I interviewed the writer Naomi Klein back in 2011, when she used an article in The Nation to lay out the anti-corporate theme that’s now the centerpiece of her new bestseller, “This Changes Everything – Capitalism vs. The Climate.”
David Roberts at Grist has just interviewed her about her book, and his questions deserved much better answers than he got. Here’s a video excerpt:
Question number one was trenchant and vital. Roberts asked about her choice of villain: “Why capitalism and not extractivism?”
She hemmed and hawed for a minute or so, then settled on a line about how climate change campaigns could be energized by focusing on an established enemy of many other factions in society:
I think there’s a benefit to the climate discussion to name a system that lots of people already have a problem with for other reasons.
She added:
Just focusing on climate is getting us nowhere. I don’t see any genuine signs of progress on that front that bring us in line with science-based targets. I think there’s something kind of uninspiring about just the narrow focus on climate.
She goes on to acknowledge the challenge she faces in trying to end capitalism, and I encourage you to explore the book to get her full prescription.
I haven’t finished the book, having been dragged away by the news flow. But the sections I read contained inconsistencies that troubled me — like Klein’s call to end free trade (in defense of localism) but support it, too (in defense of China’s ability to sell its cheap solar panels as widely as possible). I’m not sure the international community would tolerate a selective approach to “free” trade. You can read an excerpt here.
Listen to her chat with Roberts. As soon as I’ve finished the book I’ll get in touch with Klein to discuss my full views.
For divergent views of her book, read Ben Chu’s glowing review in The Independent and Will Boisvert’s detailed critique on the Breakthrough Institute website.