Neo-Colonialism and Modern Economic Institutions
14 minute read Colonialism never ended; it just changed forms. Let’s discuss some of the mechanisms that perpetuate colonial relationships between the global North and South.
Money vs. Energy: The True Cost
9 minute read What makes the economy go? Standard economic theory remains woefully energy-blind when it comes to identifying the true drivers of economic growth. In this article, we look beyond surface explanations to identify the ultimate driver of the global explosion of GDP during the last two centuries: energy.
Money, Debt, and the Growth Imperative
16 minute read What is money anyway, and how does the economy use it? Let’s take a dive into the nuts and bolts of capitalism and see.
Foot on the (Literal) Gas Pedal: the Great Acceleration
14 minute read In the late nineteenth century, Britain wasn’t the only world power on the block; other Western states caught up, and the industrial race was accelerating.
“Enlightenment” and Industrial Revolution
14 minute read With land and forests pushed to their maximum, western Europe needed a new energy source to continue its exploitative growth economy – and they found it in coal.
Enclosure of the Commons and Colonialism
9 minute read European colonial expansion was one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in history – but it couldn’t happen alone.
The Emergence of the State
10 minute read Humans partition the earth and govern it, and each other, as their own. How did this trend start, and how did humans first start to concentrate power?
Hunter-Gatherers & the Dawn of Agriculture
12 minute read Humans didn’t evolve for agriculture; they evolved as hunter-gatherers. How do people live their lives in such radically different cultures?