Mair, Simon orcid.org/0000-0001-5143-8668 (2020) Neoliberal economics, planetary health, and the COVID-19 pandemic:a Marxist ecofeminist analysis. The Lancet Planetary Health. e588-e596. ISSN 2542-5196
Abstract
Planetary health sees neoliberal capitalism as a key mediator of socioecological crises, a position that is echoed in much COVID-19 commentary. In this Personal View, I set out an economic theory that emphasises some of the ways in which neoliberal capitalism's conceptualisation of value has mediated responses to COVID-19. Using the intersection of ecological, feminist, and Marxist economics, I develop an analysis of neoliberal capitalism as a specific historical form of the economy. I identify the accumulation of exchange value as a central tendency of neoliberal capitalism and argue that this tendency creates barriers to the production of other forms of value. I then analyse the implications of this tendency in the context of responses to COVID-19. I argue that resources and labour flow to the production of exchange value, at the expense of production of other value forms. Consequently, the global capitalist economy has unprecedented productive capacity but uses little of this capacity to create the conditions that improve and maintain people's health. To be more resilient to coming crises, academics, policy makers, and activists should do theoretical work that enables global economies to recognise multiple forms of value and political work that embeds these theories in societal institutions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 The Author(s) |
Keywords: | COVID-19/economics,Capitalism,Marxism,Ecology,Feminism,Global Health,COMMONS,SARS-CoV-2,Post-capitalism |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Environment and Geography (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 20 Jul 2022 11:50 |
Last Modified: | 17 Dec 2024 00:23 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30252-7 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30252-7 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:189284 |
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Filename: PIIS2542519620302527.pdf
Description: Neoliberal economics, planetary health, and the COVID-19 pandemic: a Marxist ecofeminist analysis
Licence: CC-BY 2.5