premise of a change in the global order is accepted, the arguments put forth can be accepted and a green economy appears to be a reality - a rather pleasant one. But the premise does not stand, it merely bears the hallmarks of the countless theories that have proposed the imminent collapse of capitalism and the ushering in of a fairer world. I propose that it is more positive, and better for those in need, to deal with the reality of power imbalances and privileges at hand. I agree with Keulertz that there will come a point when decisions must be made that better manage water, but that does not mean they will necessarily conform to the ideals of the green economy, which sets a particularly high bar.
In my next post, I will move further from the topic of Land Acquisitions, and begin exploring agriculture, particularly in the context of managing water resources, and African position on the global political stage.
Keulertz argues that fundamentally the nature of current economic philosophy is not geared towards a green economy - that being the system of economic activities that result in improved human well-being over the long term without exposing future generations to significant environmental risks. Keulertz applies the theory of Kondratiev Waves (referred to as Kondratieff economic cycle theory in the chapter), claiming that we are in a current period of creative destruction, where excess and slow-moving companies are outpaced by innovation. With the view that neoliberal practises will mismanage water resources and force a change in paradigm, a green economy will be established where land rights may be properly respected and water properly managed.
I'd argue however that it presents an overly simplistic assessment of what is happening, and rather wishful in its hopes for the future. Whilst there may be changes in the neoliberal order, there is nothing to genuinely suggest that a green economy will be established. A green economy fundamentally requires a sustainable and long-term outlook, which empowers all actors to ensure well-being is improved. Such a shift in power, away from the economic and political elites, would require seismic change. Even if renewable energy becomes the norm and we reduce plastic consumption etc., there is nothing to suggest that such movements would begin to spread wealth away from banks, institutional investors (including pension funds) and the elite. There is little to suggest that companies will write-off investments and risk losing their shareholders to give the farmers of Africa a better deal with sustainable farming. The creative destruction that is referred to has been seen countless times, with the shift from CDs, to MP3 players to now streaming being a good example (Warf, 2013). But these instances of innovation have, ultimately, been guided (and funded) by the drive for more profit.
Once the premise of a change in the global order is accepted, the arguments put forth can be accepted and a green economy appears to be a reality - a rather pleasant one. But the premise does not stand, it merely bears the hallmarks of the countless theories that have proposed the imminent collapse of capitalism and the ushering in of a fairer world. I propose that it is more positive, and better for those in need, to deal with the reality of power imbalances and privileges at hand. I agree with Keulertz that there will come a point when decisions must be made that better manage water, but that does not mean they will necessarily conform to the ideals of the green economy, which sets a particularly high bar.
In my next post, I will move further from the topic of Land Acquisitions, and begin exploring agriculture, particularly in the context of managing water resources, and African position on the global political stage.
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